Internationalism is generally considered to be a major feature of the labor movement, and to hold a far more powerful appeal for workers' organizations than national identity. However, this revisionist book argues that, in fact, it is the national dimension which is of utmost importance to workers' organizations, and that national questions have often compelled workers to engage in struggles on different levels. Detailed case studies of trade union involvement in Northern Ireland, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Austria, and Europe generally offer a dynamic description of the different ways in which nationalist values meet with trade union ideas and practices.

The combination of historical and contemporary material make this book essential reading for students and researchers of labor history, politics, political theory, and area studies.