Industrial Workers of the World: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox political party|name=Industrial Workers of the World|founded=June 27, 1905|abbreviation=IWW|newspaper=Industrial Worker|membership=11,275|political_line=[[Anarcho-syndicalism]]<br>[[Libertarian socialism]]|website=https://www.iww.org/|logo=IWW logo.png}}
{{Infobox political party|name=Industrial Workers of the World|founded=June 27, 1905|abbreviation=IWW|newspaper=''Industrial Worker''|membership=11,275|political_line=[[Anarcho-syndicalism]]<br>[[Libertarian socialism]]|website=https://www.iww.org/|logo=IWW logo.png}}


The '''Industrial Workers of the World''' ('''IWW''') is an international leftist [[Trade union|union]]. At its peak in 1917, it had 150,000 members.<ref>{{Citation|author=Eric Thomas Chester|year=2014|title=The Wobblies in their Heyday|title-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KBKJBAAAQBAJ&pg=PR12#v=onepage&q&f=false|isbn=9781440833021}}</ref> The IWW began as a [[Socialism|socialist]] organization but later shifted to an [[Anarcho-syndicalism|anarcho-syndicalist]] position.
The '''Industrial Workers of the World''' ('''IWW''') is an international leftist [[trade union]]. At its peak in 1917, it had 150,000 members.<ref>{{Citation|author=Eric Thomas Chester|year=2014|title=The Wobblies in their Heyday|title-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KBKJBAAAQBAJ&pg=PR12#v=onepage&q&f=false|isbn=9781440833021}}</ref> The IWW began as a [[Socialism|socialist]] organization but later shifted to an [[Anarcho-syndicalism|anarcho-syndicalist]] position.


== History ==
== History ==
The IWW was founded in Chicago in 1905.<ref name=":0">{{News citation|author=Tom Mackaman|newspaper=[[World Socialist Web Site]]|title=The Wobblies (1979): What the IWW means for the working class today|date=2022-05-25|url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/05/26/kezm-m26.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715132458/https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/05/26/kezm-m26.html|archive-date=2022-07-15|retrieved=2022-07-29}}</ref>
The IWW was founded in Chicago in June 1905.<ref>{{Web citation|author=Nathalie Hrizi|newspaper=[[Liberation School]]|title=Anarchism’s track record: What is militancy without a winning program?|date=2008-02-01|url=https://www.liberationschool.org/anarchisms-track-record-what-is-militancy-without-a-winning-program/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127183242/https://liberationschool.org/anarchisms-track-record-what-is-militancy-without-a-winning-program/|archive-date=2020-11-27|retrieved=2022-08-28}}</ref>


The IWW allowed Black workers and women to join at a time when they were still excluded from other unions, including the [[American Federation of Labor]].<ref name=":0" /> During a lumber worker [[Strike action|strike]] in 1911 and 1912, half of the strikers were Black. During the 1910s, the IWW carried out strikes of tens of thousands of workers.
The IWW allowed Black workers and women to join at a time when they were still excluded from other unions, including the [[American Federation of Labor]].<ref name=":0">{{News citation|author=Tom Mackaman|newspaper=[[World Socialist Web Site]]|title=The Wobblies (1979): What the IWW means for the working class today|date=2022-05-25|url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/05/26/kezm-m26.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715132458/https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/05/26/kezm-m26.html|archive-date=2022-07-15|retrieved=2022-07-29}}</ref> During a lumber worker [[Strike action|strike]] in 1911 and 1912, half of the strikers were Black.


In 1912, the [[Syndicalist League of North America]], led by [[William Z. Foster]], split from the IWW.<ref>{{Citation|author=William Z. Foster|year=1952|title=History of the Communist Party of the United States|title-url=https://williamzfoster.blogspot.com/|chapter=The Heyday of the Socialist Party (1905-1914)|chapter-url=https://williamzfoster.blogspot.com/2013/01/chapter-eight-heyday-of-socialist-party.html}}</ref>
In 1912, the [[Syndicalist League of North America]], led by [[William Z. Foster]], split from the IWW.<ref name=":1">{{Citation|author=William Z. Foster|year=1952|title=History of the Communist Party of the United States|title-url=https://williamzfoster.blogspot.com/|chapter=The Heyday of the Socialist Party (1905-1914)|chapter-url=https://williamzfoster.blogspot.com/2013/01/chapter-eight-heyday-of-socialist-party.html}}</ref>


The IWW opposed the [[First World War]]. In September 1917, IWW headquarters across the country were raided and 2,000 members were arrested.<ref>{{Citation|author=William Z. Foster|year=1952|title=History of the Communist Party of the United States|title-url=https://williamzfoster.blogspot.com/|chapter=World War I: Social-Democratic Betrayal (1914-1918)|chapter-url=https://williamzfoster.blogspot.com/2013/01/chapter-nine-world-war-i-social.html}}</ref> Unlike the AFL, the IWW refused to take a pledge not to strike during the war.<ref name=":0" />
The IWW opposed the [[First World War]]. In September 1917, IWW headquarters across the country were raided and 2,000 members were arrested.<ref>{{Citation|author=William Z. Foster|year=1952|title=History of the Communist Party of the United States|title-url=https://williamzfoster.blogspot.com/|chapter=World War I: Social-Democratic Betrayal (1914-1918)|chapter-url=https://williamzfoster.blogspot.com/2013/01/chapter-nine-world-war-i-social.html}}</ref> Unlike the AFL, the IWW refused to take a pledge not to strike during the war.<ref name=":0" />


In 1920, the IWW General Executive Board endorsed the [[Communist International (1919–1943)|Third International]].<ref>{{Citation|author=William Z. Foster|year=1952|title=History of the Communist Party of the United States|title-url=https://williamzfoster.blogspot.com/|chapter=The Formation of the Communist Party  (1919-1921)|chapter-url=https://williamzfoster.blogspot.com/2013/01/chapter-twelve-formation-of-communist.html}}</ref>
In 1920, the IWW General Executive Board endorsed the [[Communist International (1919–1943)|Third International]].<ref>{{Citation|author=William Z. Foster|year=1952|title=History of the Communist Party of the United States|title-url=https://williamzfoster.blogspot.com/|chapter=The Formation of the Communist Party  (1919-1921)|chapter-url=https://williamzfoster.blogspot.com/2013/01/chapter-twelve-formation-of-communist.html}}</ref>
The IWW declined after the First World War and had only 11 delegates at its 1925 convention.<ref name=":1" />
== Strikes ==
During the 1910s, the IWW carried out strikes of tens of thousands of workers. They led the "Bread and Roses" strike in Massachusetts in 1912, a strike of silk workers in New Jersey in 1913, and a strike of iron miners in Minnesota in 1916.<ref name=":1" />


== References ==
== References ==
<references />
<references />
[[Category:Trade unions]]
[[Category:Trade unions]]

Revision as of 15:59, 28 August 2022

Industrial Workers of the World

AbbreviationIWW
FoundedJune 27, 1905
NewspaperIndustrial Worker
Membership11,275
Website
https://www.iww.org/


The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) is an international leftist trade union. At its peak in 1917, it had 150,000 members.[1] The IWW began as a socialist organization but later shifted to an anarcho-syndicalist position.

History

The IWW was founded in Chicago in June 1905.[2]

The IWW allowed Black workers and women to join at a time when they were still excluded from other unions, including the American Federation of Labor.[3] During a lumber worker strike in 1911 and 1912, half of the strikers were Black.

In 1912, the Syndicalist League of North America, led by William Z. Foster, split from the IWW.[4]

The IWW opposed the First World War. In September 1917, IWW headquarters across the country were raided and 2,000 members were arrested.[5] Unlike the AFL, the IWW refused to take a pledge not to strike during the war.[3]

In 1920, the IWW General Executive Board endorsed the Third International.[6]

The IWW declined after the First World War and had only 11 delegates at its 1925 convention.[4]

Strikes

During the 1910s, the IWW carried out strikes of tens of thousands of workers. They led the "Bread and Roses" strike in Massachusetts in 1912, a strike of silk workers in New Jersey in 1913, and a strike of iron miners in Minnesota in 1916.[4]

References