Labour revolts
Encyclopedia
A labour revolt or "worker's uprising" is a period civil unrest characterised by strong labour militancy and strike activity. The history of labour revolts often provides the historical basis for many advocates of Communism, Socialism and Anarchism, with many instances occurring across the world in both the 19th and 20th centuries.
in Lyons, France were the first clearly defined worker uprising of the Industrial Revolution. The First occurred in November 1831 and was followed by later revolts in 1834 and 1848. Following the closure of the national workshops after the 1848 revolution in Paris, there was an uprising in Paris involving 100,000 insurgents involved in a three-day battle with the army, volunteers and reserve forces.
The Paris Commune
in France (1871) is hailed by both anarchists and Socialists as the first assumption of power by the working class, but controversy of the policies implemented in the Commune helped the split between the two groups.
and the 1877 Shamokin Uprising
occurred in the United States.
The Battle of Blair Mountain
in Logan County, West Virginia, USA (1921) was the largest organised armed uprising in American Labour History, and had a major impact on labour legislation in the United States.
and the Hungarian Soviet Republic
.
Some revolutionary activity within the Eastern Bloc resembled Labour Revolts, such as the Uprising of 1953 in East Germany
, the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, the Polish 1970 protests
although many communists would dispute this as 'Counter-Revolutionary' activity.
is a term used to describe a period of labour and political militancy in the city of Glasgow, Scotland between the 1910s and the 1930s. Most famously this resulted in raising the red flag in the 1919 Battle of George Square
.
were part of a "revolutionary wave", with much of the activity motivated by students.
Labour revolts in France
The Canut RevoltsCanut revolts
Three major revolts by silk workers in Lyon, France, called the Canut revolts took place during the first half of the 19th century. The first occurred in November 1831, and was the first clearly defined worker uprising of the Industrial Revolution....
in Lyons, France were the first clearly defined worker uprising of the Industrial Revolution. The First occurred in November 1831 and was followed by later revolts in 1834 and 1848. Following the closure of the national workshops after the 1848 revolution in Paris, there was an uprising in Paris involving 100,000 insurgents involved in a three-day battle with the army, volunteers and reserve forces.
The Paris Commune
Paris Commune
The Paris Commune was a government that briefly ruled Paris from March 18 to May 28, 1871. It existed before the split between anarchists and Marxists had taken place, and it is hailed by both groups as the first assumption of power by the working class during the Industrial Revolution...
in France (1871) is hailed by both anarchists and Socialists as the first assumption of power by the working class, but controversy of the policies implemented in the Commune helped the split between the two groups.
Labour revolts in the United States
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877Great railroad strike of 1877
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 began on July 14 in Martinsburg, West Virginia, United States and ended some 45 days later after it was put down by local and state militias, and federal troops.-Economic conditions in the 1870s:...
and the 1877 Shamokin Uprising
1877 Shamokin Uprising
The 1877 Shamokin Uprising occurred when desperation and starvation drove Pennsylvania's railroad workers and miners to join the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, America’s first nationwide strike....
occurred in the United States.
The Battle of Blair Mountain
Battle of Blair Mountain
The Battle of Blair Mountain was one of the largest civil uprisings in United States history and the largest armed insurrection since the American Civil War...
in Logan County, West Virginia, USA (1921) was the largest organised armed uprising in American Labour History, and had a major impact on labour legislation in the United States.
Labour revolts in Russia, Germany and Eastern Europe
The Russian Revolution (1905) led to the creation of the Saint Petersburg Soviet or worker's council which became the model for most Communist Revolutionary Activity. The Soviet was revived in the Russian Revolution (1917) and the model was repeated in the German Revolution of 1918–1919, The Bavarian Soviet RepublicBavarian Soviet Republic
The Bavarian Soviet Republic, also known as the Munich Soviet Republic was, as part of the German Revolution of 1918–1919, the short-lived attempt to establish a socialist state in form of a council republic in the Free State of Bavaria. It sought independence from the also recently proclaimed...
and the Hungarian Soviet Republic
Hungarian Soviet Republic
The Hungarian Soviet Republic or Soviet Republic of Hungary was a short-lived Communist state established in Hungary in the aftermath of World War I....
.
Some revolutionary activity within the Eastern Bloc resembled Labour Revolts, such as the Uprising of 1953 in East Germany
Uprising of 1953 in East Germany
The Uprising of 1953 in East Germany started with a strike by East Berlin construction workers on June 16. It turned into a widespread anti-Stalinist uprising against the German Democratic Republic government the next day....
, the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, the Polish 1970 protests
Polish 1970 protests
The Polish 1970 protests were protests that occurred in northern Poland in December 1970. The protests were sparked by a sudden increase of prices of food and other everyday items...
although many communists would dispute this as 'Counter-Revolutionary' activity.
Labour revolts in Great Britain
Red ClydesideRed Clydeside
Red Clydeside is a term used to describe the era of political radicalism that characterised the city of Glasgow in Scotland, and urban areas around the city on the banks of the River Clyde such as Clydebank, Greenock and Paisley...
is a term used to describe a period of labour and political militancy in the city of Glasgow, Scotland between the 1910s and the 1930s. Most famously this resulted in raising the red flag in the 1919 Battle of George Square
1919 Battle of George Square
The 1919 Battle of George Square, also known as Bloody Friday and Black Friday, was one of the most intense riots in the history of Glasgow, Scotland, which took place on Friday, 31 January 1919. The dispute revolved around a campaign for shorter working hours, backed by widespread strike action...
.
Labour revolts elsewhere
Some observers claimed that the protests of 1968Protests of 1968
The protests of 1968 consisted of a worldwide series of protests, largely participated in by students and workers.-Background:Background speculations of overall causality vary about the political protests centering on the year 1968. Some argue that protests could be attributed to the social changes...
were part of a "revolutionary wave", with much of the activity motivated by students.
- Gwangju Democratization Movement in South Korea, 1980
- The Nghe-Tinh Revolt 1930–1931 French Indochina
- Brazilian Anarchist Uprising 1917–1918
- Saigon Commune, Vietnam 1945
See also
- Proletarian RevolutionProletarian revolutionA proletarian revolution is a social and/or political revolution in which the working class attempts to overthrow the bourgeoisie. Proletarian revolutions are generally advocated by socialists, communists, and most anarchists....
- General StrikeGeneral strikeA general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
- Cuno strikesCuno strikesThe Cuno strikes were nation-wide strikes in Germany against the government of Reich chancellor Wilhelm Cuno in August 1923. The wave of strikes demanded and helped bring about the resignation of the Cuno government on August 12, 1923, just nine months after it began...