[lbo-talk] That giant sucking sound ...

Brian O. Sheppard bsheppard at bari.iww.org
Wed Apr 9 14:47:01 PDT 2003


On Wed, 9 Apr 2003, Wojtek Sokolowski wrote:


> I am anxious to learn when exactly the grassroots organizing achieved
> any noticeable success without being aided by (1) a crisis that crippled
> the state's ability to stay in control and suppress dissent or (2)
> dissident/reformist elements in the ruling class / governemnt.

Wojtek, workers in the United States had won the 8 hour day in several industries through their own organizing efforts by the end of the 1910s. Because of grassroots movements, in fact, the 6 hour day was at that time perceived to be just around the corner. When a 6 hour day seemed inevitable, World War 2 happened and it became unpatriotic to agitate.

Also, why do you want to hear about grassroots organizing that hasn't caused a crisis in state control? Grassroots movements that are effective generally cause this crises in state control.

The point of my post was to remark at the irony of giving credit to the approved Marxist demigods for the observation that state power can be counteracted by civil organizations.

Brian



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