WORKING CLASS MOVEMENTS

The Industrial Revolution resulted in the emergence of two new social classes in society – the capitalists who were the owners of industries and controlled trade and commerce, and the industrial working class who worked for a wage. Their conditions of work and living were miserable and they had no rights. They were frequently without jobs.

The workers gradually began to organize themselves into trade unions to protect their common rights though for a long time there were laws against workers organizing themselves into unions.

The working-class movement received great impetus under the influence of the ideas of socialism. The ideas of socialism, which grew as a reaction against het evils of capitalism, appealed particularly to the workers that helped them to organize themselves as a distinct political force. The socialist movements in the second half of the nineteenth century strove not only to promote the economic demands of the workers but also to mobilize them to overthrow the system of capitalism itself. Karl Marx and Frederick Engels played a leading role in giving a scientific shape to the ideas of socialism and in organizing the socialist movement in many countries of Europe.

Many groups and organizations were formed to spread socialist ideas and to organize workers e.g., League of the Just, which gave the slogan ‘All men are brothers’.

One of the most important events in the history of working-class movement was the formation of the International Working Men’s Association (1864) popularly known as the First International. It played an important role in creating bonds of international solidarity by arranging aid from workers of many countries in support of the worker’s struggle in any particular country. Though its membership was not large it was feared by the rulers for the sense of worker’s solidarity it had succeeded in creating.

To unite the socialist parties in various countries into an international organization, a Congress was held in Paris on 14^th July 1889. It was at this Congress that the Second International was formed. It was decided that on 1^st May a great international demonstration of the workers would be organized. On that day, millions of workers struck work all over Europe and America and held massive demonstrations. From that day the 1^st of May is overserved every year as the International Working-Class Day all over the world.

The success of the Russian Revolution gave new life to the socialist and working-class movement. Communist parties were formed in most countries of the world and were affiliated to the Comintern, which became a common forum where questions of policies were discussed, and common policies were framed for worldwide acceptance. Though the Comintern was dissolved, working class movements continued with the help of trade unions in different arts of the world. In the meantime, laws were passed in many countries against some of the worst effects of industrialization and capital exploitation.

Thus, by the second half of the twentieth century, working class movement became a worldwide phenomenon. The emergence of the USSR as a great world power and the spread of communism in many parts of the world particularly in Eastern Europe provided a new dimension to trade unionism and the rise of working class as a major force in every country.