THE IDEOLOGY
Syndicalism, sometimes referred to by adherents as the Glorious Cause, is the state ideology of Leutland. Based originally upon the writings of 19th-century political theorist and philosopher Oskar Engstrom, Syndicalism is an ideology which advocates a proletarian ownership of the means of production and a broad range of democratic participation in the workplace, in order to ensure a state which is ‘of the people, by the people, for the people’. In Syndicalism, the role of the state is to act as a representative of the workers' power, while also being empowered enough on its own to coordinate national economic policy and defence for the benefit of all. As such, the state is the central, absolute authority in Syndicalism, but derives its legitimacy from the democratic participation of the Syndicalist associations rather than the unquestioned power of a single leader. The Syndicalist ideology is distinct from communism as the State is seen as a permanent and necessary force rather than a transitory period, and specifically repudiates the idea of a vanguard party. As a result Syndicalism is typically viewed as a variant of socialist ideology but also finds itseld at odds with other left wing ideologies.
Syndicalism first gained broad support in Leutland in the midst of the January Revolution and its preceding unrest. As the central authority of the imperial government began to disintegrate, various Januarist factions advocated Syndicalism as an ideology for the new Leutish state. Ultimately, the support of Field Marshal Kujawinski was the decisive tipping point in favour of the Syndicalists, leading to the establishment of an interim Syndicalist state with a broad degree of leftist support in 1912.
Politically, modern Syndicalism in Leutland is characterised by non-partisan democracy emphasizing mass democratic participation through the Syndicalist associations. Prior service in a bureaucratic or administrative post within an association is a prerequisite for holding public office, meaning that Syndicalist democracy is effectively manifested through these unions. Economically, the Syndicalist economy is dominated by worker syndicates and the presence of state dirigisme designed to stimulate growth in key sectors of the Leutish economy, as well as the presence of numerous state-owned industries.
Socially, Syndicalist ideology places a high premium on education, viewing it as key for creating a well-informed voting populace as this is the key to a ‘healthy’ Syndicalist state. In terms of ideology, Syndicalism is a relatively isolated movement, being hostile to laissez-faire capitalism, fascism, and libertarian forms of socialism. Communism's advocacy of the eventual abolition of the state is anathema to Syndicalist ideology, while fascism's repression of the democratic process is also viewed with hostility.
The process of Syndicalism first begins at the economic level. Among Oskar Engstrom's most influential ideas was the inevitability of oligarchy in traditional democratic institutions. Conventional representative democracies, he argued, could never truly eliminate the rule of the elite due to the eventual domination of of elite-oriented bureaucrats and administrators within power structures. In order to avoid this, he theorized, a system of union democracy which enabled constant dialogue between workers and leadership would be necessary. These ideas proved to be the founding cornerstone of Syndicalist ideology. Utilising a syndicalist system, workers and employers would be grouped together into various 'interest groups' based around their respective industries. The constituents of these Syndicalist assemblies would then elect their representatives through council democracy. From that point on, subsequent groupings of assemblies would vote representatives into increasingly higher-level councils. Upon election to the regional level, these assembly representatives would become eligible for election to the Congress of Worker's Deputies, which serves as the highest governing body in the nation.
SYMBOLISM OF THE IDEOLOGY
The colours of Syndicalism are red, white, and blue. Red symbolizes the blood of the workers, blue symbolizes the presence of the state, and white represents the harmonization between them. Syndicalist insignia tend to vary from nation to nation, but often carry industrial motifs and symbols of liberty.
WHAT DOES A SYNDICALIST ECONOMY LOOK LIKE?
Under the ideology of the Syndicalist system, the ultimate goal of the state is harmonization between individual liberty of the worker and the good of the societal whole. Workers are divided across industries into syndicates which are subordinate to the ultimate authority of the state, which serves to act as a 'mediator' between labour rights and productivity. As the government itself is elected via workplace democracy, the system has both democratic and authoritarian characteristics. Workers are grouped into these syndicates, which are then grouped with each other into Syndicalist associations with other non-competitive syndicates. Within these associations, elected representatives then confer with each other and the state to help direct economic policy in a manner that ideally benefits everyone and contributes to class harmonization, one of the ultimate goals of Syndicalism. This economic syndicalism, overseen by the state through the Department of Economic Development, effectively gives the Leutish state a great degree of control over the economy and results in an economic system that is distinct from both laissez-faire capitalism and libertarian communism, leading outside observers to describe the Leutish economy as a state-directed mixed economy. The Confederate economy also includes a substantial amount of state-directed investment and the presence of state-owned enterprises in strategic sectors of the Leutish economy, particularly infrastructure, transportation, and energy. Both state-directed and state-indicated aspects of the Leutish economy have traditionally emphasized modernization, leading to extensive investment in new technologies such as nuclear power. Syndicalist political philosophy, advocating egalitarian treatment for all but heavily favouring promotion based on merit, is a major influence on the careers of individuals in the workplace thanks to the syndicalist system.
SYNDICALISM IN YOUR NATION
As part of its new policy, the People's Confederation seeks to create a registry of all Syndicalist organizations, be they unions, trade syndicates, organized parties, or street associations. Applications for recognition may be submitted to the People's Confederation by completing the required information below. The People's Confederation looks forward to cooperating with burgeoning Syndicalist movements the world over.
States and organizations joining the Syndicalist International can expect the support of the Leutish state and other SYNTERN members in many facets, be it political, diplomatic, financial, or military assistance.
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Nation Name:
National Ideology:
Highest Syndicalist Body:
Leader of the Aforementioned Body:
Membership Count of the Aforementioned Body:
Immediate Goals (increased membership, armed struggle etc.):
Special Requests:
CURRENT MEMBERSHIP OF THE SYNDICALIST INTERNATIONAL (SYNTERN)
