New Perspectives on Anarchism, Labour and Syndicalism

Book Announcement

New Perspectives on Anarchism, Labour and Syndicalism: The Individual, the National and the Transnational
Editors: David Berry and Constance Bantman Date Of Publication: Oct 2010
Isbn13: 978-1-4438-2393-7
Isbn: 1-4438-2393-7

This collection presents exciting new research on the history of anarchist movements and their relation to organised labour, notably revolutionary syndicalism. Bringing together internationally acknowledged authorities as well as younger researchers, all specialists in their field, it ranges across Europe and from the late nineteenth century to the beginnings of the Cold War. National histories are revisited through transnational perspectives-on Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Poland or Europe as a whole-evidencing a great wealth of cross-border interactions and reciprocal influences between regions and countries. Emphasis is also placed on individual activist itineraries-whether of renowned figures such as Errico Malatesta or of lesser-known yet equally fascinating characters, whose trajectories offer fresh perspectives on the complex interplay of regional and national political cultures, evolving political ideologies, activist networks and the individual. The volume will be of interest to specialists working on the history of anarchism and/or trade unionism as well as the political or social history of the countries concerned; but it will also be useful to students and the general reader looking for discussion of the most recent thinking on the historiography of labour and anarchist movements or those wanting a comprehensive overview of the history of syndicalism.

CONTENTS

Introduction:
New Perspectives on Anarchism, Labour and Syndicalism:The Individual, the National and the Transnational Constance Bantman and David Berry

Part I. The Syndicalist Family

Chapter One
Uneasy Family: Revolutionary Syndicalism in Europe from the Charte d'Amiens to World War I
Wayne Thorpe

Part II. Militants

Chapter Two
From Gustav Schmidt to Gus Smith: A Tale of Labour Integration (Hull, 1878-1913)
Yann Béliard

Chapter Three
The Rooted Cosmopolitan: Errico Malatesta, Syndicalism, Transnationalism and the International Labour Movement
Carl Levy

Chapter Four
Internationalism in the Border Triangle: Alfons Pilarski and Upper Silesian Anarcho-syndicalism during the Interwar Years
Dieter Nelles

Chapter Five
Mission Impossible: Ángel Pestaña's Encounter as CNT Delegate with the Bolshevik Revolution in 1920
Reiner Tosstorff

Part III. Movements

Chapter Six
The 1896 London Congress: Epilogue or Prologue?
Davide Turcato

Chapter Seven
From Trade Unionism to Syndicalisme Révolutionnaire to Syndicalism: The British Origins of French Syndicalism
Constance Bantman

Chapter Eight
Polish Anarchism and Anarcho-Syndicalism in the Twentieth Century
Rafal Chwedoruk

Chapter Nine
How and Why the French Anarchists Rallied to the CGT-FO(1947-1950)
Guillaume Davranche

Part IV. Interpretations

Chapter Ten
Analysing Revolutionary Syndicalism: The Importance of Community
Bert Altena