The social movement
During the first two decades of 19th century workers fight agaisnt mechanisation by destroying machinery and setting fire to factories. They blamed mechanisation for the low salaries and unemployment. This movement was called Luddism.
In 1834 the Great Trade Union was created in England. It was a union formed by workers of various trades. They wanted to improve working conditions: reduction of working hours, wage improvements and child labour regulation.
Utopian, comunitarian socialism. This includes a great variety of utopian movements and thinkers. They want to change society by adopting egalitarian lifestyles and building cooperatives and communes to serve as an example for the rest of the world. For example, the Fourierists, Owen's new harmony... both inthe 19th century.
Communism, Marxism or Scientific socialism
It was created by Karl Marx with Friedrich Engels's help. Marx divided society into two groups:
◦ those who own and control the means of production
◦ and those who are exploited.
These classes fight for resources throughout history (class strugle) and when the economic base of the society changes, a new class develops to overthrow the previous ruling class.
Marx developed in his main works (Das Kapital and Communist Manifest) his main ideas and concepts:
- Social Classes. He defined the social classes and their peculiar characteristics.
- Class struggle. Changes in history happens due to the confrontation between oppressors and oppressed (e.i Acièn Regimen : Nobility (oppressor) against bourgeoisie (oppressed)
- Surplus value. The wealth created by workers in excess of their labour cost and appropriated by the capitalist.
- Worker´s Revolution. Marx believed that workers were tricked by bourgeoisie in all past revolutions, they were used as blunt force under the promise of future benefits that never came. Workers should fight for their rights, no for those of other class, and, after a revolution, establishing workers government. In this proletariat dictatorship there will not be private property, all classes join together until they reach the Socialist Paradise.
Anarchism
The term comes from the Greek “anarchos” (without rules). It is the political belief that society should have no government, state, laws, police, army, church or other authority, but should be a free association of all its members.They believe on education to redeem the people.
There are many types of anarchism. Some anarchists are against all forms of aggression or violence, while others support the use of violence to get an anarchist society. The French Pierre Joseph Proudon and the Russians Mikhail Bakunin and Peter Kropotkin were some of the most important anarchists.
The International Workers´ Association
The First International (IWA) was created in 1864 in order to unite the working classes around the world to fight against capitalism. The Association came to an end in 1876 due to the permanent differences between marxists and anarchist.
In 1889 the Second International was created. It was formed just by marxists parties. The workers's anthem and the Workers's Day were created by the Second International