At a glance
Syndicalism places organized workers and unions at the center of economic change, often proposing worker control of production through industrial associations.
Core principles
- Worker organization
- Industrial democracy
- Collective action
- Union-based control of production
Origins & development
Revolutionary syndicalism developed in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century labor movements, especially in Europe.
Economic outlook
Syndicalists typically oppose capitalist control of workplaces and favor ownership or management by workers' organizations rather than private investors.
Society & government
Some currents reject parliamentary party politics and emphasize direct action; positions on state power and political rights vary.
Variations & related traditions
Anarcho-syndicalism is explicitly anti-state; other syndicalists have taken different views of political organization and reform.
Debates & criticisms
Critics question how union-based coordination represents nonworkers and consumers, and how it manages complex economies.