Guild socialism is a political movement advocating workers' control of industry through the medium of trade-related guilds "in an implied contractual relationship with the public".[1] It originated in the United Kingdom and was at its most influential in the first quarter of the 20th century. It was strongly associated with G. D. H. Cole and influenced by the ideas of William Morris.
Guild socialism was partly inspired by the guilds of craftsmen and other skilled workers which had existed in England in the Middle Ages. In 1906, Arthur Penty published Restoration of the Gild System in which he opposed factory production and advocated a return to an earlier period of artisanal production organised through guilds.[2]: 102 The following year, the journal The New Age became an advocate of guild socialism, although in the context of modern industry rather than the medieval setting favoured by Penty.[3]
In 1914, S. G. Hobson, a leading contributor to The New Age, published National Guilds: An Inquiry into the Wage System and the Way Out. In this work, guilds were presented as an alternative to state control of industry or conventional trade union activity. Guilds, unlike the existing trade unions, would not confine their demands to matters of wages and conditions but would seek to obtain control of industry for the workers whom they represented. Ultimately, industrial guilds would serve as the organs through which industry would be organised in a future socialist society.
The guild socialists "stood for state ownership of industry, combined with ‘workers’ control’ through delegation of authority to national guilds organized internally on democratic lines. About the state itself they differed, some believing it would remain more or less in its existing form and others that it would be transformed into a federal body representing the workers’ guilds, consumers’ organizations, local government bodies, and other social structures."[1]
The theory of guild socialism was developed and popularised by G. D. H. Cole who formed the National Guilds League in 1915 and published several books on guild socialism, including Self-Government in Industry (1917) and Guild Socialism Restated (1920). A National Building Guild was established after World War I but collapsed after funding was withdrawn in 1921.[2]: 110
The science fiction work of Olaf Stapledon suggested that a more "individualistic" form of guild socialism would be a natural outcome for a united humanity hundreds of years in the future.[citation needed]
Cole's ideas were also promoted by prominent anti-authoritarian intellectuals[4] such as the British logician Bertrand Russell, first through his 1918 essay Roads to Freedom.[5][6] Other thinkers who incorporated Cole's writings on guild socialism include the economist Karl Polanyi,[7]R. H. Tawney,[8]A. R. Orage, and the American liberal reformer John Dewey.[9]
For scholar Charles Masquelier, "[i]t is by meeting such a twofold requirement that the libertarian socialism of G.D.H. Cole could be said to offer timely and sustainable avenues for the institutionalization of the liberal value of autonomy...By setting out to 'destroy this predominance of economic factors' (Cole 1980, 180) through the re-organization of key spheres of life into forms of associative action and coordination capable of giving the 'fullest development of functional organisation'...Cole effectively sought to turn political representation into a system actually capable of giving direct recognition to the multiplicity of interests making up highly complex and differentiated societies".[10]
^Cole, G.D.H. (George Douglas Howard) (1980). Guild socialism restated. New Brunswick: Transaction Books. ISBN087855386X. OCLC 6278816.
^Alan., Ryan (1988). Bertrand Russell : a political life. [Place of publication not identified]: Farrar, Straus & Giroux. ISBN0374528209. OCLC 948488083.
^Levitt, Kari (1990). Life and Work of Karl Polanyi. Black Rose Books. ISBN9781551645162.
^Ryan, Alan. John Dewey and the High Tide of American Liberalism. Norton, 1997. p. 116
^Charles Masquelier. Critical theory and libertarian socialism: Realizing the political potential of critical social theory. New York and London: Bloomsbury, 2014. p. 190[ISBN missing]
Stapledon, Olaf (1930). "4. An Americanized Planet". The Last and First Men. Metheun. ISBN978-1-85798-806-2.
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Guild socialism news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message Guild socialism is a political movement advocating workers control of industry through the medium of trade related guilds in an implied contractual relationship with the public 1 It originated in the United Kingdom and was at its most influential in the first quarter of the 20th century It was strongly associated with G D H Cole and influenced by the ideas of William Morris Contents 1 History and development 2 See also 3 Footnotes 4 External linksHistory and development editGuild socialism was partly inspired by the guilds of craftsmen and other skilled workers which had existed in England in the Middle Ages In 1906 Arthur Penty published Restoration of the Gild System in which he opposed factory production and advocated a return to an earlier period of artisanal production organised through guilds 2 102 The following year the journal The New Age became an advocate of guild socialism although in the context of modern industry rather than the medieval setting favoured by Penty 3 In 1914 S G Hobson a leading contributor to The New Age published National Guilds An Inquiry into the Wage System and the Way Out In this work guilds were presented as an alternative to state control of industry or conventional trade union activity Guilds unlike the existing trade unions would not confine their demands to matters of wages and conditions but would seek to obtain control of industry for the workers whom they represented Ultimately industrial guilds would serve as the organs through which industry would be organised in a future socialist society The guild socialists stood for state ownership of industry combined with workers control through delegation of authority to national guilds organized internally on democratic lines About the state itself they differed some believing it would remain more or less in its existing form and others that it would be transformed into a federal body representing the workers guilds consumers organizations local government bodies and other social structures 1 Ernst Wigforss a leading theorist of the Social Democratic Party of Sweden was also inspired by and stood ideologically close to the ideas of Fabian Society and the guild socialism inspired by people like R H Tawney L T Hobhouse and J A Hobson He made contributions in his early writings about industrial democracy and workers self management The theory of guild socialism was developed and popularised by G D H Cole who formed the National Guilds League in 1915 and published several books on guild socialism including Self Government in Industry 1917 and Guild Socialism Restated 1920 A National Building Guild was established after World War I but collapsed after funding was withdrawn in 1921 2 110 The science fiction work of Olaf Stapledon suggested that a more individualistic form of guild socialism would be a natural outcome for a united humanity hundreds of years in the future citation needed Cole s ideas were also promoted by prominent anti authoritarian intellectuals 4 such as the British logician Bertrand Russell first through his 1918 essay Roads to Freedom 5 6 Other thinkers who incorporated Cole s writings on guild socialism include the economist Karl Polanyi 7 R H Tawney 8 A R Orage and the American liberal reformer John Dewey 9 For scholar Charles Masquelier i t is by meeting such a twofold requirement that the libertarian socialism of G D H Cole could be said to offer timely and sustainable avenues for the institutionalization of the liberal value of autonomy By setting out to destroy this predominance of economic factors Cole 1980 180 through the re organization of key spheres of life into forms of associative action and coordination capable of giving the fullest development of functional organisation Cole effectively sought to turn political representation into a system actually capable of giving direct recognition to the multiplicity of interests making up highly complex and differentiated societies 10 See also editAlfred Richard Orage Bertrand Russell Christopher Lasch Anarcho syndicalism Council communism Corporatism Distributism Industrial democracy Market socialism Mutualism economic theory Industrial unionism Libertarian socialism Syndicalism Workplace democracyFootnotes edit a b Guild Socialism movement Britannica www britannica com a b Hirst Paul 1994 Associative Democracy New Forms of Economic and Social Governance Polity Press ISBN 9780745609522 Martin Wallace 1967 The New Age under Orage Manchester University Press p 206 Origins of the Congress for Cultural Freedom 1949 50 Central Intelligence Agency 27 June 2008 Cole G D H George Douglas Howard 1980 Guild socialism restated New Brunswick Transaction Books ISBN 087855386X OCLC 6278816 Alan Ryan 1988 Bertrand Russell a political life Place of publication not identified Farrar Straus amp Giroux ISBN 0374528209 OCLC 948488083 Levitt Kari 1990 Life and Work of Karl Polanyi Black Rose Books ISBN 9781551645162 Foote G 1997 p 72 Ryan Alan John Dewey and the High Tide of American Liberalism Norton 1997 p 116 Charles Masquelier Critical theory and libertarian socialism Realizing the political potential of critical social theory New York and London Bloomsbury 2014 p 190 ISBN missing Stapledon Olaf 1930 4 An Americanized Planet The Last and First Men Metheun ISBN 978 1 85798 806 2 External links editCole George Douglas Howard 1922 Guild Socialism In Chisholm Hugh ed Encyclopaedia Britannica 12th ed London amp New York The Encyclopaedia Britannica Company Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Guild socialism amp oldid 1192259401, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
