revolutionary wave c.1905-1927

Calgary 1919: The Birth of the OBU and the General Strike - Eugene Plawiuk

Ed — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 14:01:03 +0000

The One Big Union was founded a mere two months before it was baptized by the Winnipeg General Strike. The founding Convention was held in the Calgary Labour Temple (which still stands today, though it has been converted into a Chinese Restaurant).

The Edmonton General Strike of 1919 - Eugene Plawiuk

Ed — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 13:52:02 +0000

In May of 1919 a heat wave crossed the province. Edmonton had reached temperatures of 85 degrees. Like the heat wave a mood of union militancy was in the air across Alberta, indeed across Western Canada. A strike wave would soon erupt sweeping the West like a prairie fire.

German revolution image gallery

catch — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 22:27:19 +0000

1918: Rice riots and strikes in Japan

catch — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 16:46:11 +0000

1905-1918 in Japan was called the Era of Popular Violence (民衆騒擾期, minshû sôjô ki). This began with the Hibiya Incendiary Incident (日比谷焼討事件, Hibiya Yakiuchi Jiken) - a citywide riot in Tokyo that started with a banned protest in Hibiya park; against the terms of the Portsmouth Treaty which ended the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905.

1917: The Proletariat's Democratic Revolution in Finland

catch — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 20:35:06 +0000

Sacrificed by the Bolsheviks at the negotiating table as they agreed the Brest-Litovsk treaty with international capital ("The revolution will not be lost simply because we will be giving the Germans Finland, Latvia and Estonia" - Lenin, Collected Works, Vol. 26, pp.

1919: The Story of the Limerick Soviet

catch — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 14:53:40 +0000

Introduction

On 21st January, 1919, Dail Eireann held its opening session and the Irish Volunteers drew their first mortal blood since 1916 at Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary. These facts have set the seal for subsequent historians of the first months of the year.

Revolutionary Syndicalism in Mexico - John M. Hart

Ret Marut — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 22:08:56 +0000

"The Mexican revolutionary syndicalists: their form of organization - anarchosyndicalist; their leadership - artisan and professional; their numbers - 150 000; their goals - the seizure and operation of the means of production and the onset of worldwide proletarian revolution; their means - revolutionary war against capitalism by workers' militias and the general strike."

1919: Winnipeg general strike

Alex... — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 22:37:10 +0000

Throughout the spring of 1919, Winnipeg had been buzzing with the fervour of militant unionism among the working class. The city had witnessed a general strike the year previously, which had ended with partial gains for workers. Unemployment was high, wages were low and conditions poor.

1915-1920: Red Clydeside and the shop stewards' movement

Steven. — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 13:47:44 +0000

Although unemployment decreased slightly in the few years immediately preceding the beginning of hostilities, inflation rose dramatically, increasing the prices of foodstuffs, rents and fuel, but decreasing workers’ wages by 15%. While conditions at work were fairly miserable, workers had to return to bad housing where overcrowding was not uncommon and disease rampant.

1926: British general strike

Steven. — Sun, 10 Sep 2006 11:13:53 +0000

Britain’s only ever General Strike shook the British ruling class out of their thrones and showed brilliantly how collective working class action can change society.

It also showed how willing the ruling class and how unwilling labour leaders are to fight. Without wanting to sound too light-hearted: We could’ve done it if it wasn’t for those pesky Trade Union bureaucrats!