Nevertheless, in the kaleidoscopic world of labour politics, this new view had scarcely established itself ere another movement, long familiar on the continent, began to undermine socialism itself.
A leading advocate of this departure was Mr. Tom Mann, who, in his Industrial Syndicalist organ, started in 1910, has definitely presented this project, a conception of the future totally distinct from trade unionism and socialism alike. We are told in that paper that "the struggle must go on until the workers of the world, organised as a class, take possession of the earth and the machinery of production, and abolish the wage system." Obviously, this diverges acutely from socialism, for it is rule by "a class." The whole scheme is to be "revolutionary in character—revolutionary in aim—revolutionary in methods." For, we are informed, a working-class movement that is not of this nature is useless to the working class. "Industrial syndicalism aims at perfect organisation, so as to enable the workers to manage the industrial system themselves, once they have seized it."
Thus the three main schemes which competed for the favour of our working classes were trade unionism, socialism, and syndicalism. Under the first, the employers are still to conduct industry; under the second, the State, and under the third, the workers themselves, are to discharge that function.
And then, in the swift progress of current
