17. Records of Marx's Speeches on Trade Unions
[FROM THE MINUTES OF THE SESSION OF THE LONDON CONFERENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL WORKING
MEN'S ASSOCIATION ON SEPTEMBER 20, 1871]
Marx believes that these resolutions were not taken at the Congress of Basle — after verification he recognises that some decisions were taken in this sense[407]—it was a pious wish — he also thought at that time — the thing possible — now he is persuaded that the TRADES UNIONS will not accept this federation — The TRADES UNIONS, he says, are an aristocratic minority — the poor workers cannot belong to them: the great mass of workers whom economic development is driving from the countryside into the towns every day — has long been outside the TRADES UNIONS — and the most wretched mass has never belonged; the same goes for the workers born in the East End of London; one in 10 belongs to TRADES UNIONS — peasants, day labourers never belong to these societies.
The TRADES UNIONS can do nothing by themselves — they will remain a minority — they have no power over the mass of proletarians — whereas the International works directly on these men — it does not need their organisation in order to carry along the workers — the international idea appeals to them immediately— It is the only society to inspire complete confidence in the workers.
Language also stands in the way of an international association with the TRADES UNIONS.
II
Marx does not share Steens' fears — with regard to the TRADES UNIONS.[408] They have never been able to do anything without turning to us — even the best organised — those with branches in the United States — they have remained outside the largest revolutionary movement in England[409]—Since the International has been in existence — it has been different — if they wish to employ their strength — with our aid — they can achieve everything — they had a clause in their Rules prohibiting them from getting involved in politics — the only political moves they have made were under the influence of the International — The General Council has for several years been in contact with the TRADES UNIONS — there existed a committee[410]—at present it is still in contact with three big cities — Manchester — Birmingham — Sheffield.
Endnotes
[407] The reference is to the Basle Congress resolution on the trades unions, one of whose clauses instructed the General Council to promote international federation of trade unions, (see "Report of the Fourth Annual Congress of the International Working Men's Association, held at Basle, in Switzerland. From the 6th to the 11th September 1869", London [1869] p. 30).
[408] )8 During the discussion on the international contacts of trade unions, Steens, a delegate from Belgium, expressed an apprehension that in case of international federation of trade unions the national trades unions might be absorbed by the English ones.
[409] 19 The reference is to Chartism, the workers' political movement in Great Britain from the 1830s to the early 1850s under the slogan of the People's Charter, which included the demand for universal suffrage and certain conditions to ensure this right to the workers. pp. 615, 634
[410] 0 This refers to the Executive Committee of the Reform League, set up on the initiative and with the participation of the Central (General) Council of the International in London in the spring of 1865 as the political centre of the mass movement for the electoral reform. The League's leading bodies — the Council and the Executive Committee — included the General Council members, mainly trade union leaders and representatives of bourgeois radicals. Unlike the bourgeois parties, which confined their demands to suffrage for householders and tenants, the League demanded suffrage for the entire adult male population. This revived Chartist slogan secured it the support of the trades unions, hitherto indifferent to politics. The vacillations of the radicals in its leadership and the conciliatory behaviour of the trade union leaders prevented the League, however, from following the line charted by the General Council of the International. The British bourgeoisie succeeded in splitting the movement and a moderate reform was carried out in 1867, granting franchise only to the petty bourgeoisie and the upper strata of the working class.