Maintenant que la grande production, la grande propriété effacent de plus en plus les classes moyennes, on offre au prolétariat la consolation d’arriver lui aussi à être bourgeois. Ouvrier, ton salaire te permet à peine de faire vivre ta famille, prive toi, économise et lorsque tu auras un petit capital, tu t’établiras et tu deviendras un jour grand manufacturier. On oublié que cet âge d’or des ouvriers parvenus a fait son temps. Dans toutes les industries importantes, la petite production, l’atelier ont disparu ou vont disparaître. Le grand capital est maître souverain et le pauvre qui tenterait d’escalader les degrés de ce temple d’or serait impitoyablement broyé sur sa route.

Now that the great production, the great capital are erasing the middle class more and more, we offer the proletariat a consolation of also becoming a bourgeois. Worker, your salary barely allows your family to live, deprive yourself, and when you have saved up a small amount of capital, you will found and become a great manufacturer. We forgot that this golden age of the enterprising worker has passed. In all the important industries, the small production, the workshop has disappeared or will disappear. The big capital is the sovereign master and the poor who would try to climb up the steps of this golden temple would be crushed brutally on its route.

Parce que dans l’industrie horlogère, par exemple, cette phase d’accumulation du capital, d’introduction des machines, de division du travail, d’établissement des manufactures, se manifeste plus lentement, est-ce un motif pour fermer les yeux surles lois générales de la production moderne? Et cependant la crise que subit cette industrie devrait être un enseignement suffisant pour tous ceux qui croient à l’âge d’or éternel de certaines industries privilégiées. – Parce qu’un ouvrier laborieux arrive encore quelquefois à s’établir, est-ce un motif pour traiter débauchés tous les ouvriers qui ne sont pas établis? – Parce qu’en Suisse, le procès de scission entre les classes n’est pas encore aussi accentué que dans les grands pays voisins, devons-nous en conclure qu’il n’y a pas de classe et que tout est pour le mieux? Rappelons-nous que ce ne sont pas les particularités, mais bien les grands faits généraux qui constituent l’histoire de l’humanité.

Because in the watchmaking industry, for example, this phase of accumulation of capital, the introduction of machines, the division of labour, the founding of manufactures, is manifesting itself slower, is this a reason for closing the eyes on the general laws of modern production? And yet this crisis in this industry should be a lesson big enough for everyone who believes in the eternal golden age of certain privileged industries. - Because a hardworking worker sometimes manages to establish a business for themselves, is that a reason for treating every worker who didn't manage to do so as debauched? Because in Switzerland, the process of splitting between the classes is not yet as accentuated as in the large neighboring countries, we have to conclude that there is no class and that everything is for the best? Let us remember that it is not the specifics but the great general facts that constitute the history of humanity.

Schwitzguébel, L’antagonisme des classes

Adhémar Schwitzguébel was a swiss anarchist, founder of the Fédération jurassienne one of the largest anarchist groups in europe in 1870 and a watchmaker. There's also some history with Bakunin and Kropotkin as they both spent some time in the swiss jura deeply embeded in the Fédération jurassienne and at least Kropotkin says that this experience turned him into an anarchist.

I'm mostly posting this because I'm trying to get really anything out before I delete it all because writing up stuff about the swiss anarchist watchmakers that were somewhat influential has me writing about 5 different things but not being satisfied with any of it. While thinking that especially english speaking anarchist are not given an accurate picture of the Fédération jurassienne, looking at you 'Black Flame'. Thinking that the watchmakers were labour aristocracy or that the swiss/jura skull is one that leans towards anti-authority (Being unfair here but still). More to the point highlight what? Translating Adhémar Schwitzguébel James Guillaume and other members of the Fédération jurassienne (I suck at it because I have to translate it basically twice), show their tactics, their interaction with 'the Greats?' Go back down to the libraries and scan some spanish anarchist letters?

Also since I'm going to delete this account sometime in the future is there a way to preserve posts because it just deletes everything.