French & German Labor Strikes
1917 - 1918
Asad Lakhani & Vijay Balusu
Grievances of French and German Workers who went on strike in 1917
2. Weekend Work Days
3. Low Wages
4. Food Shortages
These Grievances Changed in 1918 - 1919 to Include...
2. Human Rights Violations
The War Indicated...
Longer Work Hours, Lower Wages, and Shortages in Coal, Clothing, Rations, and many more effects which the workers protested and went to strikes over.
The strikes of 1918-1919 are better understood as reactions to the war rather than extensions of the late 19th and 20th centuries.While, the labor strikes of 1917 were against low wages and long hours. These are more Socialist and can be seen as extensions of the worker movements. On the other hand, the strikes between 1918-1919 were against drafts, restricted freedoms and in general reactions to the war and the conditions they were in rather than for the general good of the workers in the long run. The earlier strikes were for better working conditions and the betterment of the worker, while the later strikes were to help the worker in the short run.
Total War?
Total war in this instance was used as a factor to limit food consumption throughout Germany. At this time, both Germany and France were in dire need of food. Germany because of the blockade imposed by Russia which brought the war closer to the end because of the backlash of the people against their own government. Their respective governments put their citizens through certain types of misery which instigated the rebellions and reactions by the citizens. Government intervention then led to citizens being integrated into the military or by advocating citizens through implementing new taxes or other reforms. This, for example, happened in France to help the working class.