The Industrial Form of Government

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The idea of Industrial Union Government is Daniel De Leon's crowning contribution to social science, and specifically to Socialism. He projected and developed the third "great plan of government," the Socialist Industrial Republic, which will replace the outmoded political State (government over men through territorial constituencies), and establish the Marxian "administration of things." This is the non-political government of democratic, industrial representation and administration.

It is important to note that the Industrial Union Government is an entirely new concept of social administration. It implies an entirely new concept of social administration. Instead of Senators and Representatives from states and congressional areas, it is based on industrial constituencies and functional representatives from the industries and social services. The qualifications of these representatives elected to the All-Industrial Congress will be a knowledge and understanding of the processes of production and distribution, aiblity to coordinate and direct those processes, and a dedication to the duties and responsibilities with which they are charged.

The workers who operate the industries today under capitalism will, of course, operate them under Socialism. Voting in the plants and shops, they will elect their supervisors, administrative committees and representtives to local, departmental and national industrial councils, and, finally, to the All-Industrial Union Congress, representation, accordingly, being on an ascending scale, and not from the top down.

from "Socialist Industrial Unionism", publisher's appendix to Daniel De Leon, Socialism Versus Anarchism, 1962 edition, page 76

The victory of the working class in the United States, and similarly highly developed capitalaist countries, is predicated upon the destruction of the Political State and the establishment of the Industrial Union Government wherein the central government agency is composed of representatives from the industrial divisions of the working class throughout the land. As Marx so succinctly put it, "Where its organizing activity begins, and its proper aim, its soul, emerges, there Socialism casts away the political hull."

Arnold Petersen, March 6, 1934 introduction to Karl Marx, The Paris Commune, 1965 edition, page viii

Industrial Government is an entirely new conception of administration. It implies an entirely new basis of representation. Instead of Senators and Representatives from States and Congressional areas, it requires industrial constituencies and functional representatives. For example, instead of Senators from New York, Ohio, Nebraska, etc., we shall elect to an Industrial Congress representatives from the steel industry, automobile industry, textile industry, and all the other industries of the land.

The qualifications of the representatives elected to the Industrial Congress will be vastly different from the "qualifications" of the present rhetoricians in Congress. The greatest asset of these politicians is their "lie-ability." Wretched though the pun is, it expresses a truth only too palpable. The qualifications of those who will serve in the Socialist Industrial Union Congress, on the other hand, will be (aside from a devotion to duty) a knowledge and understanding of the processes of production and distribution and an ability to coordinate and direct these processes. On the basis of reports from local and national industrial councils, they will decide such questions as: how many pairs of shoes will we, the people, need next year; how many tons of coal; how many ton-miles of railroad transportation. They will ascertain the existing capacity to produce these things, and, if necessary, they will see that the capacity is increased. They will coordinate research and facilitate the adoption of new techniques as these are developed, especially the techniques of automation which, under Socialism will be a blessing instead of a curse. The questions are, of course, many and varied, but they are infinitely simpler than the questions which arise in a class-divided society.

We have referred to industrial representation. It is more correct to say Industrial Union representation, for the Socialist Industrial Union forms the basis of the Industrial Union Administration. The workers who operate the industries today under capitalism are the workers who will operate them tomorrow under Socialism — plus, of course, those millions who are ruthlessly thrown upon the capitalist industrial scrap heap, that is, the unemployed and so-called "unemployables." They will vote in their union, elect their foremen, administrative committees and representatives to local, departmental and national councils, and finally to the All-Industrial Union Congress. They, the organized workers in the factories, mills, mines, stores, farms, ships and railroads of the land, will constitute the basis of a Workers' Democracy -- the most complete democracy ever achieved since the dissolution of the primitive gens.

Eric Hass, Socialist Industrial Unionism - The Workers' Power, 1964

Diagrams and accompanying text in the pamphlet Eric Hass, Socialist Industrial Unionism - The Workers' Power, 1964

Diagrams from the foldout, accompanied by the text transcribed to the left.





Diagrams from page 3 and 7:

 

A GUIDE FOR ORGANIZATION

In this centerfold the form of the Socialist Industrial Union on the local and national levels is depicted, with the automobile industry used as an example. Note that within each plant union (Ford's River Rouge plant is one, Oldsmobile another, Plymouth a third, etc.) there are shop units. On page 43 it is explained how the tool used determines the line of demarcation between these subdivisions, also why the tool must, be the determining factor. Under, this twentieth century form of democratic organization each shop unit is represented in the Plant Union Council; and each plant union in a single locality (such as Detroitain(a environs) is represented in the Local Industrial Union of Automobile Workers.

The council of the National Industrial Union of Automobile Workers is composed of representatives elected by the auto workers in all the automobile plants in each locality. The duties of the National Industrial Union are (before the Socialist revolution) to direct organization of the industry, and (after the Industrial Republic has been formed) to administer and correlate national production of automobiles and parts.

The workers in each industry will also elect their representatives to the respective Department into which their industry is integrated, as well as their representatives to the Socialist Industrial Union Congress -- the body that will supplant the present political Congress. Departments integrate industries more or less closely related, such as railroads, air transportation, shipping, etc., in the Transportation Department; bakeries, canneries, flour mills, etc., in the Food Processing Department; etc. Substitute your own industry for the automobile industry, and you can easily visualize how your industry will organize locally and nationally.

Note: These charts are intended graphically to present the principle of correct organization, of organization, that is, whereby the workers may realize maximum poWer to abolish capitalism, maximum democracy and security from bureaucratic usurpation, and maximum efficiency in administering production under Socialism.

The Local Industrial Union, which organizes the plants turning out the same line of products in each community, unites the workers to perform a dual mission. First, it unites them to back up the Socialist ballot by "taking over." Being on the job, and therefore in de facto possession of the plants and tools, they are in a perfect strategic position to do this. Organized along industrial lines and united by their determination to build Socialism, the workers are invincible. No power on earth can stop them. But the Local Industrial Union also unites the workers to carry on production and distribution without serious interruption. Thus we may avoid the chaos that would ensue if, instead of a general lockout of the capitalist class, the workers attempted a general walkout. Once the job of "taking over" is completed, the Socialist Industrial Union will assume its permanent duties, which are those of organizing and administering social production for the benefit of all the people. Here is the logical form of democracy in an industrial age.

Socialist Industrial Unionism is the only certain safeguard against the danger of bureaucratic usurpation. In the Socialist Industrial Republic all final authority will be vested, not in leaders, but in the rank and file of workers. The rank and file will elect administrators and representatives on all levels, and these will have the privilege to serve, but never the power to rule.

Not only will the rank and file have the power to elect, they will also have the power to recall and remove representatives who, in their judgment, fail to measure up to their office. This will insure that all power remains in the only safe place for power to be -- with the rank and file of workers.

There can be no bureaucrats in the Socialist Industrial Union Government. This will be a social organization in which the people who do the work will have complete democratic control of their tools and products. Thus production will be for the benefit of all.

Page revisions: First release July 28, 2007, fixed typos Feb. 27, 2008