Industrial Syndicalist Education League
Encyclopedia
The Industrial Syndicalist Education League (ISEL) was a British
syndicalist organisation which existed from 1910 to 1913.
In May 1910 Guy Bowman and Tom Mann
, two dissident members of the Social Democratic Federation
(SDF) travelled to France
visiting members of the syndicalist General Confederation of Labour
. Mann returned convinced of their doctrine. He started the monthly newspaper The Industrial Syndicalist in July. He went on to establish contacts with leading British syndicalists like Peter
and James Larkin
, and other dissidents in the Independent Labour Party
, the SDF, and the Clarion movement
.
In November 1910 the ISEL was founded at two-day conference in Manchester
, allegedly attended by 200 delegates representing 60,000 workers. The ISEL became the first British fully syndicalist organisation, and the largest ever. It was not a trade union, but rather sought to disseminate syndicalist ideas within the labour movement. The ISEL did not have a formal organisational structure or membership. It did not consider the conditions to be ripe to start a mass organisation, thus it consisted mainly of Mann and a few of his confidants. It gained the support of E. J. B. Allen, associated with the Industrialist League. It published a monthly newspaper The Syndicalist, which claimed a circulation of 20,000.
The period from 1910 to 1914 was marked by labour unrest including the 1911 Liverpool General Transport Strike
and the Dublin Lockout
. Tom Mann was the head of the strike committee of the former, which did not allow any transportation in the city without its permission. The ISEL also had close contact to coal miners in South Wales.
In November 1912, the ISEL held a two conferences with a claimed attendance of 235 delegates representing 100,000 workers. That winter, the organisation began setting up branches and drawing up a constitution
.
In September 1913, the ISEL hosted the First International Syndicalist Congress
at Holborn Town Hall in London
, where syndicalists from all over Europe and South America convened. The same year also saw the ISEL collapse. The period of unrest that had been significant for the development of British syndicalism was coming to an end. Bowman, an important theoretician in the group, turned to the Industrial Workers of the World
, winning the ISEL to a dual unionist
position. Those in the group opposed to this line left to form the Industrial Democracy League, and the ISEL dissolved soon after.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
syndicalist organisation which existed from 1910 to 1913.
In May 1910 Guy Bowman and Tom Mann
Tom Mann
Tom Mann was a noted British trade unionist. Largely self-educated, Mann became a successful organiser and a popular public speaker in the labour movement.-Early years:...
, two dissident members of the Social Democratic Federation
Social Democratic Federation
The Social Democratic Federation was established as Britain's first organised socialist political party by H. M. Hyndman, and had its first meeting on June 7, 1881. Those joining the SDF included William Morris, George Lansbury and Eleanor Marx. However, Friedrich Engels, Karl Marx's long-term...
(SDF) travelled to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
visiting members of the syndicalist General Confederation of Labour
Confédération générale du travail
The General Confederation of Labour is a national trade union center, the first of the five major French confederations of trade unions.It is the largest in terms of votes , and second largest in terms of membership numbers.Its membership decreased to 650,000 members in 1995-96 The General...
. Mann returned convinced of their doctrine. He started the monthly newspaper The Industrial Syndicalist in July. He went on to establish contacts with leading British syndicalists like Peter
Peter Larkin
Peter Larkin may refer to:* Peter Charles Larkin , Canadian entrepreneur* Peter Larkin , American theatre stage designer, see Tony Award for Best Scenic Design...
and James Larkin
James Larkin
James Larkin was an Irish trade union leader and socialist activist, born to Irish parents in Liverpool, England. He and his family later moved to a small cottage in Burren, southern County Down. Growing up in poverty, he received little formal education and began working in a variety of jobs...
, and other dissidents in the Independent Labour Party
Independent Labour Party
The Independent Labour Party was a socialist political party in Britain established in 1893. The ILP was affiliated to the Labour Party from 1906 to 1932, when it voted to leave...
, the SDF, and the Clarion movement
The Clarion
The Clarion was a weekly newspaper published by Robert Blatchford, based in the United Kingdom. It was a socialist publication though adopting a British-focused rather than internationalist perspective on political affairs, as seen in its support of the British involvement in the Anglo-Boer Wars...
.
In November 1910 the ISEL was founded at two-day conference in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, allegedly attended by 200 delegates representing 60,000 workers. The ISEL became the first British fully syndicalist organisation, and the largest ever. It was not a trade union, but rather sought to disseminate syndicalist ideas within the labour movement. The ISEL did not have a formal organisational structure or membership. It did not consider the conditions to be ripe to start a mass organisation, thus it consisted mainly of Mann and a few of his confidants. It gained the support of E. J. B. Allen, associated with the Industrialist League. It published a monthly newspaper The Syndicalist, which claimed a circulation of 20,000.
The period from 1910 to 1914 was marked by labour unrest including the 1911 Liverpool General Transport Strike
1911 Liverpool General Transport Strike
The 1911 Liverpool General Transport Strike involved dockers, railway workers and sailors, as well people from other trades. It paralysed Liverpool commerce for most of the summer of 1911. It also transformed trade unionism on Merseyside...
and the Dublin Lockout
Dublin Lockout
The Dublin Lock-out was a major industrial dispute between approximately 20,000 workers and 300 employers which took place in Ireland's capital city of Dublin. The dispute lasted from 26 August 1913 to 18 January 1914, and is often viewed as the most severe and significant industrial dispute in...
. Tom Mann was the head of the strike committee of the former, which did not allow any transportation in the city without its permission. The ISEL also had close contact to coal miners in South Wales.
In November 1912, the ISEL held a two conferences with a claimed attendance of 235 delegates representing 100,000 workers. That winter, the organisation began setting up branches and drawing up a constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
.
In September 1913, the ISEL hosted the First International Syndicalist Congress
First International Syndicalist Congress
The First International Syndicalist Congress was a meeting of European and Latin American syndicalist organizations at Holborn Town Hall in London from September 27 to October 2, 1913...
at Holborn Town Hall in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where syndicalists from all over Europe and South America convened. The same year also saw the ISEL collapse. The period of unrest that had been significant for the development of British syndicalism was coming to an end. Bowman, an important theoretician in the group, turned to the Industrial Workers of the World
Industrial Workers of the World
The Industrial Workers of the World is an international union. At its peak in 1923, the organization claimed some 100,000 members in good standing, and could marshal the support of perhaps 300,000 workers. Its membership declined dramatically after a 1924 split brought on by internal conflict...
, winning the ISEL to a dual unionist
Dual unionism
Dual unionism is the development of a union or political organization parallel to and within an existing labor union. In some cases, the term may refer to the situation where two unions claim the right to organize the same workers....
position. Those in the group opposed to this line left to form the Industrial Democracy League, and the ISEL dissolved soon after.