Throughout history, ordinary working-class people have played a crucial role in standing up to fascism. While political leaders and intellectuals often get the spotlight, it’s been the working class who’ve consistently fought back against this dangerous ideology. From organizing in their communities to physically confronting fascist groups in the streets, working-class people have been on the front lines. So, how did they become this critical force against fascism? Let’s dive into their story.
The rise of fascism and its impact on working-class communities
Fascism thrives during times of economic and social crisis, and working-class communities often feel the brunt of these struggles. In the 1920s and 1930s, when fascism first emerged in Europe, many countries were still recovering from World War I and dealing with the Great Depression.
People were out of work, struggling to feed their families, and feeling left behind by a system that seemed to only benefit the rich. It was in this environment that leaders like Mussolini and Hitler gained power, offering easy solutions to complex problems.
Fascist leaders promised to restore national pride and economic stability, often by blaming scapegoats—immigrants, minorities, or political opponents. While some working-class people were drawn to these promises, many more recognized the dangers.
They knew that fascism was built on lies and violence, and that its rise would lead to even more hardship for everyday workers. Rather than sit back, these communities decided to fight back.
Why working-class people resisted fascism
There were several reasons why working-class people were so motivated to resist fascism. First, fascist ideologies often targeted the most vulnerable members of society, immigrants, ethnic minorities, and the poor. Working-class communities, which were often diverse and tightly knit, understood that an attack on one group was an attack on all of them.
Secondly, many working-class people had strong ties to left-wing political movements, such as socialism and communism, which promoted equality and workers’ rights. Fascism, on the other hand, sought to crush these movements. For workers who had fought hard to gain labor rights, such as the right to strike, fair wages, and safe working conditions, fascism represented a direct threat to their livelihoods. They weren’t just fighting for political beliefs; they were fighting for their survival.
Finally, working-class people were driven by a deep sense of community and solidarity. They believed in standing up for each other and against anyone who tried to divide them. Fascism’s message of exclusion and hate didn’t sit well with people who had always relied on mutual support.
Working-class organizing and resistance
Working-class resistance to fascism wasn’t just a spontaneous outcry—it was organized and deliberate. One of the most powerful tools workers had was their unions. Labor unions across Europe and the United States played a key role in standing up to fascist movements.
Unions organized strikes and protests, refusing to let fascists take control of workplaces or industries. For example, in the 1930s, British dock workers refused to handle cargo from Nazi Germany, showing their solidarity with the anti-fascist cause.
But the fight wasn’t limited to the workplace. Many working-class communities took to the streets to confront fascists head-on. In the UK, groups like Anti-Fascist Action (AFA) formed in the 1980s, made up largely of working-class people who saw it as their duty to prevent far-right groups from gaining a foothold. AFA didn’t just talk about resistance, they showed up at fascist rallies, stood in their way, and sometimes physically fought to shut down fascist events.
The intersection of working-class struggles and anti-fascism
It’s important to remember that for many working-class people, the fight against fascism was deeply connected to their fight for workers’ rights. Fascism often sought to dismantle unions and suppress any kind of labor activism. For fascists, workers organizing for better conditions and fair wages represented a threat to the authoritarian control they wanted to establish.
For working-class people, defending their rights as workers went hand in hand with defending their communities from fascism. They saw the far-right as not only a political enemy but an economic one as well. The two struggles were intertwined. Fascism wanted to concentrate power in the hands of a few, while workers wanted to spread power more evenly across society.
Notable movements and events where working-class people stood against fascism
There have been many moments in history where working-class people took a stand against fascism. One of the most famous examples is the Battle of Cable Street in 1936. In London’s East End, a predominantly working-class and Jewish neighborhood, residents united to block a march by the British Union of Fascists, led by Oswald Mosley.
Despite police efforts to clear the way for the fascists, tens of thousands of working-class people flooded the streets, building barricades and refusing to let the fascists through. Their success that day became a symbol of working-class resistance to fascism.
Another significant event was the participation of thousands of working-class volunteers in the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War. These men and women, many of them from working-class backgrounds, traveled to Spain to fight against Franco’s fascist forces. Though they were ultimately defeated, their bravery and solidarity became a source of inspiration for future anti-fascist movements.
The cultural contributions of working-class people to anti-fascist efforts
Working-class resistance to fascism didn’t just happen in the streets or on the battlefield. It was also reflected in culture, through music, art, and literature. In the 1970s and 1980s, the punk rock scene became a hotbed of anti-fascist sentiment.
Working-class youth, especially in the UK, used music as a way to express their anger at the rise of fascism and the inequality they faced. Bands like The Clash became famous for their anti-racist, anti-fascist messages, rallying young people to resist far-right movements.
Similarly, literature and films produced by working-class people often highlighted the dangers of fascism and the importance of solidarity. These cultural contributions helped spread the message that fascism was not only a political threat but a moral one, and that ordinary people had the power to fight back.
Conclusion
The fight against fascism has always been driven by ordinary working-class people. These individuals, often overlooked in history, have been the backbone of resistance, standing up not just for themselves but for the values of equality, justice, and solidarity. Whether through organizing in their workplaces, confronting fascists in the streets, or using music and art to spread their message, working-class people have shown time and again that they are a powerful force for good.