International Context of Human Rights Movement

The labor movement

The labor movement developed in response to the depredations of
industrial capitalism at about the same time as socialism. However,
while the goal of the labor movement is to protect and strengthen the
interests of labor within capitalism, the goal of socialism is to replace
the capitalist system entirely.

The labor movement consists of two main wings-

a. The trade union movement also called trade unionism or labor
b. The political labor movement on the other.
* The trade union movement consists of the collective organization
of working people developed to represent and campaign for better
working conditions and treatment from their employers and, by the
implementation of labor and employment laws from their
governments. The standard unit of organization is the trade union.

* The political labor movement in many countries includes a political

party that represents the interests of employees, often known as a
"labor party" or "workers' party". Many individuals and political groups
otherwise considered to represent ruling classes may be part of and
active in the labor movement.
 In Europe, the labor movement began during the industrial revolution,
when agricultural jobs declined and employment moved to more
industrial areas. The idea met with great resistance.
Trade unionism was active during the early to mid 19th century and
various labor parties and trade unions were formed throughout the
industrialized parts of the world. The International Workingmen's
Association, the first attempt at international coordination, was
founded in London in 1864. The major issues included
• the right of the workers to organize themselves,
• and the right to an 8-hour working day.
In 1871 workers in France rebelled and the Paris Commune was formed.
From the mid-nineteenth century onward the labour movement
became increasingly globalised.
“ Labor has been central to the modern globalization process. From
issues of the embodied movement of workers to the emergence of a
global division of labor, and organized responses to capitalist relations
of production, the relevance of labor to globalization is not new, and it
is far more significant in shaping the world than is usually recognized.
 The movement gained major impetus during the late 19th and early
20th centuries from the Catholic Social Teaching tradition which
began in 1891 with the publication of Pope Leo XIII's foundational
document, Rerum novarum, also known as "On the Condition of the
Working Classes," in which he advocated a series of reforms including
limits on the length of the work day, a living wage, the elimination of
child labor, the rights of labor to organize, and the duty of the state to
regulate labor conditions.

Throughout the world, action by laborist has resulted in reforms and

workers' rights, such as
*The two-day weekend,
*Minimum wage,
*Paid holidays,
*And the achievement of the eight-hour day for many workers.
There have been many important labor activists in modern history
who have caused changes that were revolutionary at the time and are
now regarded as basic. For example, Mary Harris Jones, better known
as "Mother Jones", and the National Catholic Welfare Council were
important in the campaign to end child labor in the United States
during the early 20th century.
The Indonesian National Revolution
The Indonesian National Revolution, or Indonesian War of
Independence was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between the
Republic of Indonesia and the Dutch Empire and an internal social revolution
during postwar and postcolonial Indonesia. It took place between Indonesia's
declaration of independence in 1945 and the Netherlands' recognition of
Indonesia's independence at the end of 1949.
 The four-year struggle involved sporadic but bloody armed conflict, internal
Indonesian political and communal upheavals, and two major international
diplomatic interventions. Dutch military forces (and, for a while, the forces of
the World War II Allies) were able to control the major towns, cities and
industrial assets in Republican heartlands on Java and Sumatra but could not
control the countryside. By 1949, international pressure on the Netherlands
and the partial military stalemate became such that it recognized Indonesian
independence.
 The revolution marked the end of the colonial administration of the Dutch
East Indies, except for Netherlands New Guinea. It also significantly changed
ethnic castes as well as reducing the power of many of the local rulers (raja). It
did not significantly improve the economic or political fortune of the majority
of the population, although a few Indonesians were able to gain a larger role in
commerce.
 The Indonesian independence movement began in May 1908, which is
commemorated as the "Day of National Awakening" . Indonesian
nationalism and movements supporting independence from Dutch
colonialism, such as Budi Utomo, the Indonesian National Party (PNI),
Sarekat Islam and the Indonesian Communist Party(PKI), grew rapidly
in the first half of the 20th century. Budi Utomo, Sarekat Islam and
others pursued strategies of co-operation by joining the Dutch
initiated Volksraad ("People's Council") in the hope that Indonesia
would be granted self-rule.[ Others chose a non-cooperative strategy
demanding the freedom of self-government from the Dutch East Indies
colony.[ The most notable of these leaders were Sukarno and
Mohammad Hatta, two students and nationalist leaders who had
benefited from the educational reforms of the Dutch Ethical Policy.
 The occupation of Indonesia by Japan for three and a half years during
World War II was a crucial factor in the subsequent revolution. The
Netherlands had little ability to defend its colony against the Japanese
army, and within only three months of their initial attacks, the Japanese
had occupied the Dutch East Indies. In Java, and to a lesser extent in
Sumatra (Indonesia's two dominant islands), the Japanese spread and
encouraged nationalist sentiment. Although this was done more for
Japanese political advantage than from altruistic support of Indonesian
independence, this support created new Indonesian institutions
(including local neighborhood organizations) and elevated political
leaders such as Sukarno. Just as significantly for the subsequent
revolution, the Japanese destroyed and replaced much of the Dutch-
created economic, administrative, and political infrastructure.[
 On 7 September 1944, with the war going badly for the Japanese, For
supporters of Sukarno, the announcement was seen as vindication for his
collaboration with the Japanese.