COAL MINERS, STRIKES AND POLITICS IN THE LOWER LANGUEDOC, 1880-1914.

This article discusses the coal mining region of the lower Languedoc valley in France. The coal miners of the region are discussed, and the article examines their patterns of strikes and political action from 1880 through 1914. Labor strikes in 1881 and 1882 were caused due to worker rights and not political issues, but over time, worker strikes were caused due to left-wing political thought and the emergence of an anti-capitalist labor movement. The article also profiles union leaders during the time period.