The I.W.W. - Its History, Structure, and Method


Read by P. J. Taylor

(4.8 stars; 26 reviews)

“We must inscribe on our banner the revolutionary watchword, ‘Abolition of the wage system’”

The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), members of which are commonly termed "Wobblies," is an international labor union that was founded in 1905. The philosophy and tactics of the IWW are described as "revolutionary industrial unionism," with ties to both socialist and anarchist labor movements. The IWW promotes the concept of "One Big Union," and contends that all workers should be united as a social class to supplant capitalism and wage labor with industrial democracy.

Vincent St. John (1876 – 1929) was an American labor leader and prominent Wobbly, among the most influential radical labor leaders of the 20th century. - Summary by Wikipedia (1 hr 22 min)

Chapters

Part I 58:01 Read by P. J. Taylor
Part II 24:37 Read by P. J. Taylor

Reviews

well done


(5 stars)

Very well read. Easily understood.

Amazing how relevant it's proving to be a century later.


(5 stars)

This was the Era when the robber barons built the great wealth that made their names recognizable today: J.P. Morgan, Rockefeller, etc..., and which led to the Great Depression a few decades later. Progressives began real regulation at the Federal level after the last century's economic crash, which led to America's greatest growth and created the middle class. Conservatism and deregulation starting with Ronald Reagan and peaking under George W. Bush 100 years after this treatise reversed the regulation brought by progressivism and today (2017) we've returned to the robber baron era, and done so even worse. Not only are the new ultra - wealthy back, but they've gotten more control over all three branches of government and added regulation to keep themselves in power, and created a national debt that may be insurmountable - more than $20 Trillion on the backs of wage earners (labor). Obama's glimmer of hope was destroyed with the election of Trump, with Republicans abandoning ALL ethics and integrity.


(5 stars)

P. J. Taylor does a tremendous job with this reading. If I wasn’t already an IWW member I would immediately join up after having listened to this book.


(5 stars)

Informative book about the history of the IWW. The Narrator did an extraordinary job.


(5 stars)

Excellent reading of a forceful and informative account of the early IWW

good place to start


(5 stars)

iww history 101 well worth it

Good context for new (or prospective) union members


(4 stars)