The IWW was founded by anarchists and socialists who believed labour unions like the American Federation of Labor were not doing a good job with uniting workers. The IWW's goal was to promote worker solidarity and overthrow the ruling class. The IWW criticized the AFL for not going far enough to secure workers, a slim percent of American workers belonged to unions in 1905. The IWW supported the concept of a general strike, in which all of the workers of a county or area would strike forcing the government to give into the workers' demands and planting the seeds of revolution against capitalism.