At the heart of the workers' movement ---- The Proletarian Revolution,
the title of a historical review and a book recently published tocommemorate 100 years of struggles, of presence in the workers' movement
from 1925 to the present day. Editions Syllepse have mobilized
historians, activists, trade unionists to offer readers key articles
related to the events of a particularly dense century. ---- Founded in
January 1925 by Pierre Monatte, a major player in trade unionism, The
Proletarian Revolution develops its principles over 827 issues: trade
union unity, autonomy of the trade union movement from political
parties, anticolonialism, fight against capitalism and Stalinism.
Christian Mahieu and Stéphane Julien coordinated the work of selecting
theoretical articles, studies on strikes, reports of union congresses,
documents on feminism, the environment, reading notes... Their
signatories are often activists, workers, women and men involved in all
professional sectors. The reader will be impressed by the editorial
quality, the clarity of analysis, the argumentation of Marthe Bigot,
Maurice Chambelland, Germaine Goujon, Robert Louzon, Lucie Pelletier,
Simon Rubak in particular, accompanied by Albert Camus, Daniel Guérin,
Ida Mett, Marceau Pivert, Alfred Rosmer, Victor Serge, Simone Weil...
This journal is conceived as an intellectual cooperative bringing
together people from diverse backgrounds around the principles mentioned
above. It does not offer "ready-made articles" or "ideology tablets", it
provides food for thought to build one's own thinking.
"Salvation is in you!"
The exhortations of the old revolutionary trade unionists gathered in
the Noyau around Pierre Monatte encourage us not to lose sight of the
fact that there is only one compass: "The workers' interest, that of the
French working class, that of the workers of all countries".
Internationalism, that of the International Workingmen's Association,
the IWA. You will find throughout the pages references to texts from
this first international and the Paris Commune of 1871. But this is not
a catechism to be learned by heart. In an article from 1926, Pierre
Monatte establishes the link with the CGT founded in 1895, that of the
Amiens Charter of 1906 and warns readers. "Those who need a catechism,
whatever it may be, will probably not find what they are looking for
here. But all those who make an effort to inform themselves honestly, to
form an informed opinion will not waste their time reading us."
Some articles are still very relevant today. For example, Marthe Bigot's
in 1926 on the subject of respect for women's work, as well as another
particularly dense one on feminist struggles, written in 1948. Annick
Coupé emphasizes that "this 1948 article already reminded us that
today's struggles do not come from nowhere."
Other testimonies demonstrate the lucidity of their authors regarding
the USSR and the Moscow trials (article written by Victor Serge), the
danger of Nazism (article written by Daniel Guérin). Ida Mett's text on
Spain is an excellent summary. This makes us say that with a little
thought, it was possible to understand the issues without taking refuge
in the cottony fog of political assertions.
Such a long fight...
On May and June 1936, Simone Weil's article echoes her book The Working
Class Condition. It translates the experience, the expectation. "Will
there be something else? Will we finally witness an effective and
lasting improvement in industrial working conditions? The future will
tell; but this future must not be expected but made." It is also
interesting to note the denunciation of colonialism at a time when
anticolonialism was rare, including in the left-wing press. Let us note
a text by Camus in November 1957 against the assassinations of trade
unionists in Algeria. Jacques Gallienne reminds us that independence is
not an end in itself, socialist Algeria was a sad illusion in 1974.
The articles on social struggles, that of the sardine workers in
Douarnenez, New Caledonia in 1968, that of the miners in 1963, Lip in
Besançon, the demonstrations against the pension reform in 2023, such a
long fight... Putting past actions and current social reality into
perspective allows the reader to reflect beyond simple historical
reading to effectively project themselves into action in 2025.
Let's end this too quick overview with a text by Camus on literature
supplemented by a beautiful tribute to Simone Weil written by Charles
Jacquier written in 2022. Without forgetting Julien Chuzeville's article
on Jean Maitron's contribution to the history of the workers' movement.
He who wrote to the magazine shortly before his death: "I remain with
you in heart".
* The Proletarian Revolution (1925-2025)
"The magazine that did not observe the workers' movement but lived it"
Ed. Syllepse, 2024
https://monde-libertaire.fr/?articlen=8222
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