ANSWER KEYS ACTIVITIES PAGE 70 AND 71

THINK ABOUT IT

Guilds and trade unions are similar because they are both associations of people working in the same type of economic activity. Guilds could be formed by weavers, and a trade union could be formed by workers in a textile factory. They are also similar because they both offered some support to their
members, for instance when a member was ill.
However, they have significant differences: guilds were formed by artisans, and the members of a guild controlled the practices in a particular field, whereas trade unions are groupsof workers who do not have control, but demand better rights, conditions, etc, from those who are in control.

ACTIVITIES

1.The labour movement emerged in Britain during the early stages of the Industrial Revolution in the early 19th century. It occurred because workers wanted to improve their situation.
They joined together to pressure governments and factory owners into granting better conditions and more rights, such as universal suffrage. They also emerged to offer support incase of illness or unemployment.

2. Trade unions demanded better salaries and shorter days for
workers, and the end of the child labour.

3. The labour movement was inspired by two ideologies:

Marxism, based on the ideas of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the Communist Manifesto. This ideology proposed the end of the capitalism and givethe  power to the workers. Marxism suggested there was a class struggle, where the bourgeoisie
were oppressors and the workers were oppressed and exploited for profit. Marx believed that labour parties and trade unions should participate in politics.

Anarchism, which was founded by Mikhail Bakunin and Pierre-Joseph Proudhon. Anarchism opposed any form of state in favour of voluntary movements, and collective use
of private property. Anarchism saw trade unions and strikes as revolutionary instruments.


4. Nowdays some of these institutions are valid, like the trade unions which help to maintain the social achievements (8 hours per week...)

5. The International Workers' Day on 1st May originated in 1889 at the first congress of the Socialist International in Paris. The congress decided to celebrate labourers and workers around the world on 1st May.