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By far the most important of the Syndicalist methods is the strike。
Ordinary strikes； for specific objects； are regarded as rehearsals； as a
means of perfecting organization and promoting enthusiasm； but even
when they are victorious so far as concerns the specific point in dispute；
they are not regarded by Syndicalists as affording any ground for
industrial peace。 Syndicalists aim at using the strike； not to secure such
improvements of detail as employers may grant； but to destroy the whole
system of employer and employed and win the complete emancipation of
the worker。 For this purpose what is wanted is the General Strike； the
complete cessation of work by a sufficient proportion of the wage…earners
to secure the paralysis of capitalism。 Sorel； who represents Syndicalism
too much in the minds of the reading public； suggests that the General
Strike is to be regarded as a myth； like the Second Coming in Christian
doctrine。 But this view by no means suits the active Syndicalists。 If they
were brought to believe that the General Strike is a mere myth； their
energy would flag； and their whole outlook would become disillusioned。 It
is the actual； vivid belief in its possibility which inspires them。 They are
much criticised for this belief by the political Socialists who consider that
the battle is to be won by obtaining a Parliamentary majority。 But
Syndicalists have too little faith in the honesty of politicians to place any
reliance on such a method or to believe in the value of any revolution
which leaves the power of the State intact。
Syndicalist aims are somewhat less definite than Syndicalist methods。
The intellectuals who endeavor to interpret themnot always very
faithfully represent them as a party of movement and change； following
a Bergsonian elan vital； without needing any very clear prevision of the
goal to which it is to take them。 Nevertheless； the negative part； at any rate；
of their objects is sufficiently clear。
They wish to destroy the State； which they regard as a capitalist
institution； designed essentially to terrorize the workers。 They refuse to
believe that it would be any better under State Socialism。 They desire to
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see each industry self…governing； but as to the means of adjusting the
relations between different industries； they are not very clear。 They are
anti…militarist because they are anti…State； and because French troops have
often been employed against them in strikes； also because they are
internationalists； who believe that the sole interest of the working man
everywhere is to free himself from the tyranny of the capitalist。 Their
outlook on life is the very reverse of pacifist； but they oppose wars
between States on the ground that these are not fought for objects that in
any way concern the workers。 Their anti…militarism； more than anything
else； brought them into conflict with the authorities in the years preceding
the war。 But； as was to be expected； it did not survive the actual invasion
of France。
The doctrines of Syndicalism may be illustrated by an article
introducing it to English readers in the first number of ‘‘The Syndicalist
Railwayman；'' September； 1911； from which the following is quoted：
‘‘All Syndicalism； Collectivism； Anarchism aims at abolishing the
present economic status and existing private ownership of most things； but
while Collectivism would substitute ownership by everybody； and
Anarchism ownership by nobody； Syndicalism aims at ownership by
Organized Labor。 It is thus a purely Trade Union reading of the economic
doctrine and the class war preached by Socialism。 It vehemently
repudiates Parliamentary action on which Collectivism relies； and it is； in
this respect； much more closely allied to Anarchism； from which； indeed；
it differs in practice only in being more limited in range of action。'' （Times；
Aug。 25； 1911）。
In truth； so thin is the partition between Syndicalism and Anarchism
that the newer and less familiar ‘‘ism'' has been shrewdly defined as
‘‘Organized Anarchy。'' It has been created by the Trade Unions of France；
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