From apathy to rebellion: what makes workers fight?

Introduced by unionist and veteran socialist activist Jerome Small.

Throughout the history of class society, long periods of relative quiet in the class struggle have been suddenly and unexpectedly shattered by eruptions of struggle.

In this session, Socialist Alternative industrial organiser Jerome Small explores the various economic and political factors lead to these sudden shifts? How does cynicism and disengagement suddenly erupt into protest? And can socialists help that process along?

Readings

Is boom, then slump, behind fiery Latin American protests? (Al Jazeera) https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.aljazeera.com/amp/ajimpact/boom-slump-fiery-latin-american-protests-191024111820993.html

Sandra Bloodworth, Global protests have returned to haunt world capitalism (Red Flag)

https://redflag.org.au/node/6932

Phil Gasper, economic crisis and class struggle (International Socialist Review)

https://isreview.org/issue/72/economic-crisis-and-class-struggle

Jerome Small, What can we learn from past union revivals? (Red Flag)

https://redflag.org.au/node/6674

Leon Trotsky, The interaction between booms, slumps, and strikes (International Socialism Journal)

https://www.marxists.org/history/etol/newspape/isj2/1983/no2-020/trotsky.html