A general strike is a mass work stoppage in which workers across multiple industries and sectors walk off the job at the same time. Unlike regular strikes, which typically involve a specific workplace or union fighting for better wages or conditions, a general strike is broader in scope and often has political or social aims—such as challenging government policy, protesting authoritarianism, or demanding systemic change.

Key Features of Successful General Strikes:

• Cross-sector solidarity is crucial (students + workers + unions + civil society)

• Economic disruption forces leaders to negotiate or concede

• Clear demands and mass participation make strikes harder to ignore

• Persistence matters even if immediate victory isn’t won

Successful General Strikes that changed history:

• Seattle, 1919 🇺🇸
  65,000 workers shut down an entire city. Sparked a national labor movement.

  Winnipeg, 1919 🇨🇦
  30,000+ workers struck for six weeks. Paved the way for modern workers' rights in Canada.

  France, 1968 🇫🇷
  10 million workers + students. Nearly toppled the government. Won major wage hikes + reforms.

  Poland, 1980 🇵🇱
  Shipyard strikes led to Solidarity movement. Helped end Soviet rule in Eastern Europe.

  South Africa, 1970s–80s 🇿🇦
  Worker strikes crippled apartheid industries. Helped bring down apartheid and free Nelson Mandela.

A general strike is one of the most powerful tools of civil resistance because it harnesses the collective power of ordinary people to grind the system to a halt and force those in power to listen.