rent strikes

1839-1846: The Anti-Renter movement

Howard Zinn's short history of the Anti-Renter movement against the patroonship system, created in the 1660s when the Dutch ruled New York.

The rich had vast land holdings and the tenants paid taxes and rents. The movement grew to 10,000 men and was finally put down by a cavalry unit of 3,000 who came up from New York City.
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12 Sep 2006 by Steven.

1931: Barcelona mass rent strike

The story of one of the biggest rent strikes of the 20th century where more than 100,000 people faced down the landlords and the government winning improvements for many tenants.

The strike laid the groundwork for much more workers' organisation in the community in subsequent years

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10 Sep 2006 by Steven.

1915: The Glasgow rent strike

Rent strike demonstration, Glasgow 1915

The history of a months-long rent strike of 30,000 Glasgow residents against profiteering landlords, forcing the government to freeze rents for the duration of World War I.

During the First World War, rent increases across Glasgow provoked massive working class opposition, mainly from women organised in tenants’ groups. Their struggle against profiteering landlords during extremely difficult circumstances is a valuable example of how collective action really gets results.

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10 Sep 2006 by Steven.

California: Mobile home residents on rent strike against hikes

Residents in Ceres, California launched their strike when Equity LifeStyles Properties increased rents by $85 a month.

Mobile home dwellers own their houses, but rent the land on which they are situated.

Residents first appealed to the city council to apply rent controls to the land - one of nearly 300 mobile home plots owned by ELSP - but they declined, leaving them no option but to take direct action.

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10 Feb 2006 by Steven.

Take over the city - Community struggle in Italy, 1973

Excellent article from Lotta Continua about different struggles of workers in their local areas. It covers self-reduction of prices, squatting and more.

Translated and edited by Ernest Dowson
Radical America, Vol.7 no.2, March-April 1973

Translator's Preface

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12 Jan 2006 by libcom
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