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vehicle。 In order to understand Syndicalism； we have first to describe
Trade Union organization in France； and its political environment。 The
ideas of Syndicalism will then appear as the natural outcome of the
political and economic situation。 Hardly any of these ideas are new；
almost all are derived from the Bakunist section of the old
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International。＇21＇ The old International had considerable success in France
before the Franco… Prussian War； indeed； in 1869； it is estimated to have
had a French membership of a quarter of a million。 What is practically the
Syndicalist program was advocated by a French delegate to the Congress
of the International at Bale in that same year。＇22＇
＇20＇ And also in Italy。 A good； short account of the Italian movement
is given by A。 Lanzillo； ‘‘Le Mouvement Ouvrier en Italie；'' Bibliotheque
du Mouvement Proletarien。 See also Paul Louis； ‘‘Le Syndicalisme
Europeen；'' chap。 vi。 On the other hand Cole （‘‘World of Labour；'' chap。 vi）
considers the strength of genuine Syndicalism in Italy to be small。
＇21＇ This is often recognized by Syndicalists themselves。 See； e。g。； an
article on ‘‘The Old International'' in the Syndicalist of February； 1913；
which； after giving an account of the struggle between Marx and Bakunin
from the standpoint of a sympathizer with the latter； says： ‘‘Bakounin's
ideas are now more alive than ever。''
＇22＇ See pp。 42…43； and 160 of ‘‘Syndicalism in France；'' Louis Levine；
Ph。D。 （Columbia University Studies in Political Science； vol。 xlvi； No。 3。）
This is a very objective and reliable account of the origin and progress of
French Syndicalism。 An admirable short discussion of its ideas and its
present position will be found in Cole's ‘‘World of Labour'' （G。 Bell &
Sons）； especially chapters iii； iv； and xi。
The war of 1870 put an end for the time being to the Socialist
Movement in France。 Its revival was begun by Jules Guesde in 1877。
Unlike the Ger… man Socialists； the French have been split into many
different factions。 In the early eighties there was a split between the
Parliamentary Socialists and the Communist Anarchists。 The latter thought
that the first act of the Social Revolution should be the destruction of the
State； and would therefore have nothing to do with Parliamentary politics。
The Anarchists； from 1883 onward； had success in Paris and the South。
The Socialists contended that the State will disappear after the Socialist
society has been firmly established。 In 1882 the Socialists split between
the followers of Guesde； who claimed to represent the revolutionary and
scientific Socialism of Marx； and the followers of Paul Brousse； who were
more opportunist and were also called possibilists and cared little for the
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theories of Marx。 In 1890 there was a secession from the Broussists； who
followed Allemane and absorbed the more revolutionary elements of the
party and became leading spirits in some of the strongest syndicates。
Another group was the Independent Socialists； among whom were Jaures；
Millerand and Viviani。＇23＇
＇23＇ See Levine； op。 cit。； chap。 ii。
The disputes between the various sections of Socialists caused
difficulties in the Trade Unions and helped to bring about the resolution to
keep politics out of the Unions。 From this to Syndicalism was an easy
step。
Since the year 1905； as the result of a union between the Parti
Socialiste de France （Part； Ouvrier Socialiste Revolutionnaire Francais led
by Guesde） and the Parti Socialiste Francais （Jaures）； there have been only
two groups of Socialists； the United Socialist Party and the Independents；
who are intellectuals or not willing to be tied to a party。 At the General
Election of 1914 the former secured 102 members and the latter 30； out of
a total of 590。
Tendencies toward a rapprochement between the various groups were
seriously interfered with by an event which had considerable importance
for the whole development of advanced political ideas in France； namely；
the acceptance of office in the Waldeck… Rousseau Ministry by the
Socialist Millerand in 1899。 Millerand； as was to be expected； soon ceased
to be a Socialist； and the opponents of political action pointed to his
development as showing the vanity of political triumphs。 Very many
French politicians who have risen to power have begun their political
career as Socialists； and have ended it not infrequently by employing the
army to oppress strikers。 Millerand's action was the most notable and
dramatic among a number of others of a similar kind。 Their cumulative
effect has been to produce a certain cynicism in regard to politics among
the more class…conscious of French wage…earners； and this state of mind
greatly assisted the spread of Syndicalism。
Syndicalism stands essentially for the point of view of the producer as
opposed to that of the consumer； it is concerned with reforming actual
work； and the organization of industry； not MERELY with securing greater
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rewards for work。 From this point of view its vigor and its distinctive
character are derived。 It aims at substituting industrial for political action；
and at using Trade Union organization for purposes for which orthodox
Socialism would look to Parliament。 ‘‘Syndicalism'' was originally only
the French name for Trade Unionism； but the Trade Unionists of France
became divided into two sections； the Reformist and the Revolutionary； of
whom the latter only professed the ideas which we now associate with the
term ‘‘Syndicalism。'' It is quite impossible to guess how far either the
organization or the ideas of the Syndicalists will remain intact at the end
of the war； and everything that we shall say is to be taken as applying only
to the years before the war。 It may be that French Syndicalism as a
distinctive movement will be dead； but even in that case it will not have
lost its importance； since it has given a new impulse and direction to the
more vigorous part of the labor movement in all civilized countries； with
the possible exception of Germany。
The organization upon which Syndicalism de… pended was the
Confederation Generale du Travail； commonly known as the C。 G。 T。；
which was founded in 1895； but only achieved its final form in 1902。 It
has never been numerically very powerful； but has derived its influence
from the fact that in moments of crisis many who were not members were
willing to follow its guidance。 Its membership in the year before the war is
estimated by Mr。 Cole at somewhat more than half a million。 Trade Unions
（Syndicats） were legalized by Waldeck…Rousseau in 1884； and the C。 G。 T。；
on its inauguration in 1895；