workers' councils
Workplace democratic bodies
Workers' councils are democratic assemblies of employees who collectively manage or influence decisions in a workplace, industry, or broader economy.
The concept gained prominence in revolutionary movements—Russian soviets were workers' councils, as were the councils that briefly governed parts of Germany after World War I.
Modern workers' councils range from radical organs of worker self-management to consultative bodies within conventional firms: The factory's workers' council voted to reduce hours rather than lay off staff.
- socialismCommunal economic control
- self-managementGoverning oneself independently
- syndicalismUnion-led worker ownership theory
- workplace democracyCollective worker control of business
- rank and fileOrdinary members collectively
proletariat · collectivism · general strike · shop stewards · trade unions · class struggle · anarchism · direct democracy · Marxism · workplace autonomy · planned economy · direct action · decision-making processes · collective bargaining · voting · participatory · assembly · grassroots
workers' councilsmanagement hierarchy
Ranked authority within organizations
board of directors · corporate hierarchy · top-down management · scientific management · executive management
workers' councilsprivate enterprise
Individually owned business operation
capitalism · corporate capitalism · laissez-faire · proprietorship · absentee ownership
workers' councilsautocracy
Rule by one
dictatorship · one-party rule · central committee · state capitalism · totalitarianism