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A general strike is characterized by the cessation of all economic activity by participants, serving to augment the bargaining leverage of a trade union or to advance shared social or political objectives.
Answer: True
Explanation: This definition encompasses the core function of a general strike, which involves a widespread withdrawal of labor to exert significant pressure for economic, social, or political aims. Certain groups, such as care workers, may sometimes be excluded from participation.
The source material identifies ancient precursors to the general strike concept, such as the Jewish Sabbatical/Jubilee years and the Roman *secessio plebis*.
Answer: True
Explanation: Historical precedents for collective action aimed at achieving social or political objectives include the Jewish traditions of the Sabbatical and Jubilee years, and the *secessio plebis* during the Roman Republic, as noted in the source.
The source material attributes early conceptions of the general strike to Renaissance and Enlightenment thinkers such as Étienne de La Boétie and Jean Meslier, but not Niccolò Machiavelli.
Answer: True
Explanation: While figures like Étienne de La Boétie and Jean Meslier are cited for their early ideas on collective action and withdrawal of consent, Niccolò Machiavelli is not mentioned in the provided text as a proponent of general strike concepts.
According to the source material, what is the fundamental purpose of a general strike?
Answer: To cease all economic activity to strengthen bargaining power or achieve common goals.
Explanation: The core objective of a general strike is the comprehensive withdrawal of labor and economic activity to exert maximum pressure, thereby enhancing bargaining leverage or advancing collective social and political objectives.
Which ancient traditions are cited in the source material as precursors to the concept of the general strike?
Answer: The Jewish Sabbatical/Jubilee years and the Roman *secessio plebis*.
Explanation: The source identifies the Jewish Sabbatical and Jubilee years, characterized by debt relief and land redistribution, and the Roman *secessio plebis*, a collective withdrawal by the plebeians, as significant historical precedents for the general strike.
Constantin François de Chassebœuf, a figure associated with the French Revolution, advocated for a general strike encompassing workers, merchants, and industrialists to challenge governmental authority.
Answer: True
Explanation: Chassebœuf's proposal during the French Revolution involved a broad coalition of societal groups engaging in collective action against perceived governmental overreach, reflecting an early articulation of the general strike's potential.
William Benbow, a British radical shoemaker, is recognized for formulating the modern concept of the general strike, notably proposing a 'Grand National Holiday'.
Answer: True
Explanation: Benbow's theoretical contributions are central to understanding the evolution of the general strike, particularly his detailed proposals for a coordinated, nationwide cessation of work.
William Benbow's proposal for a 'Grand National Holiday' envisioned a month-long cessation of work, supported by workers' savings and contributions from the affluent.
Answer: True
Explanation: Contrary to the assertion of a year-long strike, Benbow's plan stipulated a month-long duration for the 'Grand National Holiday,' and crucially, included provisions for financial support beyond individual savings, such as contributions from the wealthy.
Who is credited in the source material with formulating the *modern* concept of the general strike?
Answer: William Benbow
Explanation: William Benbow, a British radical shoemaker, is widely recognized for developing the modern conceptualization of the general strike, particularly through his proposal of the 'Grand National Holiday'.
What was a key component of William Benbow's proposed 'Grand National Holiday'?
Answer: A month-long cessation of work supported by workers' savings and contributions from the wealthy.
Explanation: Benbow's 'Grand National Holiday' included a stipulated duration of one month for the work stoppage, coupled with a financial support mechanism involving workers' savings and contributions from affluent individuals.
The Chartist movement attempted to organize William Benbow's proposed 'national holiday' strike in August 1839, but it was ultimately abandoned.
Answer: True
Explanation: While the Chartist movement adopted Benbow's concept, the planned 'national holiday' strike in August 1839 was ultimately abandoned, partly due to Benbow's arrest and the broader decline of radical momentum.
The first general strike documented in a capitalist country occurred in Britain in 1842.
Answer: True
Explanation: Historical accounts identify the widespread industrial action in Britain in April 1842 as the first general strike within a capitalist framework, rather than an event in France.
The 1842 British general strike, initially centered on wages and working conditions, evolved to possess revolutionary undertones before its suppression by authorities.
Answer: True
Explanation: This significant industrial action in Britain in 1842 is noted for its initial focus on labor grievances, its subsequent association with broader political and revolutionary aims, and its eventual suppression.
The inaugural Catalan general strike took place in 1855, precipitated by governmental prohibitions on freedom of association and the right to strike.
Answer: True
Explanation: This historical event in Catalonia in 1855 represents an early instance of a regional general strike, directly linked to state actions restricting labor rights.
The nationwide general strike of May 1, 1886, in the United States, which advocated for the eight-hour workday, was closely followed by the events known as the Haymarket affair.
Answer: True
Explanation: This pivotal strike for the eight-hour day culminated in the tragic Haymarket affair, a series of events that profoundly impacted the labor movement and cemented May 1st as International Workers' Day.
The May 1968 events in France constituted a significant general strike, involving approximately eleven million workers over a two-week period, which profoundly impacted the national economy.
Answer: True
Explanation: This period of widespread industrial action in France in 1968 is notable for its scale and duration, bringing the country to a standstill and nearly precipitating the collapse of the government.
The 1926 United Kingdom general strike mobilized approximately 1.75 million workers, with significant participation from the transport and steel sectors.
Answer: True
Explanation: This major industrial action in the UK represented a substantial mobilization of labor, impacting key sectors of the economy and posing a significant challenge to the government.
The significant Seattle General Strike and the Winnipeg General Strike both took place in 1919.
Answer: True
Explanation: Historical records indicate that both the Seattle General Strike and the Winnipeg General Strike occurred in 1919, not 1929, marking a period of intense labor activism.
The general strike observed in Czechoslovakia in 1989 played a significant role in the eventual downfall of the communist regime.
Answer: True
Explanation: This pivotal strike was a key event contributing to the Velvet Revolution, demonstrating the power of collective action in facilitating political transition.
How did the Chartist movement's attempt to implement Benbow's concept of a national strike conclude?
Answer: It was ultimately abandoned following Benbow's arrest and declining radical movements.
Explanation: The Chartist movement's planned national strike, inspired by Benbow, was ultimately abandoned, influenced by factors including Benbow's arrest and a broader decline in radical momentum.
According to the source, the first general strike in a capitalist country occurred in which nation and year?
Answer: Britain, 1842
Explanation: Historical accounts presented in the source identify Britain in 1842 as the location and year of the first general strike within a capitalist economic system.
What characterized the 1842 general strike in Britain, as described in the source material?
Answer: It became associated with the Chartists, took on a revolutionary character, and was suppressed by government forces.
Explanation: The 1842 British general strike is noted for its connection to the Chartist movement, its development of revolutionary sentiments, and its eventual suppression by governmental forces.
The first Catalan general strike in 1855 was a direct response to which action by the Spanish authorities?
Answer: The prohibition of freedom of association and work stoppages.
Explanation: The strike in Catalonia in 1855 was precipitated by governmental decrees that prohibited freedom of association and outlawed work stoppages, thereby restricting labor rights.
The general strike of May 1, 1886, in the United States, which advocated for the eight-hour workday, is historically significant due to its association with which subsequent event?
Answer: The Haymarket affair and the execution of organizers.
Explanation: The May 1, 1886 strike and the subsequent Haymarket affair are inextricably linked, profoundly influencing the trajectory of the labor movement and the commemoration of International Workers' Day.
What distinguished the May 1968 events in France as a particularly notable general strike?
Answer: It involved eleven million workers for two weeks, significantly impacting the economy and government stability.
Explanation: The May 1968 events in France were remarkable for their scale, involving millions of workers for an extended period, which severely disrupted the economy and posed a profound challenge to the existing political order.
The 1926 United Kingdom general strike primarily involved workers from which industrial sectors?
Answer: Coal mining, transport, and steel.
Explanation: The 1926 UK general strike saw substantial participation from workers in critical sectors such as coal mining, transportation, and steel production, reflecting its broad industrial scope.
The 1974 general strike by Ulster Unionists in Northern Ireland was primarily aimed at achieving which objective?
Answer: To prevent the implementation of the Sunningdale Agreement.
Explanation: The Ulster Unionist general strike of 1974 was a political action intended to obstruct the implementation of the Sunningdale Agreement, which sought to establish a power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland.
What specific economic activity was significantly impacted by the Tunisian general strike in June 2022?
Answer: All forms of transportation within the country.
Explanation: The Tunisian general strike in June 2022 led to a complete halt in all forms of domestic transportation, disrupting economic activity across the nation.
What was the primary objective of the 1909 Swedish general strike?
Answer: To achieve certain worker demands, though it ultimately failed.
Explanation: The 1909 Swedish general strike was undertaken to advance specific worker demands; however, it ultimately failed and led to significant organizational shifts within the Swedish labor movement.
The 'Tragic Week' in Spain in 1909 involved a general strike called by the Catalan syndicalist union primarily to protest:
Answer: Conscription for the Spanish invasion of Morocco.
Explanation: The 'Tragic Week' in Spain was triggered by a general strike organized by the Catalan syndicalist union in opposition to the conscription of reservists for the conflict in Morocco.
Within the First International, Karl Marx primarily conceptualized the general strike as a tool for fostering class consciousness, rather than an immediate mechanism for revolutionary overthrow of capitalism.
Answer: True
Explanation: Marx's perspective on the general strike within the First International emphasized its role in developing workers' collective awareness and solidarity, distinguishing his view from those who saw it as a direct catalyst for immediate revolution.
Mikhail Bakunin advocated for the general strike as a revolutionary instrument to dismantle capitalism and the state, a position that contrasted with Karl Marx's emphasis on class consciousness.
Answer: True
Explanation: Bakunin's anarchist perspective championed the general strike as a direct means of social revolution, a stance that generated significant debate and divergence from Marx's theoretical framework within the First International.
Anarcho-syndicalism posited the general strike as a revolutionary instrument for overthrowing capitalism and establishing workers' control, rather than merely a tool for negotiating within the existing system.
Answer: True
Explanation: The anarcho-syndicalist doctrine viewed the general strike as the primary means for achieving a fundamental societal transformation, aiming for the abolition of capitalism and the establishment of a self-managed, socialist society.
The French General Confederation of Labour (CGT) is recognized as the first major trade union to formally integrate the concept of the revolutionary general strike into its foundational platform.
Answer: True
Explanation: The CGT's adoption of the revolutionary general strike marked a significant development in labor strategy, influencing subsequent syndicalist movements globally and demonstrating the tactic's potential for achieving substantial reforms, such as the eight-hour day.
Within the Second International, a prevailing sentiment among socialist factions was opposition to employing the general strike as a means to prevent international conflict, largely due to concerns regarding state repression.
Answer: True
Explanation: This opposition highlights a key ideological division within the Second International, where social democrats prioritized parliamentary action and state stability over revolutionary tactics like the anti-war general strike, which was more favored by anarchists.
Rosa Luxemburg, in contrast to some contemporaries, advocated for the political general strike as an effective instrument for securing concessions from the state.
Answer: True
Explanation: Rosa Luxemburg's theoretical work supported the political general strike, viewing it as a potent tool for achieving political reforms and challenging state power, a stance that distinguished her from those who feared its potential consequences.
At the 1907 Amsterdam Congress, Errico Malatesta, rather than Pierre Monatte, criticized the general strike as a 'magic weapon' potentially insufficient against state militaries.
Answer: True
Explanation: The critique of the general strike as a 'magic weapon' insufficient against state power was voiced by Errico Malatesta at the 1907 Amsterdam Congress. Pierre Monatte, conversely, was a proponent of anarcho-syndicalism and the general strike's revolutionary potential.
Within the theoretical framework of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), the ultimate objective of the general strike was the displacement of capitalists and the transfer of control over production to the workers.
Answer: True
Explanation: The IWW envisioned the general strike as a means to achieve industrial democracy, wherein workers would seize control of their workplaces and collectively manage production, thereby fundamentally altering the economic system.
In Wobbly (IWW) theory, conventional strikes were regarded not as separate from, but as integral preparations for, the ultimate objective of a general strike.
Answer: True
Explanation: Wobbly theory viewed conventional strikes as crucial training grounds for workers, developing their understanding of class struggle and readiness for the larger, transformative action of a general strike.
In 1919, the AFL national organization amended its constitution to require national authorization for central labor union strike votes, effectively opposing the organization of general strikes.
Answer: True
Explanation: In June 1919, the AFL's national leadership implemented constitutional changes requiring national authorization for central labor union strike votes, a measure that effectively curtailed the autonomy of local unions to initiate general strikes.
Within the First International, what was Mikhail Bakunin's primary perspective on the general strike?
Answer: It was a revolutionary means to abolish capitalism and the state.
Explanation: Bakunin advocated for the general strike as a direct revolutionary action aimed at the complete abolition of both capitalism and the state apparatus.
Which of the following best characterizes the anarcho-syndicalist perspective on the general strike?
Answer: A revolutionary instrument to overthrow capitalism and establish workers' control.
Explanation: Anarcho-syndicalism viewed the general strike as the principal revolutionary mechanism for dismantling the capitalist system and establishing a society based on workers' self-management and control.
How did the French General Confederation of Labour (CGT) contribute to the propagation of revolutionary syndicalism?
Answer: By being the first major union to adopt the revolutionary general strike into its platform and achieving success with the eight-hour day.
Explanation: The CGT's pioneering adoption of the revolutionary general strike and its subsequent success in securing the eight-hour day served as a powerful model, significantly advancing the influence of revolutionary syndicalism globally.
What represented a primary point of contention regarding the general strike within the Second International?
Answer: Whether it should be used to prevent war, with socialists opposing and anarchists supporting it.
Explanation: A significant debate within the Second International revolved around the utility of the general strike for preventing war, with anarchists advocating for it and social democrats expressing reservations due to fears of state reprisal and a preference for diplomatic solutions.
What was Rosa Luxemburg's stance on the political general strike within the context of the Second International?
Answer: She viewed it as an effective tool for gaining political concessions from the state.
Explanation: Rosa Luxemburg championed the political general strike as a vital mechanism for achieving tangible political reforms and challenging state authority, a perspective that underscored its strategic importance.
At the 1907 Amsterdam Congress, Errico Malatesta expressed skepticism regarding the general strike, characterizing it as:
Answer: A 'magic weapon' insufficient against state militaries.
Explanation: Malatesta's critique highlighted concerns about the practical limitations of the general strike, particularly its efficacy against state military power, labeling it a 'magic weapon' that could prove insufficient.
The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) envisioned the general strike ultimately culminating in:
Answer: The displacement of capitalists and workers taking control of production.
Explanation: The IWW's strategic vision for the general strike was revolutionary: to achieve industrial democracy by displacing capitalist ownership and transferring control of production directly to the workers.
What was the relationship between conventional strikes and the general strike within Wobbly (IWW) theory?
Answer: Conventional strikes were considered practice and preparation for the eventual general strike.
Explanation: Wobbly theory posited that conventional strikes served as essential training and preparatory actions, building the experience and solidarity necessary for the ultimate success of a general strike aimed at fundamental societal change.
What specific action did the AFL national organization take in June 1919 concerning general strikes?
Answer: It amended its constitution to require national authorization for central labor union strike votes.
Explanation: In June 1919, the AFL's national leadership implemented constitutional changes requiring national authorization for central labor union strike votes, a measure that effectively curtailed the autonomy of local unions to initiate general strikes.
The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 effectively rendered traditional general strikes illegal in the United States by outlawing solidarity actions between unions.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Taft-Hartley Act significantly curtailed the ability to organize traditional general strikes in the U.S. by prohibiting inter-union solidarity actions, thereby altering the landscape of labor activism.
Gerhart Niemeyer characterized a general strike as a 'revolutionary exercise' when it was conceived as a preparatory step for future societal transformation, rather than an immediate act of state overthrow.
Answer: True
Explanation: Niemeyer's concept of a 'revolutionary exercise' refers to the strategic function of a general strike as a means to build organizational capacity and prepare for future societal change, rather than an immediate revolutionary act.
How did the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 impact the legality and practice of general strikes in the United States?
Answer: It outlawed solidarity actions between unions, making traditional general strikes illegal.
Explanation: The Taft-Hartley Act fundamentally altered the legal landscape for general strikes in the U.S. by prohibiting inter-union solidarity actions, thereby rendering the traditional form of such strikes unlawful.
Gerhart Niemeyer's concept of a general strike as a 'revolutionary exercise' implied that it was:
Answer: A preparatory step for future societal transformation.
Explanation: Niemeyer's formulation of a 'revolutionary exercise' refers to the strategic function of a general strike as a means to build organizational capacity and prepare for future societal change, rather than an immediate revolutionary act.
W.E.B. Du Bois posited that the mass exodus of enslaved individuals during the American Civil War constituted a form of general strike.
Answer: True
Explanation: Du Bois's analysis frames the collective withdrawal of labor by enslaved people as a significant act of resistance, analogous to a general strike, impacting the Confederacy's economic and military capacity.
The provided text distinguishes between the political strike, aimed at reform within existing structures, and the revolutionary strike, seeking systemic overthrow, as the two principal forms of general strike.
Answer: True
Explanation: This categorization highlights the divergent strategic objectives associated with general strikes: one seeking incremental change and the other pursuing fundamental societal transformation.
A Hartal is recognized as a form of civil disobedience involving the complete cessation of work and commercial activities, notably promoted by Mahatma Gandhi.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Hartal, a tactic employed in the Indian independence movement, exemplifies a non-violent, widespread shutdown designed to exert political pressure through collective non-participation.
How did W.E.B. Du Bois conceptualize the mass escape of enslaved individuals during the American Civil War?
Answer: As a form of collective withdrawal of labor, akin to a general strike.
Explanation: Du Bois interpreted this mass exodus as a profound act of collective resistance, functionally equivalent to a general strike, which significantly undermined the Confederacy's labor force.