The Histadrut has rapidly become a central…

The Histadrut has rapidly become a central force in social, economic, and even security affairs, attaining the position of a "state within a state."

From the beginning, David Ben-Gurion and Ahdut HaAvoda have dominated the Histadrut and through it the Yishuv.

Ben-Gurion, as secretary general, has overseen the development of the Jewish economy and defense forces in the Yishuv.

This centralized control has enabled the Yishuv in the late 1920 to endure both severe economic hardship and frequent skirmishes with the Arabs and Britishs.

The resilience of the Histadrut in the face of economic depression has enabled Ben-Gurion to consolidate his control over the Yishuv.