After the disolution of the Soviet Union, the workers’ movement in Kazakhstan, accompanied by fierce labor capital confrontation, has maintained strong fighting force. This movement has its own distinctive features: the workers in the energy industry are the main force of the movement; both the economic and political demands are emphasized; the workers self built unions and the Communist Party played an important role in the movement;model effect is obvious, and some of the demands are met through struggle; and there are risks of disorder and being exploited by other forces. The deteriorating economic situation and the erosion of the workers’ interests are the direct causes for the strong workers’ movement in Kazakhstan; the neoliberal privatization reform is the root cause; the state monopolized system of vertical trade union makes the workers more inclined to take strikes, demonstrations and other actions to meet their demands. At present, the workers’ movement in Kazakhstan is facing difficulties and challenges such as the lack of the leadership of the Communist Party and support from the workers’ self built trade unions, and the persisting situation of “strong capital and weak labor”.

Editor: Zhong Yao、Huang He

From: World Socialism Studies. 2023. No.6.