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on its inauguration in 1895； was formed by the Federation of 700
Syndicats。 Alongside of this organization there existed another； the
Federation des Bourses du Travail； formed in 1893。 A Bourse du Travail is
a local organization； not of any one trade； but of local labor in general；
intended to serve as a Labor Exchange and to perform such functions for
labor as Chambers of Commerce perform for the employer。＇24＇ A
Syndicat is in general a local organization of a single industry； and is thus
a smaller unit than the Bourse du Travail。＇25＇ Under the able leadership of
Pelloutier； the Federation des Bourses prospered more than the C。 G。 T。；
and at last； in 1902； coalesced with it。 The result was an organization in
which the local Syndicat was fed… erated twice over； once with the other
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Syndicat in its locality； forming together the local Bourse du Travail； and
again with the Syndicats in the same industry in other places。 ‘‘It was the
purpose of the new organization to secure twice over the membership of
every syndicat； to get it to join both its local Bourse du Travail and the
Federation of its industry。 The Statutes of the C。 G。 T。 （I。 3） put this point
plainly： ‘No Syndicat will be able to form a part of the C。 G。 T。 if it is not
federated nationally and an adherent of a Bourse du Travail or a local or
departmental Union of Syndicats grouping different associations。' Thus； M。
Lagardelle explains； the two sections will correct each other's point of
view： national federation of industries will prevent parochialism
（localisme）； and local organization will check the corporate or ‘Trade
Union' spirit。 The workers will learn at once the solidarity of all workers in
a locality and that of all workers in a trade； and； in learning this； they will
learn at the same time the complete solidarity of the whole working…
class。''＇26＇
＇24＇ Cole； ib。； p。 65。
＇25＇ ‘‘Syndicat in France still means a local unionthere are at the
present day only four national syndicats'' （ib。； p。 66）。
＇26＇ Cole； ib。 p。 69。
This organization was largely the work of Pellouties； who was
Secretary of the Federation des Bourses from 1894 until his death in 1901。
He was an Anarchist Communist and impressed his ideas upon the
Federation and thence posthumously on the C。 G。 T。 after its combination
with the Federation des Bourses。 He even carried his principles into the
government of the Federation； the Committee had no chairman and votes
very rarely took place。 He stated that ‘‘the task of the revolution is to free
mankind； not only from all authority； but also from every institution which
has not for its essential purpose the development of production。''
The C。 G。 T。 allows much autonomy to each unit in the organization。
Each Syndicat counts for one； whether it be large or small。 There are not
the friendly society activities which form so large a part of the work of
English Unions。 It gives no orders； but is purely advisory。 It does not allow
politics to be introduced into the Unions。 This decision was originally
based upon the fact that the divisions among Socialists disrupted the
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PROPOSED ROADS TO FREEDOM
Unions； but it is now reinforced in the minds of an important section by
the general Anarchist dislike of politics。 The C。 G。 T。 is essentially a
fighting organization； in strikes； it is the nucleus to which the other
workers rally。
There is a Reformist section in the C。 G。 T。； but it is practically always
in a minority； and the C。 G。 T。 is； to all intents and purposes； the organ of
revolutionary Syndicalism； which is simply the creed of its leaders。
The essential doctrine of Syndicalism is the class… war； to be
conducted by industrial rather than politi… cal methods。 The chief
industrial methods advocated are the strike； the boycott； the label and
sabotage。
The boycott； in various forms； and the label； showing that the work has
been done under trade… union conditions； have played a considerable part
in American labor struggles。
Sabotage is the practice of doing bad work； or spoiling machinery or
work which has already been done； as a method of dealing with employers
in a dispute when a strike appears for some reason undesirable or
impossible。 It has many forms； some clearly innocent； some open to grave
objections。 One form of sabotage which has been adopted by shop
assistants is to tell customers the truth about the articles they are buying；
this form； however it may damage the shopkeeper's business； is not easy to
object to on moral grounds。 A form which has been adopted on railways；
particularly in Italian strikes； is that of obeying all rules literally and
exactly； in such a way as to make the running of trains practically
impossible。 Another form is to do all the work with minute care； so that in
the end it is better done； but the output is small。 From these innocent forms
there is a continual progression； until we come to such acts as all ordinary
morality would consider criminal； for example； causing railway accidents。
Advocates of sabotage justify it as part of war； but in its more violent
forms （in which it is seldom defended） it is cruel and probably inexpedient；
while even in its milder forms it must tend to encourage slovenly habits of
work； which might easily persist under the new regime that the
Syndicalists wish to introduce。 At the same time； when capitalists express
a moral horror of this method； it is worth while to observe that they
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themselves are the first to practice it when the occasion seems to them
appropriate。 If report speaks truly； an example of this on a very large scale
has been seen during the Russian Revolution。
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 Chri