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From Grassroots Democracy to National Mobilization: COSATU as a Model of Social Movement Unionism

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  • Philip Hirschsohn

    (University of the Western Cape, South Africa)

Abstract

To understand the development of labor movements like the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), which emerged in South Africa in the 1980s as part of the anti-Apartheid movement struggling for national liberation, we need to go beyond conventional categories of economic and political unionism. 'Social movement unionism' combines conventional institutionalized collective bargaining with modes of collective action typically associated with social movements. Based on the experience of COSATU this article develops a four-stage model, using a political process approach, to explain the origins, emergence and development of social movement unionism under a reformist authoritarian regime. The analysis concludes by considering whether social movement unionism can survive the transition to democracy.

Suggested Citation

  • Philip Hirschsohn, 1998. "From Grassroots Democracy to National Mobilization: COSATU as a Model of Social Movement Unionism," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 19(4), pages 633-666, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ecoind:v:19:y:1998:i:4:p:633-666
    DOI: 10.1177/0143831X98194005
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lipset, Seymour Martin, 1983. "Radicalism or Reformism: The Sources of Working-class Politics," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 77(1), pages 1-18, March.
    2. Glenn Adler & Eddie Webster, 1995. "Challenging Transition Theory: The Labor Movement, Radical Reform, and Transition to Democracy in South Africa," Politics & Society, , vol. 23(1), pages 75-106, March.
    3. Paul Boreham & Richard Hall, 1994. "Trade Union Strategy in Contemporary Capitalism: The Microeconomic and Macroeconomic Implications of Political Unionism," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 15(3), pages 313-353, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Giorgos Gouzoulis & Collin Constantine & Joseph Ajefu, 2023. "Economic and political determinants of the South African labour share, 1971–2019," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 44(1), pages 184-207, February.
    2. Philip Hirschsohn, 2007. "Union Democracy and Shopfloor Mobilization: Social Movement Unionism in South African Auto and Clothing Plants," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 28(1), pages 6-48, February.
    3. Pauline Dibben & Geoffrey Wood & Kamel Mellahi, 2012. "Is social movement unionism still relevant? The case of the South African federation COSATU," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(6), pages 494-510, November.

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