Book excerpt: Anarcho-syndicalism, a theory and practice of working class revolution, was developed not by scholars working in libraries but by the workers themselves. The anarcho-syndicalist movement of the 20th century extended to all the industrialized countries of the world and even agricultural regions. This was not a fringe phenomenon but involved millions of workers. Mainstream labor unions and social-democratic parties have become increasingly powerless to protect the gains of workers. In this situation, anarcho-syndicalism--the revolutionary, non-authoritarian alternative to reformism--is again on the agenda. This critical study of anarcho-syndicalism in the last century reveals a history of struggle which has often been neglected but holds many valuable lessons for the present.