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Just found out that the Italian word for & #39;scab& #39; or strike-breaker is & #39;crumiro& #39;
It comes from the Crumiri, or Khroumir, a tribal confederation at the border between Algeria and Tunisia. Why??
It comes from the Crumiri, or Khroumir, a tribal confederation at the border between Algeria and Tunisia. Why??
so first, I have to tell you my surprise listening to this great strike song that a friend sent me.
I was like wait why are they talking about the Khroumirs?? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXOpVWSZ7uA">https://www.youtube.com/watch...
I was like wait why are they talking about the Khroumirs?? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXOpVWSZ7uA">https://www.youtube.com/watch...
but now an explanation:
the Khroumir were famous for being rebellious to governments in mountains. The instability of the region was a pretext for the French invasion of Tunisia in 1881. so in 19th century terms it meant something like & #39;savage& #39;
the Khroumir were famous for being rebellious to governments in mountains. The instability of the region was a pretext for the French invasion of Tunisia in 1881. so in 19th century terms it meant something like & #39;savage& #39;
the use of the term to denote strike-breakers may go back to a large strike of (mainly Italian) dock-workers in Marseille in 1901 ( https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sciopero_di_Marsiglia)
There">https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scio... were rumours that bosses would break the strike by importing Arab dock-workers to replace Italians
There">https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scio... were rumours that bosses would break the strike by importing Arab dock-workers to replace Italians
so the non-unionised strikebreakers came to be called, disparagingly, & #39;Khroumirs& #39;, or basically Arab savages, a fun little reminder.
So the history of the term is a tight little reminder of the intersection of European working-class politics with imperial racism
So the history of the term is a tight little reminder of the intersection of European working-class politics with imperial racism
(oh and it& #39;s also a delicious kind of biscuit)
