Great Unrest

The Great Unrest, also known as the Great Labour Unrest, was a period of labour revolt between 1911 and 1914^[1] in the United Kingdom. The agitation included the 1911 Liverpool general transport strike and the 1913 Dublin lockout. It was the region's most significant labour unrest since the mid-1800s Chartist movement but is not commemorated at the magnitude of the 1926 general strike or 1984 miners' strike. The period of unrest was labelled "great" not because of its scale, but due to the level of violence employed by both the state and laborers; including deaths of strikers at the hands of police and sabotage on the part of the workers.^[2]

Background[]

During the late 19th century, and continuing through the start of the Unrest there were a series of economic booms and busts.^[3] Throughout these, prices for consumer goods rose, while wages fell, especially with respect to the share of national income going to labor.^[4][5] French anarchist and syndicalist thought had taken root in Britain over the past three decades, and had inspired radicals such as Tom Mann with ideas about the proper course of action for working people.^[6] The period leading up to the unrest also was one in which labor laws in Britain were significantly altered; first by the Taff Vale judgement and the law repealing it (the 1906 Trade Disputes act) and then by the Osborne judgement of 1909.These changes, the first of which made unions liable for damage incurred while striking, and the second which imposed conditions on unions' political spending, were not well received by workers and in both cases were later either repealed or partially amended by parliament.^[4][5] Additionally, by 1911, a liberal government, at that point in a coalition with Labour, had been in power for years, yet had not accomplished enough to satisfy the working class. Discontent with seeking action through parliament fueled extra-political actions (such as strikes) by syndicalists, socialists, and other activist groups.^[5][6]

Notable events during the Unrest[]

The period from 1911 to 1914 included more than 3000 strikes, with over 1200 in 1913 alone. The number of working days lost was in the tens of millions, and the percentage of the working population involved in strikes increased more than three times between the first decade of the 20th century and the year 1911.^[1] The strikes involved both male and female workers, although they were not necessarily in the same unions, and the latter were also influenced by the Women's Suffrage movement which was happening at the same time.^[7] The period of the unrest coincided with other social upheavals reshaping Britain, including the Irish Nationalist struggle (and Unionist backlash and the aforementioned movement for Women's Suffrage). These led later historians to argue (although scholars now tend to agree their conclusions were overstated) that if not for the outbreak of World War I in 1914, there may have been a massive revolt in Britain.^[8][5]

Contemporary reactions[]

Contemporary reactions ranged from supportive to extremely negative, with papers of record like The Times often arguing for the government to be harder on the strikers, whereas more niche publications like the New Age and New Witness gave some modicum of support to the movement. The latter two however tended to couch their support in elitist language, and looked down upon the working people rather than viewing them as equals. Various activist groups and radical movements also published their own papers, in which they argued for or against strategic decisions or policies being undertaken.^[4][9]

Links with other movements[]

Women's suffrage movement[]

The labor and women's suffrage movement had a tenuous relationship, and often were at odds, but there were instances of collaboration between the two. The main issue where they differed was the type of suffrage being fought for. The Women's Suffrage movement, at least initially, tended to argue that simply instituting 'equal suffrage' which would keep in place property qualifications, would suffice, whereas militant labor activists wanted full adult suffrage without such barriers. However, some groups of women found that the suffrage movement encouraged their workplace activism. Women strikers were emboldened by the example of militant suffragettes, the latter who engaged in actions as extreme as mass window smashing campaigns and serial arson. The National Federation of Women Workers, although it advocated for adult suffrage, in addition to many other reforms, rather than being a single cause group, grew by more than 10 times from 1906 to 1914.^[7]

Syndicalist movement[]

Anarchism, socialism, and syndicalism had a significant role in the militant industrial organizing which was the hallmark of the Unrest. From the mid to late 19th century, anarchist groups in France and Britain had exchanged ideas, and syndicalist ideology owed a significant debt to anarchist thinkers. Thinkers like Errico Malatesta and Peter Kropotkin were influenced by syndicalism, and it found an important supporter in Tom Mann. Inspired by syndicalist ideology, Mann, who was a socialist and trade union activist founded the International Syndicalist Education League (ISEL) which brought these ideas to British workers. The British unions took these ideas and applied them to their massive strikes, an example which crossed the channel in reverse and inspired French syndicalists, who looked to industrial unions (unions of entire sectors) in Britain as an example. One difference between French and British syndicalists though was that the latter were more accommodating towards state power, and saw value in the political process.^[6][10] The Social Democratic Federation (SDF) was a mixed supporter of the strikers, although some of its members were more unequivocally for active in the labor struggle.^[7]

References[]

Further reading[]