Class Quote by Voltairine de Cleyre
“But what the working-class can do, when once they grow into a solidified organization, is to show the possessing class, through a sudden cessation of all work, that the whole social structure rests on them; that the possessions of the others are absolutely worthless to them without the workers' activity; that such protests, such strikes, are inherent in the system of property and will continually recur until the whole thing is abolished -- and having shown that effectively, proceed to expropriate.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Anarchist Writings, 1880s
Workers' collective power can halt society by stopping labor, exposing dependence on their work, and forcing systemic change.
In simple terms: Workers can stop society by refusing to work.
Key Takeaway
Organize and strike to reveal dependence.
Themes
labor
power
social structure
revolution
collective action
Mood
determined
defiant
urgent
Type
political
revolutionary
call to action
When to use this quote
- union organizing
- political protests
- community meetings
- economic negotiations
Key Concepts
anarchism
class struggle
expropriation
Questions to Reflect On
- How can workers build solidarity across sectors?
- What safeguards prevent backlash after a strike?
A Different Perspective
Success depends on broad participation and may face violent repression.
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![“[The married woman is] is a bonded slave, who takes her master's name, her master's bread, and serves her master's passion; [and] who passes through the ordeal of pregnancy and the throes of travail at his dictation.” quote by Voltairine de Cleyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c98/voltairine-de-cleyre-13597_bread_the-married-woman-is-is-a-bonded-slave-w_893588.jpg)
