Jewish Workers and the Labour Movement : A Comparative Study of Amsterdam, London and Paris 1870-1914

Jewish Workers and the Labour Movement explores the relationship between Jewish workers and the general labour movement in the years between 1870 and 1914. Taking a comparative approach, it looks at the different approaches and fortunes of Jewish workers in three of the world's major industrial cities, Amsterdam, London and Paris.

During the late nineteenth century, many Jewish workers and intellectuals considered their integration into the general labour movement as a good way to counter the double disadvantage they suffered in society as Jews and workers. Whilst in Amsterdam this process encountered few obstacles, it was more problematical in London and Paris. Through a detailed examination of the collaborative efforts of Jewish labour in these three cities, Jewish Workers and the Labour Movement reveals the multi-layered and unique position of Jewish workers in the labour market. It shows how various factors such as economic change, political upheaval, state intervention and anti-Semitism all affected the pace of integration, and draws conclusions that highlight the similarities as well as the differences between the efforts of Jewish workers to improve their lot in France, Britain and Holland.