Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2010. 245 p. # ISBN-10: 1443823937
# ISBN-13: 978-1443823937

This collection presents exciting new research on the history of anarchist movements and their relation to organised labour, notably revolutionary syndicalism. Bringing together internationally acknowledged authorities as well as younger researchers, all specialists in their field, it ranges across Europe and from the late nineteenth century to the beginnings of the Cold War. National histories are revisited through transnational perspectives—on Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Poland or Europe as a whole—evidencing a great wealth of cross-border interactions and reciprocal influences between regions and countries. Emphasis is also placed on individual activist itineraries—whether of renowned figures such as Errico Malatesta or of lesser-known yet equally fascinating characters, whose trajectories offer fresh perspectives on the complex interplay of regional and national political cultures, evolving political ideologies, activist networks and the individual. The volume will be of interest to specialists working on the history of anarchism and/or trade unionism as well as the political or social history of the countries concerned; but it will also be useful to students and the general reader looking for discussion of the most recent thinking on the historiography of labour and anarchist movements or those wanting a comprehensive overview of the history of syndicalism.

CONTENTS

Introduction:
"New Perspectives on Anarchism, Labour and Syndicalism: The Individual, the National and the Transnational," Constance Bantman and David Berry

Part I. The Syndicalist Family

Chapter One
"Uneasy Family: Revolutionary Syndicalism in Europe from the Charte d’Amiens to World War I,"
Wayne Thorpe

Part II. Militants

Chapter Two
"From Gustav Schmidt to Gus Smith: A Tale of Labour Integration (Hull, 1878-1913),"
Yann Béliard
Chapter Three
"The Rooted Cosmopolitan: Errico Malatesta, Syndicalism, Transnationalism and the International Labour Movement,"
Carl Levy
Chapter Four
"Internationalism in the Border Triangle: Alfons Pilarski and Upper Silesian Anarcho-syndicalism during the Interwar Years,"
Dieter Nelles
Chapter Five
"Mission Impossible: Ángel Pestaña’s Encounter as CNT Delegate with the Bolshevik Revolution in 1920,"
Reiner Tosstorff

Part III. Movements

Chapter Six
"The 1896 London Congress: Epilogue or Prologue?"
Davide Turcato
Chapter Seven
"From Trade Unionism to Syndicalisme Révolutionnaire to Syndicalism: The British Origins of French Syndicalism,"
Constance Bantman
Chapter Eight
"Polish Anarchism and Anarcho-Syndicalism in the Twentieth Century,"
Rafal Chwedoruk
Chapter Nine
"How and Why the French Anarchists Rallied to the CGT-FO(1947-1950),"
Guillaume Davranche

Part IV. Interpretations

Chapter Ten
"Analysing Revolutionary Syndicalism: The Importance of Community,"
Bert Altena