Labor Zionism

Labor Zionism (or Labour Zionism ) is the traditional left-wing of the Zionist ideology. Unlike the "political Zionist" tendency founded by Theodor Herzl and advocated by Chaim Weizmann , Labor Zionists did not believe that a Jewish state would be created simply by appealing to the international community or to a powerful nation such as Britain , Germany or the Ottoman Empire . Rather, Labor Zionists believed that a Jewish state could only be created as part of the class struggle though the efforts of the Jewish working class settling in Palestine and constructing a state through the creation of kibbutzim in the countryside and a Jewish proletariat in the cities. Labor Zionism grew in size and influence and eclipsed "political Zionism" by the 1930s both internationally and within the British Mandate of Palestine where Labor Zionists dominated the institutions of the Yishuv , particularly the trade union federation known as the Histadrut . The Haganah (later the Palmach ) -- the largest Zionist paramilitary force -- was a Labour Zionist institution. It played a leading role in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and its former members dominated the Israeli military for decades after the formation of the state of Israel in 1948. Philosophers of the Labor Zionist movement included Nahum Syrkin and Ber Borochov and leading figures in the movement included David Ben-Gurion . The main vehicle of the Labor Zionist movement was the Poale Zion party which split into a Left Poale Zion and Right Poale Zion factions. The Left Poale Zion party ultimately merged with Hashomer Hatzair to become the Mapam party, which in turn later joined with other parties to create Meretz and Yachad . The Right Poale Zion became the Mapai party, later the Israeli Labour Party . These two parties were initially the two largest parties in the Yishuv and in the first Israeli Knesset and the Mapai/Labour Party in particular dominated Israeli politics both in the pre-independence Yishuv and for the first three decades of the state of Israel , until Revisionist Zionism (represented by the Likud political party) became an increasingly strong power in Zionist politics.

It was, for many years, the most significant tendency among Zionists and Zionist organizational structure. It saw itself as the Zionist sector of the historic Jewish labor movements of Eastern and Central Europe, eventually developing local units in most countries with sizeable Jewish populations. Unlike the " political Zionist " tendency founded by Theodor Herzl and advocated by Chaim Weizmann , Labor Zionists did not believe that a Jewish state would be created simply by appealing to the international community or to a powerful nation such as Britain , Germany or the Ottoman Empire . Rather, Labor Zionists believed that a Jewish state could only be created through the efforts of the Jewish working class settling in Palestine and constructing a state through the creation of a progressive Jewish society with rural kibbutzim and moshavim and an urban Jewish proletariat. Labor Zionism grew in size and influence and eclipsed "political Zionism" by the 1930s both internationally and within the British Mandate of Palestine where Labor Zionists predominated among many of the institutions of the pre-independence Jewish community Yishuv , particularly the trade union federation known as the Histadrut . The Haganah – the largest Zionist paramilitary defense force – was a Labor Zionist institution and was used on occasion (such as during the Hunting Season ) against right-wing political opponents or to assist the British Administration in capturing rival Jewish militants. Labor Zionists played a leading role in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and Labor Zionists were predominant among the leadership of the Israeli military for decades after the formation of the state of Israel in 1948. Major theoreticians of the Labor Zionist movement included Moses Hess , Nachman Syrkin , Ber Borochov and Aaron David Gordon and leading figures in the movement included David Ben-Gurion , Golda Meir and Berl Katznelson .

The labor movement ) is the left-wing of the Zionist movement. It saw itself as the Zionist sector of the historic Jewish labor movements of Eastern and Central Europe, eventually developing local units in most countries with sizable Jewish populations. Unlike the "political Zionist" tendency founded by Theodor Herzl and advocated by Chaim Weizmann , Labor Zionists did not believe that a Jewish state would be created simply by appealing to the international community or to a powerful nation such as Britain , Germany or the Ottoman Empire . Rather, Labor Zionists believed that a Jewish state could only be created through the efforts of the Jewish working class settling in the Land of Israel and constructing a state through the creation of a progressive Jewish society with rural kibbutzim and moshavim and an urban Jewish proletariat. Labor Zionism grew in size and influence and eclipsed "political Zionism" by the 1930s both internationally and within the British Mandate of Palestine where Labor Zionists predominated among many of the institutions of the pre-independence Jewish community Yishuv , particularly the trade union federation known as the Histadrut . The Haganah , the largest Zionist paramilitary defense force, was a Labor Zionist institution and was used on occasion (such as during the Hunting Season ) against right-wing political opponents or to assist the British Administration in capturing rival Jewish militants. Labor Zionists played a leading role in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War and Labor Zionists were predominant among the leadership of the Israeli military for decades after the formation of the state of Israel in 1948. Major theoreticians of the Labor Zionist movement included Moses Hess , Nachman Syrkin , Ber Borochov , and Aaron David Gordon and leading figures in the movement included David Ben-Gurion , Golda Meir , and Berl Katznelson .

Unlike the "political Zionist" tendency founded by Theodor Herzl and advocated by Chaim Weizmann , Labor Zionists did not believe that a Jewish state would be created by simply appealing to the international community or to powerful nations such as the United Kingdom , Germany , or the former Ottoman Empire . Rather, they believed that a Jewish state could only be created through the efforts of the Jewish working class making aliyah to the Land of Israel and raising a country through the creation of a Labor Jewish society with rural kibbutzim and moshavim , and an urban Jewish Proletariat . Major theoreticians of the Labor Zionist movement included Moses Hess , Nachman Syrkin , Ber Borochov , and Aaron David Gordon ; and leading figures in the movement included David Ben-Gurion , Golda Meir , and Berl Katznelson .

Labor Zionism eventually developing local movements in most countries with sizable Jewish populations. Unlike the "political Zionist" tendency founded by Theodor Herzl and advocated by Chaim Weizmann , Labor Zionists did not believe that a Jewish state would be created by simply appealing to the international community or to powerful nations such as the United Kingdom , Germany , or the former Ottoman Empire . Rather, they believed that a Jewish state could only be created through the efforts of the Jewish working class making aliyah to the Land of Israel and raising a country through the creation of a Labor Jewish society with rural kibbutzim and moshavim , and an urban Jewish proletariat . Major theoreticians of the Labor Zionist movement included Moses Hess , Nachman Syrkin , Ber Borochov , and Aaron David Gordon ; and leading figures in the movement included David Ben-Gurion , Golda Meir , and Berl Katznelson . Labor Zionist parties, most notably Mapai and its successor, the Israeli Labor Party , dominated Israeli politics during the state's first three decades.