Latin American Anarchist and Labour Periodicals

c. 1880-1940

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Descriptive Summary
• Location of Originals
• Biography/History Note
• Scope and Content
• Arrangement
• Selected Search Terms
• Other Finding Aids
• References
• Container List

Location of Originals

The periodicals listed in this guide were filmed at the International Institute of Social History (IISH) in Amsterdam.

Biography/History Note

The institute for Social History in Amsterdam (IISH), founded in 1935, is a centre for the study of social history, particularly the rise and development of the working classes.

The most significant segments of this collection have been amassed by the Austrian anarchist, historian and collector Max Nettlau (1865-1944).

Scope and Content

This collection contains the periodicals that have been accumulated by Nettlau, together with a number of later additions. It contains numerous rare, and in many cases unique, titles. The collection of the IISH provides a richness of documentation pertaining explicitly to the formative anarchist and anarcho-syndicalist episode (1890-1920) in the history of Latin American labour movements. Included are the Argentine periodicals "La Protesta" and "La Vanguardia"; the Brazilian "O Exempio. Jornal do Povo" and "Battaglia"; the Chilean "Voz del Mar"; and the Mexican "Ariete", "Redención Obrera", "Revolución Social" and "El Sindicalista".

The history of Latin American labour movements must be traced and studied within its specific context. The early labour movements were characterised by the importance of mutual support organisations. Artisans usually were organised in this way, often together with their patrons. The artisanal aspects of many sections of the economy may also explain the early prominence of anarchist ideas. Starting in the 1890s the influence of anarcho- syndicalist ideologies increased. Pivotal to this stock of ideologies is the supreme importance attached to "direct action". Yet labour movements, internally divided between recent immigrants and relatively privileged workers in the export industries, typically were defeated in their clashes with entrepreneurs and the state. It was not until the culmination of labour struggles in the years 1920- 1921 that the first, modest improvements in the overall position of the working classes can be discerned. At that particular juncture in time, the enlargement of the industrial base of many Latin American economies resulted in the increased importance of alternative, diverse notions about labour issues. Also, disappointment with the overall lack of results after so many years of protracted struggles must have been a factor that contributed to the diminishing role of anarcho-syndicalist ideologies after 1921. Trade unions that concentrated on pure economic interest promotion came into existence, social-democratic and communist organizations gained impetus and Catholic labour organisations emerged. The position taken by the state toward labour issues also changed. Official unions were enacted and the first limited social legislation was implemented. Eventually, the 1930s present a picture of populist, nationalist and statist labour movements, which was to characterise the history of Latin America thereafter.

Arrangement

The periodicals in this collection have been organized by country. In addition, each series has been subdivided into periodicals with and periodials without a known (corporate) author. The arrangement is alphabetical throughout.

• Argentina [ 413 ]
• Bolivia [ 4 ]
• Brazil [ 139 ]
• Chile [73 ]
• Colombia [4]
• Cuba [42]
• Ecuador [5]
• Guatemala [6]
• Honduras [4]
• Mexico [146]
• Peru [15]
• Paraguay [7]
• Puerto Rico [9]
• El Salvador [3]
• Surinam [3]
• Uruguay [98]

Other Finding Aids

In addition to this EAD finding aid, a set of 971 MARC21 records is available which provides a detailed description of each individual periodical in this collection. These MARC21 records have been created at the University of Michigan University Library, Harvard College Library, Cornell University Library and The General Libraries of The University of Texas at Austin. The complete set of records has been reviewed at IDC Publishers to ensure that the bibliographic desciription is according to the 2nd edition of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, and that each subject entry conforms to the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH). For more information on these MARC21 records or about the IDC's usage of EAD, please contact IDC Publishers (info@idc.nl)

References

The following articles provide a detailed description of parts of the collection:

• E. Gordon, Michael, M. Hall, et al. "A survey of Brazilian and Argentine materials at the Internationaal Instituut voor Sociale Geschiedenis in Amsterdam", Latin American Research Review, 1973:3
• R. Buve, C. Holthuis. "A survey of Mexican materials at the Internationaal Instituut voor Sociale Geschiedenis in Amsterdam", Latin American Research Review, 1975:1
• P.L. de Groor. "A survey of Latin American materials: The Internationaal Instituut voor Sociale Geschiedenis in Amsterdam", Latin American Research Review, 1977:2.

Container List