Profintern: die rote Gewerkschaftsinternationale 1920-1937

The Red International of Labour Unions (RILU, also known as Profintern), founded in 1921, brought together communists and syndicalists in their fight against the 'reformist' International Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU). Despite being an important recruiting ground and broadening communist influence in the wider international labour movement, the Profintern has been neglected in previous studies of international communism. Whilst also addressing the later history of the Profintern, the book focuses on the early years, during which it was relatively independent. The research is based primarily on documents from the RILU archive, as well as on contemporary publications and material from IFTU organisations, which allow comparative study. The book argues that the Bolsheviks had no clear plan of how to proceed with the organisation of an international trade union movement. They wanted to work with the syndicalists and therefore accepted certain of their organisational criteria. Although the collaboration between the two groups was facilitated by certain affinities and shared influences, the book stresses that the founding of the International was not the result of a preconceived plan, but rather a concession by the Bolsheviks to maximise their own gains. By finally joining the parties, the syndicalists soon dissipated. The RILU became subordinate to the Comintern de facto, but tried to safeguard its existence even when this contradicted overall strategic necessities. Thus in the mid-twenties it supported offers of unity to the IFTU only half-heartedly, but found a new lease of life after 1929 when revolutionary trade unions were founded worldwide. After 1934 the RILU became an obstacle to broad alliances under the banner of the Popular Front, and was dissolved secretly in 1937