The Second Coming of Proletarian Internationalism? A Review of Recent Resources

Abstract

A review of seven books, articles, briefings and email documents suggests a revival both of labour internationalism and of left reflection upon it. The materials come from or relate to Europe, Japan, South Africa, the North American Free Trade Area, our globalizing world and the `real virtuality' of cyberspace. Some of these items have their feet (sometimes their heads also) in a past world of nation-states and of a nationallyhased industrial and imperial capitalism; others attempt to confront the brave new globalized world of informatized and networked capitalism. The answer to the question in my title is `no', partly because there was no first coming of this mythical creature. But labour internationalism is reviving. And if, in the past, it was most effective when least proletarian, its revival today can only be as part of a more general global solidarity movement, to which it is necessary, and to the development of which it can make its own distinct contribution.