Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Upton Sinclair, ed. (1878–1968). rn The Cry for Justice: An Anthology of the Literature of Social Protest. 1915.

The Utopia of Syndicalism
(From “Syndicalism and the Co-operative Commonwealth”)

Émile Pataud and Émile Pouget

(Two of the most prominent leaders of the revolutionary trade unions of France have in this story, published in 1912, portrayed the overthrow of the capitalist state by the method of the general strike, and the form of society which they anticipate from the “direct action” of the workers)

DELEGATES came from all parts of France. They came from all trades, from all professions. In the enormous hall in which the Congress was held, peasants, teachers, fishermen, doctors, postmen, masons, sat beside market-gardeners, miners and metal-workers. An epitome of the whole of society was there.

It was a stirring scene, this assembly, where were gathered together the most energetic and most enthusiastic of the combatants for the Revolution, who, inaugurating a new era, were about to disentangle and sum up the aspirations of the people; to point out the road along which they were resolved to march.

The old militants, who had seen so many Congresses; who had fought rough fights, and known the bitterness of struggles against the employers and the State; who in their hours of anxiety and doubt had despaired of ever seeing their hopes materialize, were radiant with joy. Their bold thoughts of past years were taking shape. They lived their dream! A happy moment it was, when old comrades greeted each other. They met, their hands held out; and trembling, and deeply moved, they embraced each other—transfigured, radiant.

The new delegates, out of their element at first, in the midst of this fever of life, were soon caught by the atmosphere of enthusiasm. Many of them were the product of events. Before the Revolution, they were ignorant of their own capacities; and if it had not come to shake them out of their torpor, they would have continued to vegetate; passive, indifferent, hesitating. Thanks to it, their inner powers were revealed to themselves; and now, overflowing with passion, energy, and enthusiasm, they vibrated with an immense force.

In the first place, a resolution was taken which there was no need to discuss, or even to explain—it was so logical and inevitable: the charging the community with the care of the children, the sick, and the aged. This was a question of principle which had the advantage of demonstrating, to those who still retained prejudices with regard to the new régime, how little the future was going to be like the past.…

Two tendencies were shown; one, that of pure Communism, which advocated complete liberty in consumption, without any restriction; the other, inspired with Communist ideas, but finding their strict application premature, and advocating a compromise.

The latter view predominated. It was therefore agreed as follows:—

That every human being, whatever his social function might be, had a right to an equal remuneration, which would be divided into two parts: the one for the satisfaction of ordinary needs; the other for the needs of luxury. The remuneration would be obtained, with regard to the first, by a permanent Trade Union card; and with regard to the second, by a book of consumers’ “notes.”

The first class included all kinds of commodities, all food products, clothing, all that would be in such abundance that the consumption of it need not be restricted; each one would have the right to draw from the common stock, according to his needs, without any other formality than having to present his card in the shops and depots, to those in charge of distribution.

In the second class would be placed products of various kinds, which, being in too small a quantity to allow of their being put at the free disposition of all, retained a purchase value, liable to vary according to their greater or less rarity, and greater or less demand. The price of these products was calculated according to the former monetary method, and the quantity of work necessary to produce them would be one of the elements in fixing their value; they would be delivered on the payment of “consumers’ notes,” the mechanism of whose use recalled that of the cheque.

It was, however, agreed that in proportion as the products of this second class became abundant enough to attain to the level necessary for free consumption, they should enter into the first class; and ceasing to be considered as objects of luxury, they should be, without rationing, placed at the disposal of all.

By this arrangement society approached, automatically, more and more towards pure Communism.