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but it is obviously an international plant； whose roots have already found
the soil of Britain most congenial to its growth and fructification。
Collectivist or Marxian Socialism would have us believe that it is
distinctly a LABOR Movement； but it is not so。 Neither is Anarchism。 The
one is substantially bourgeois； the other aristocratic； plus an abundant
output of book…learning； in either case。 Syndicalism； on the contrary； is
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indubitably laborist in origin and aim； owing next to nothing to the
‘‘Classes；'' and； indeed；； resolute to uproot them。 The Times （Oct。 13；
1910）； which almost single…handed in the British Press has kept creditably
abreast of Continental Syndicalism； thus clearly set forth the significance
of the General Strike：
‘‘To understand what it means； we must remember that there is in
France a powerful Labor Organization which has for its open and avowed
object a Revolution； in which not only the present order of Society； but the
State itself； is to be swept away。 This movement is called Syndicalism。 It
is not Socialism； but； on the contrary； radically opposed to Socialism；
because the Syndicalists hold that the State is the great enemy and that the
Socialists' ideal of State or Collectivist Ownership would make the lot of
the Workers much worse than it is now under private employers。 The
means by which they hope to attain their end is the General Strike； an idea
which was invented by a French workman about twenty years ago；＇27＇
and was adopted by the French Labor Congress in 1894； after a furious
battle with the Socialists； in which the latter were worsted。 Since then the
General Strike has been the avowed policy of the Syndicalists； whose
organization is the Confederation Generale du Travail。''
＇27＇ In fact the General Strike was invented by a Londoner William
Benbow； an Owenite； in 1831。
Or； to put it otherwise； the intelligent French worker has awakened；
as he believes； to the fact that Society （Societas） and the State （Civitas）
connote two separable spheres of human activity； between which there is
no connection； necessary or desirable。 Without the one； man； being a
gregarious animal； cannot subsist： while without the other he would
simply be in clover。 The ‘‘statesman'' whom office does not render
positively nefarious is at best an expensive superfluity。
Syndicalists have had many violent encounters with the forces of
government。 In 1907 and 1908； protesting against bloodshed which had
occurred in the suppression of strikes； the Committee of the C。 G。 T。 issued
manifestoes speaking of the Government as ‘‘a Government of assassins''
and alluding to the Prime Minister as ‘‘Clemenceau the murderer。'' Similar
events in the strike at Villeneuve St。 Georges in 1908 led to the arrest of all
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the leading members of the Committee。 In the railway strike of October；
1910； Monsieur Briand arrested the Strike Committee； mobilized the
railway men and sent soldiers to replace strikers。 As a result of these
vigorous measures the strike was completely defeated； and after this the
chief energy of the C。 G。 T。 was directed against militarism and
nationalism。
The attitude of Anarchism to the Syndicalist movement is sympathetic；
with the reservation that such methods as the General Strike are not to be
regarded as substitutes for the violent revolution which most Anarchists
consider necessary。 Their attitude in this matter was defined at the
International Anarchist Congress held in Amsterdam in August； 1907。 This
Congress recommended ‘‘comrades of all countries to actively participate
in autonomous movements of the working class； and to develop in
Syndicalist organizations the ideas of revolt； individual initiative and
solidarity； which are the essence of Anarchism。'' Comrades were to
‘‘propagate and support only those forms and manifestations of direct
action which carry； in themselves； a revolutionary character and lead to the
transformation of society。'' It was resolved that ‘‘the Anarchists think that
the destruction of the capitalist and authoritary society can only be
realized by armed insurrection and violent expropriation； and that the use
of the more or less General Strike and the Syndicalist movement must not
make us forget the more direct means of struggle against the military force
of government。''
Syndicalists might retort that when the movement is strong enough to
win by armed insurrection it will be abundantly strong enough to win by
the General Strike。 In Labor movements generally； success through
violence can hardly be expected except in circumstances where success
without violence is attainable。 This argument alone； even if there were no
other； would be a very powerful reason against the methods advocated by
the Anarchist Congress。
Syndicalism stands for what is known as industrial unionism as
opposed to craft unionism。 In this respect； as also in the preference of
industrial to political methods； it is part of a movement which has spread
far beyond France。 The distinction between industrial and craft unionism
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is much dwelt on by Mr。 Cole。 Craft unionism ‘‘unites in a single
association those workers who are engaged on a single industrial process；
or on processes so nearly akin that any one can do another's work。'' But
‘‘organization may follow the lines； not of the work done； but of the actual
structure of industry。 All workers working at producing a particular kind of
commodity may be organized in a single Union。 。 。 。 The basis of
organization would be neither the craft to which a man belonged nor the
employer under whom he worked； but the service on which he was
engaged。 This is Industrial Unionism properly so called。＇28＇
＇28＇ ‘‘World of Labour；