The labour movement in Canada (“bourgeoisified”)
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...“The skilled, and especially the English- speaking, part of the working class is com- pletely bourgeoisified. Its concep- tion of trade unionism is still wholly that of the old, narrow-minded English trade unions. Besides, spiritually they are still completely in the grip of the church. To be regarded as an ‘apostate’ is the deepest shame, ‘re- spectability’ is the highest honour.” This is beginning to change: a spirit, of discontent ... rising living costs. “Today forty-two men actually con- trol more than a third of the country’s total wealth”.... The petty bourgeoisie, especially in agriculture, is against the trusts. (Die Neue Zeit, 1913-14, 32, 1, p. 382, a paraphrase of an article by Gustav Meyer: “Agrarian Discontent in Canada” from The New Review, 1913, September.) Ibidem, p. 384 on South Africa (the Rand). Workers consist of Chi- nese, Kaffirs and whites (ruined by the Boer War). Endless tyranny by the British capitalists, the mine own- ers and the government. Little by little a class struggle of all the wage workers is developing, but slowly “owing largely to the hesitant atti- tude of the conservative and narrow- minded labour leaders, who are still wholly in thrall to the old trade unionism” (from the International Socialist Review, 1913, October, paraphrase). |
labour movement in Canada (bourgeoisified) |
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42 men ... one-third of all wealth |
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South Africa “labour leaders” narrowminded, conservative old trade unions officials |
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