Workers of the World After 150 Years

by Peter Symon

When Marx and Engels advanced the slogan "Workers of the World, Unite!" in 
the Communist Manifesto (first published in 1848), a world's working 
class did not exist. A modern working class had emerged only in England, 
and to a lesser extent in some other European countries at that time. The 
working class grew as capitalism advanced in other countries.

Because Britain was the first country in the world to become an 
industrialised nation, it was in Britain that Marx and Engels were able to 
study the capitalist system and its mechanism for the exploitation of the 
working class (surplus value). They discovered the class struggle as the 
motive force in modern history; that the spread of capitalism using new 
forms of production and the new technologies coming into existence, was 
inevitable. They foresaw that the working class would increase in size and 
importance. 

Industrialisation steadily advanced in other European countries, in North 
America and in Australia where by the 1820s the first trade unions were 
formed. This development was based on the migration of experienced class 
conscious workers from Britain. However, the early development of Australia 
was associated with creating an infrastructure and the first workers' 
organisations were to be found in timber-felling, sheep-shearing, mining, 
shipping, building houses and small-scale manufacture.

At this time (in the 1800s) there were no railways, no motor cars, no 
electricity generation and no large scale steel industry. Radio had not yet 
been invented.

The 1800s was also the age of imperialism. The capitalist countries of 
Europe sailed the world with their steel ships, guns and armies and divided 
the rest of the globe between them, establishing the colonial system 
dominated by Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, and Spain in particular. 
They had to find new markets for their surplus manufactures and new fields 
for the investment of their profits.

The objective of imperialism was to seize control of the rich resources of 
the colonies — not to develop them industrially. While colonialism lasted 
there was little opportunity for these countries to establish modern 
industries and consequently there was little growth of a working class. 
These countries remained predominantly agricultural supplying raw materials 
for the industries of Europe.

Very little was done to educate the populations of the colonial countries. 
A small number of the indigenous elite was bought off, educated and trained 
to a certain extent but only for the purpose of helping to maintain the 
control of the imperialist power over the local population. 

The more far-sighted of the rulers recognised the need to create a native 
bourgeoisie which had the same class interests as the bourgeoisie of 
Britain and the other capitalist countries which would help the colonial 
powers keep the people in subjection and defeat the inevitable liberation 
struggles which were even then arising. 

But when Marx and Engels wrote the Communist Manifesto colonialism 
seemed secure and unchallengable.

The United States came late on the scene and although it grew rapidly as an 
industrialised country, the world had already been divided up among the 
European powers and its direct colonial possessions were limited to its 
immediate vicinity — in the Caribbean, (Cuba, Puerto Rica, Haiti, etc.) 
and the Philippines — where it took over from the collapsing Spanish 
empire.

There was, therefore, little by way of a working class in Africa, the 
Middle East, Russia, Asia and Latin America when Marx and Engels made their 
ringing declaration — "Workers of the World, Unite!"

It was their genius which recognised the inevitability of the development 
of the working class and that the working class was destined to play the 
primary role in the overthrow of capitalism and the establishment of the 
new order of socialism.

Despite its seemingly all-powerful dominance, imperialism was not able to 
stamp out the demands of the people of the colonial countries for freedom 
and independence — freedom from exploitation and independence for their 
country. There were many revolts which were put down with incredible 
savagery.

Some of these episodes found their way into the history books of Britain — 
such as the revolts of the people of India and the massacres carried out by 
the British colonial governments — but generally they have been covered up 
so the people of the former colonial powers know little if anything about 
the millions that were slaughtered in Africa, China, Latin and Central 
America in their name. Only now is the full significance of the genocide 
practiced against the Aboriginal people of the Australian continent coming 
to light, as one example.

As capitalism spread, it brought into existence a working class and working 
class struggles began to grow. It created its own "grave-diggers" as Marx 
and Engels pointed out.

The first great working class break-through came with the Paris Commune of 
1871 during which a revolutionary workers' power was established for a 
time. It was crushed by the armed intervention of Germany and the deposed 
French ruling class. What was mainly missing in the Paris Commune was a 
revolutionary political party capable of providing the necessary 
leadership. But, none-the-less, the Paris Commune was proof of the 
assertions of Marx and Engels as to the revolutionary role of the working 
class. Despite its defeat it provided many lessons for Lenin and other 
future revolutionaries. 

The Russian revolution of October 1917 was the next major workers' break-
through. Even though the Russian working class was relatively small 
compared to the total population which was primarily peasant, the Russian 
revolution was led by the working class and its revolutionary party.

The Russian revolution again provided proof that the working class was that 
class in society which had a primary interest in overthrowing capitalism 
and was capable of undertaking that task. 

It was proof of the theory that because of its position in the process of 
production, its political consciousness and organisation the working class 
could "storm the heavens" and start to build a socialist society — 
providing there existed a political party capable of giving the necessary 
leadership.

Following World War I, working class revolutions also took place in Germany 
and Hungary. In Hungary a revolutionary workers' government was established 
for a number of months.

In 1911 an anti-feudal, bourgeois-democratic revolution took place in 
China. The giant of the East was beginning to stir — together with the 
first emergence of an infant working class in China. In the early 1920s the 
Communist Party of China was formed. These were early signals that 
revolutionary workers' uprisings, together with other class allies, were 
beginning in the East.

The consolidation of the socialist Soviet Union and its example to the rest 
of the world, speeded up considerably the development of the working class 
movements and the anti-colonial liberation movements. Communist Parties 
came into existence in one country after another.

The defeat of fascism in World War II represented another great leap 
forward in that it showed in practice to many people how a socialist system 
and a workers' government could renovate a country, make it strong and 
independent and bring great social, economic and political gains to the 
working people.

In the aftermath of World War II, colonialism collapsed under the blows of 
the militant national liberation movements and for the first time in the 
present era independence provided the opportunity for the development of 
industries in the former colonial countries. With industry, a modern 
working class came into existence. We need look no further than Indonesia 
or South Korea to see this happening. 

Following the overthrow of Dutch colonialism, Indonesia began to develop 
its industries. They were established on the basis of a capitalist system, 
often using foreign capital which had control. To that extent the political 
independence of Indonesia and a number of other former colonies did not 
lead to economic independence. 

The industrial growth of Indonesia, South Korea and a number of other 
former colonies led to the rapid formation of a modern working class where 
none existed before. Trade unions came into existence. Today we are 
beginning to see this working class take up the struggle against capital 
and for the completion of their struggle for liberation. The next great 
historic step is the overthrow of capitalism and the establishment of 
working class power, leading to the building of a socialist society.

During this whole historic period, capitalism also changed. From mercantile 
capitalism, through laissez-faire capitalism, to the development of 
monopolies, the marriage between the bourgeois state and the monopolies to 
form state-monopoly capitalism, to the emergence of transnational 
corporations (TNCs).

These giant industrial and financial corporations do not owe allegiance to 
any particular state but straddle the whole world. This is the stage of 
globalisation which is based on the advance in production processes, 
technology, telecommunications and radio, air travel, and the creation of a 
world market. These developments are also inevitable.

In the same way that capitalism has become global, so too has the working 
class.

The trade union movement has formed its international, world-wide networks 
— the World Federation of Trade Unions, the International Confederation of 
Free Trade Unions and a number of other regional trade union bodies. 
Despite the split between the WFTU and the ICFTU, which limited for a time 
the possibilities for world-wide working class action, common action is 
again developing.

For a time the communist parties also had their international — the 
Communist Third International and although this body went out of existence 
during World War II (1943), the co-operation of communist parties is today 
becoming stronger and more practical. Many international conferences are 
taking place at which policies and campaigns are mapped out.

An important vehicle for working class internationalism — the Internet — 
is playing an increasingly important part in this for trade unions and for 
communist parties.

Compared to 1848 or even 1900, there has been a vast increase in the size 
and militancy of the world's working class. It can now be truly said that 
the working class has a world-wide dimension. While the concept of "Workers 
of the World, Unite!" could only have limited application in 1848, it is 
now becoming a reality.

It was the understanding by Marx and Engels of the processes taking place 
in society, the inevitability of the spread of capitalism and, with it, the 
creation of a working class and their recognition of the revolutionary role 
of the working class that enabled them to advance such a slogan. This was 
also the basis for their conclusion that capitalism would inevitably be 
replaced by socialism.

Although there have been solidarity actions in the past the scope of the 
present international campaigns is much wider than ever before. 

The recent solidarity extended to the Maritime Union of Australia as the 
Australian Government and some would-be stevedoring companies attempted to 
introduce "industrial mercenaries" onto the Australian waterfront is a 
magnificent example.

The world-wide support for the Liverpool dockers is another. Last year 
militant South Korean trade unions conducted strike action and won their 
demands with the solidarity support of other unions around the world. They 
made effective use of the Internet to get their message out.

Czech and German steel workers co-operated together in a struggle against a 
company which had plants in both the Czech Republic and Germany; 
international support was given during negotiations by General Electric 
workers in the US. There are many other examples.

In its transnational corporate form, capitalism strides the world. It is 
intensifying the exploitation of the working people everywhere. It too has 
created its international bodies such as the International Monetary Fund 
(IMF), the World Bank and the World Trade Organisation. Through these 
organisations the TNCs are attempting to impose their diktat not only on 
the people of all countries but also on the governments of supposedly 
independent states. They have openly instructed the governments of 
Indonesia, Thailand and South Korea to sack workers, close down industries, 
privatise publicly-owned enterprises, cut government expenditures (meaning 
the services and monies provided for education, health services, social 
welfare programs).

Capitalist governments in Australia, France, Britain, etc. have been 
implementing similar programs for some time. Capital is also acting 
internationally. One leader after another of the capitalist countries has 
visited Indonesia to tell its government that it must carry out the policy 
instructions of the IMF.

But the globalisation of capital and the globalisation of the working class 
means that the working people of all countries are facing identical or 
similar issues. And, consequently, the policies and demands of the 
progressive organisations have never been more similar.

The same TNCs operating in Indonesia are also operating in Australia, 
France, Chile, etc. A common enemy presents itself to the working people of 
all countries. For example, the rapacious and anti-trade union Rio Tinto 
has operations in many countries mining iron ore, copper, coal, diamonds, 
gold and other metals. It describes itself as "one of the world's largest 
iron ore producers". Australia's Broken Hill Propriety Coy (BHP) operates 
enterprises in 80 countries.

The intensification of the exploitation of the working class in all 
countries is resulting in unparalleled levels of class struggle and this 
will intensify. In this situation, international solidarity has become a 
potent factor in the world-wide struggle against capitalism.

Undoubtedly, capitalism will not go quietly and there are many signs that 
the defenders of TNC rule are preparing ever new repressive legislation and 
are beefing up military and police forces to use against the workers and 
their organisations. A headline in a recent daily newspaper tells the 
story. It said: "Military ready for trouble in Indonesia". The article went 
on: "Indonesia's military said that as many as two million people have lost 
their jobs during the nation's financial crisis and soldiers were ready to 
crack down on any uprisings." (Courier Mail, 3/1/98)

The vicious anti-union legislation of the Australian Government is part of 
the same picture. The support by Workplace Relations Minister, Peter Reith, 
for the "industrial mercenaries" project is but another example.

However, the power of working class solidarity was the factor which 
defeated this anti-trade union plan on the waterfront. The globalisation of 
capital and the globalisation of the working class, the emergence of a 
clearly identifiable common enemy confronting the working class everywhere, 
the fact that the working class now has common policies and demands means 
that the possibilities for more working class-led revolutionary struggles 
has increased. These will be struggles not only for immediate economic, 
social and political demands but for the overthrow of capitalism whose 
continued rule is becoming more and more intolerable.

The great panoramic and historic sweep of the vision of Marx and Engels set 
forth so brilliantly in the Communist Manifesto remains a statement 
of splendid scientific clarity. Its program has not yet been fulfilled. The 
"spectre of communism" has yet to be transformed into the reality of a 
world communist society with socialism as its transitional form. It will 
take more decades, even a century or two. Only then will the communists 
throughout the world be able to say that the program of the Communist 
Manifesto has been fulfilled.

The new century will see a resumption of revolutionary upheavals with more 
countries taking the socialist path. In this process the unity of the 
world's working class, foreseen by Marx and Engels just 150 years ago, will 
play a more potent part. "Workers of the world, unite!" will become an 
increasing reality.