A new proletariat in the making? Reflections on the 14 November 2012 strike and the movements of 1968 and 1995

Abstract

On 14 November 2012, southern Europe witnessed its first transnational one-day general strike wave. This article compares the 14 November experience with the previous western European mobilizations of 1968 and 1995, assessing (i) their transnational dimension, (ii) their links to the European economic integration process, (iii) their historical specificities and action repertoires, and finally (iv) their impact on social class formation and labour movement organization. In conclusion, this historical comparison contends that the 14 November movement not only indicates a certain transnationalization of the social class struggle, but also a substantial recomposition of western Europe’s working classes with potentially far-reaching implications for the traditional labour movement.