WI: Syndicalist Russia?

[DominusNovus]

Syndicalism is a pretty popular trope in alternate history, and often pops up as an alternative to communism. With this in mind, what would happen if the syndicalists fared better in the Russian Revolution, such that syndicalist policies were generally adopted?

I have ideas, but my grasp of syndicalism is shallow enough and my instinct to conceptualize it as pretty much just 'a bunch of workers cooperatives' that I'd hesitate to start the conversation off with a display of my own ignorance. So, I'll just let my question stand on its own and let everyone have at it.

 

[DragonsInAmerica]

Syndicalism is basically a government system where labor unions control everything, including the government, laws, military, etc. The ideology was particularly popular in Western Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries before WWI.

Syndicalism - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Spoiler: Syndicalist picture thingy

I think this was from Kaiserreich. Or Cody. Or both.

Note: Just to make things clear, I am NOT a syndicalist. I only know about it because I watched a video on Kaiserreich: Legacy of the Weltkrieg. Just saying.

Anyways, to answer the OP's question, Russian syndicalism might involve different policies (imagine a labor union instead of the Communist Party), and the Soviets might be called the Syndicalists (the Syndicalist Union/Union of Syndicalist Socialist Republics—goodness, what a mouthful) or something. But I'm not an expert in the differences of different communist ideologies, so it's not really my call.

This might help: Wikipedia link about syndicalism and the Russian Revolution

Plus another article on Marxism-Leninism/Soviet Unionism, which might be helpful

 

[Pen]

Syndicalism is communism, but I digress.


Likely not going to happen- Russia was either going Narodnik, SR, or Bolshevik, which were Agrarian Utopian Socialist, DemSoc, or Leninist respectively- if it even goes leftist at all.

 

[Sam R.]

Apart from general warfare against the non-proletarian or voluntarily collectivising countryside by urban workers?

The Russian empire had heightened economic and social contradictions. In particular outside of the then the Ukraine rural class war had not enclosed and proletarianised peasants. This meant that peasants as agents filled leisure and pleasure needs internally and the market was secondary. Which allowed a boycott of the cities.

There won’t be a NEP which means a first principles attempt at growth. Which will fail. So peasant coops will under produce (purchase leisure and vodka by home production in market terms) leading to the scissors crisis.

The result will be a Ural-Siberian method.

Apart from that slightly different government followed by a nomenklatura coup during the 1927-33 urban food crisis. The nomenklatura is likely to be actual ex-workers though. Which should lead to more effective five year plans on an internal basis but without export of grains for machine tools.

No Gulags though. Failed nomenklatura are more likely to be sent back to the tools. Workers upset are likely to strike to ineffective negotiation.

I didn’t need to be upset by the cold nightmare weight of productive forces this morning. Well done.

Sam R.