October General Strike of 1920

in Rumania, the first general political demonstration by the Rumanian proletariat.

The October general strike began on Oct. 20, 1920, in response to a call by the General Confederation of Labor. The strike was caused by the Rumanian government’s refusal to satisfy workers’ demands as formulated by the General Council of the Socialist Party of Rumania (SPR). These demands included observance of democratic freedoms, recognition of workers’ factory committees, the abolition of the state of siege then existing in Rumania, and the elimination of censorship. Despite reprisals by the authorities and the capitulation of right-wing leaders of both the SPR and the General Confederation of Labor, who declared the strike over on October 26, the October strike grew to large proportions. About 400,000 persons took part. After the strike was put down on October 28, employers embarked on a political offensive against workers’ rights.