Guild Socialist: C. Wright Mills

C. Wright Mills (1916-1962) was an influential American social theorist and active advocate of the democratic workplace.  He’s theoretical work is heavily influenced by Max Weber, Thorstein Veblen and John Dewey.  The work of G.D.H. Cole and his theory of Guild Socialism also played a significant influence on C. Wright Mills intellectual position and his belief in the democratic workplace.  C Wright Mills created three major works during his career, The New Men of Power, White Collar and the Power Elite:

The New Men of Power (1948)

The New Men of Power focuses the labour movement in the United States and its weakened position in the political economy immediately after World War II.  The weakened position resulted from closer collaboration between union leaders, politicians and corporate elites.  Many Trade Unions and other fractions of labour movement were tamed through economic concessions provided via collective bargaining and other forms of collaboration.  Labour leaders become inclined to seek material concessions for their members against pursuing political action against capitalist entities. 

C. Wright Mills identified six distinct political groups who were all attempting to influence the US working class:

• ‘Sophisticated conservatives’ centred on large corporate elites who had become the dominant influence on the post World War II political economy.
• ‘Practical conservatives’ small and medium business owners often active in the Republican party and united by a belief in economic freedom and their opposition to organised labour.
• ‘The liberal centre’, a coalition of interest groups which promoted rolling back the influence of big business and enhancing market regulation. 
• The Communist Party of America which had lost significant influence in the US in the post war period. 
• The American Trotskyists who still forwarded revolutionary action.
• Lastly the independent left, who were no longer motivated towards revolution, but considered alternative avenues to challenging capitalism such as work place democracy.   Here he considered GDH Cole's work on Guild Socialism.

White Collar (1951)

In this volume C. Wright Mills turned his attentions to the middle class which were becoming the largest class in the US.   The rise of the middle class occurred in conjunction with three other trends; mass society, workplace alienation and a lack of political consciousness.
Mass Society: mass media and the rise of large national corporations had transformed the country from a collection of regional localities and economies into a United States with an increasingly collective consciousness.
Alienation: wage labour had become ever more autonomous, routine and mundane.  The introduction of office machinery had expanded the alienation of work into white collar jobs.
Lack of consciousness: during Mills’s five years research into the white collar worker he found a clear lack of class consciousness amongst their ranks, who he concluded were ‘anchored in the economic sphere’ (C Wright Mills).  They lack an ideological conviction being preoccupied on their career and material gratifications.

The Power Elite (1956)

C. Wright Mills argues that a small nexus of individuals from political, corporate and military spheres make decisions which shaped the all aspects of life in the United States.  Power and influence become increasingly centred on these groups in the post war period as national corporations gained a greater foothold on the economy.  Their influence was also inflated by the rise of mass society with its tools of mass media.  Individuals from across these spheres were well cross connected.  The centralisation of power in a small number of elites is naturally seen as a curtailment to real democracy.

C. Wright Mill the Guildsmen

Concept of Freedom

John Dewey's political theory was a major influence on Mills’s work and key to shaping his understanding of 'freedom'.  Freedom is the ability to articulate your demands then having  the courage to stand up and ask for them in the face of social pressure which often expects conformity and submission.   This is based on the ontology that people in power have an inherent tendency towards corruption and will use their position to maximise own interests.  As such freedom will not be granted from above but individuals must become politically conscious and active to advocate their individual and class demands.
“with a hundred eyes … elaborating what might be done about it with a hundred minds and stating … all the prob­able consequences of each possible move” C. Wright Mills. 

Guild Socialism

C. Wright Mills concept of freedom and his rejection of statist socialism helped direct his theoretical position towards the democratic workplace and Guild Socialism.  In this respect Mills’s was heavy influenced by G.D.H. Cole’s theory of Guild Socialism.  Mills’ shared Cole’s ideals of a guild system of democracy in the shop, works and industry.  They also envisioned a transitional mechanism - collective contract whereby ‘labour could gain valuable organizational experience as it acquired control of wages and the organization of production’ (Barratt 2011). Mills’s theory of Guild Socialism identified key roles for the state including the regulation of guilds and their markets to ensure stakeholders such as customers are well protected in the system.   Nationalism of industry by the state is also seen as being justified under certain conditions, such as when markets are missing. 

Smith, Mark K. (2009) 'C. Wright Mills: power, craftsmanship, and personal troubles and private issues' the encyclopaedia of informal education.

Barratt, Edward (2011): Re-Reading C. Wright Mills, Organisation, Newcastle University