Broadening the Field of Struggle—The Problem of Reserves

Under present conditions of trustification and concentration of capital each economic conflict raises before the workers the problem of reserves. In the case of powerful employers’ organizations, commanding inexhaustible money reserves, relying upon the full force of the bourgeois government and reformist organizations, every economic conflict assumes important political significance for the whole working class. Therefore, the problem of broadening the struggle, of drawing in new strata of workers and of Increasing the reserves, assumes exceptional importance from the viewpoint of the development of the struggle which has begun.

The struggle may be broadened either vertically or horizontally, i.e., by embracing all workers, or an important part of all the workers in a given industry, or branches of industry (vertically), or by involving all the workers in a given geographical territory (horizontally.) In either case broadening the struggle is possible only after very serious and energetic preparatory work has been carried on among the various categories of workers before, and especially during the very height of the conflict.

The answer to the question, which category of workers are to be called upon for aid (i.e., the workers in the industry or in the geographical territory,) is to be determined by ascertaining which is the weakest spot for the employers in a given conflict. First of all, it is necessary to keep in mind all the subsidiaries connected with a given trust. Attention must then be given to those concerns which provide the raw materials, or which finish the manufactured goods. It is necessary to keep in mind also the possible transference of orders from one employer to another, the importation of necessary products or parts from other sections of the country, or from abroad, etc. A very strong weapon in the struggle is the aid of railway and waterway transportation workers and the workers in public service institutions (electric, gas, etc.).

In all these cases, it is necessary to always keep in mind the general situation and not only our desire to broaden the struggle. We must consider the extent of our influence, the degree of readiness on the part of the masses and to what extent the masses are ready out of solidarity to join in the struggle. Therefore, we must understand that in the preparatory period for the struggle and during the course of the struggle, to isolate the movement from the broad proletarian masses and other branches of industry would precipitate a very grave danger.

Next: Continuation of the Struggle After Disruptive Activities by the Reformists