Once upon a time the labour movement organised every part of working class life. It was not just political parties and strikes, it was parties, orchestras, night classes, football teams and pensioner's clubs. The labour press would write about labour issues and political struggle but also about entertainmen, sport or hobbies. Later on a proven strategy for recruiting the young for political organisations became to gain a reputation for throwing good parties.
Much has been lost as the established labour movement has accepted the liberal premise that there is one box called "politics", another box called "labour unions" and a third box called "everything else" and that you are somehow breaking the rules by going outside of your assigned box.
Also there's this paper called "Making Friends and Making Out: The Social and Romantic Lives of Young Communists in Chile (1958–1973)" that talks about this topic a bit.
I remember CCK Philosophy talks about this aspect of the SPD part a bit in his recently released '1918 failed German revolution' videos. Talked about the schools, etc. the SPD ran and how there was an entire culture involved with being a part of the SPD and unionism.
Once upon a time the labour movement organised every part of working class life. It was not just political parties and strikes, it was parties, orchestras, night classes, football teams and pensioner's clubs. The labour press would write about labour issues and political struggle but also about entertainmen, sport or hobbies. Later on a proven strategy for recruiting the young for political organisations became to gain a reputation for throwing good parties.
Much has been lost as the established labour movement has accepted the liberal premise that there is one box called "politics", another box called "labour unions" and a third box called "everything else" and that you are somehow breaking the rules by going outside of your assigned box.
god damn, this largely describes a life I wish I had, fuck me :sweat:
Retvrn
Have a source on hand? I have a couple of people to send it to
Also there's this paper called "Making Friends and Making Out: The Social and Romantic Lives of Young Communists in Chile (1958–1973)" that talks about this topic a bit.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/americas/article/abs/making-friends-and-making-out-the-social-and-romantic-lives-of-young-communists-in-chile-19581973/BA17DBB12541ADAF39DC84DD1FDF62EE
I remember CCK Philosophy talks about this aspect of the SPD part a bit in his recently released '1918 failed German revolution' videos. Talked about the schools, etc. the SPD ran and how there was an entire culture involved with being a part of the SPD and unionism.