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international / anarchist movement / review Thursday August 03, 2023 19:17 byWayne Price   text 5 comments (last - saturday march 23, 2024 09:42)

Tom Wetzel advocates an approach to achieve syndicalist libertarian ecosocialism. He is not necessarily opposed to individuals voting in elections or building food cooperatives, but he does not think either is a strategy for overcoming capitalism. He proposes a strategy of non- electoral independent movements and organizations, democratically organized from below, with popular participation and active engagement. The axis of these movements must be labor, because of its centrality in production and the economy. But every sector of the population which is oppressed and exploited has to be included and mobilized. A militant minority, political organizations of revolutionary libertarian socialists, committed to this strategy, needs to be organized as part of the popular mobilization. This is a strategy for revolution. Without using the label, Wetzel has produced a major work of anarchism.

A Guide to Anarcho-Syndicalism and Libertarian Socialism

Review of Tom Wetzel, Overcoming Capitalism: Strategy for the Working Class in the 21st Century

This is an important book. Tom Wetzel presents a vision of a free, equal, and cooperative society, without classes, states, or other forms of oppression. It would be directly managed from below in all areas, including the economy and community. He refers to this program, alternately, as “revolutionary syndicalism” or “libertarian socialism.”

Traditionally “libertarian socialism” is a synonym for “anarchist-socialism” and other views similar to anarchism, such as council-communist Marxism or guild socialism. Yet, although Wetzel occasionally refers to anarchism, he does not identify his program as “anarchist” or “anarcho-syndicalist.” He had done so previously—see his essays in the Anarchist Library—but not now, for reasons he does not explain. In my opinion, this book is an exposition of revolutionary class-struggle anarchism and an expansion of anarcho-syndicalism.

The book covers many topics, mainly divided into three sections. The first analyzes how our society works (chapters 1 through 5). The second, which is the heart of the work, covers strategies for “overcoming capitalism” (chapters 6 to 10). The last considers what a new society (“libertarian ecosocialism”) could be like (chapter 11).

Class Conflict

His view of present day society is based on a class analysis. Capitalist society is divided into layers related to the production and accumulation of profit. Holding up society is primarily the working class. It produces society’s goods and services through its labor “by hand and brain.” The capitalist class owns the means of production—capital—and is therefore able to squeeze a surplus—profits—out of the workers’ labor. The key evil of capitalism is not so much poverty (although there is plenty of poverty) but domination. People do not get to control the social forces which rule their lives. Capitalism is an immoral system to be “overcome” and replaced.

This class analysis is influenced, at least, by classical Marxism. While I am a revolutionary anarchist-socialist, I mostly agree with Karl Marx’s analysis of how capitalism works, as does Wetzel, to a certain degree. “A major contribution of Marx to the socialist movement was his analysis of the structure and dynamics of the capitalist regime….The whole capital accumulation process is built on a framework of oppression and exploitation. Thus far, libertarian socialists generally agree with these aspects of Marx’s analysis.” (pp. 312–314)

However, Wetzel criticizes Marxism for what he regards as an overly simplistic view, its main division of society into capitalists and workers. Wetzel agrees with this, but adds a middle layer of minions which directly serves the capitalists: supervisors, managers, overseers, bureaucrats, lawyers, and other better-off professionals, in both private enterprises and public services. (This does not include “white collar” workers, such as teachers or clerks, who are part of the working class.) Others have called this the “professional-managerial class” or the “coordinator class,” but Wetzel prefers “bureaucratic control class.”

The charge, repeated by Wetzel, that Marx did not expect the rise of middle management bureaucrats under capitalism is often stated but is factually untrue. (For example, see Capital, vol. 3, chapter XXIII, or Engels, Socialism: Utopian and Scientific.) Wetzel uses the concept to argue that it is not enough to oppose the capitalist owning class. It is also necessary to oppose the bureaucratic control class. It is necessary to organize so that working people can directly control their own lives without a bureaucratic elite over them, telling them what to do, and exploiting them as much as do the capitalist owners. (This continues the historical insight of anarchism at least since Michael Bakunin.)

Wetzel is well aware that class conflict is not the only social division. He feels that capitalism promotes other conflicts—such as race or gender. They overlap with—and interact with—class. For example, he sees the oppression of African-Americans as having two class functions. First, most of them are in a super-exploited, impoverished, section of the working class. Capitalists make superprofits from paying them very low wages. Secondly, racism serves to divide the working class as a whole. White workers can feel superior to workers of color and refuse to work together with them for common goals—even goals which would be to their mutual benefit. (This is a major reason the U.S. does not have universal health care unlike every other industrialized/imperialist country). Therefore racism hurts white workers, even if not as much as it does People of Color.

He explains ecological disaster as being caused by capital’s drive for accumulation of profits, as expressed by “cost shifting.” The capitalists do not pay the whole cost of what they make. Side “costs” of pollution, or disturbing the world’s climate, are “paid” by the whole of society, or just by the workers—or no one at all. They are not taken out of the profits of the specific businesses and their owners.

The author discusses specific problems of U.S. and world capitalism, including its decline in the last decades. But he does not lay out the fundamental systemic weaknesses of capitalism: its instability, its business cycles, the tendency of the rate of profit to decline, its trend toward monopolization, and its trend toward stagnation. This limited analysis weakens his overall presentation.

Revolutionary Unionism and Anti-Electoralism

The basis of Wetzel’s strategy is to build a mass movement—or alliance of movements—which is organized on the same principles of the society we want to see (“prefiguration”). It needs to be actively managed by the people involved in it, horizontally associated, and committed to the concept that an injury to one is an injury to all (solidarity). Central to this strategy are radically democratic and militant unions, moving in a revolutionary direction. They may be formed by organizing new unions in the majority of (unorganized) workplaces in the U.S. Workers may also organize themselves within the existing unions, in radically democratic groupings, counter to the unions’ ruling bureaucrats.

This is distinct from a strategy of seeking to get a group of militants elected to take over the unions and run them better than the bureaucrats did, but still top down. He refers to “the two souls of unionism,” the bureaucratic, centralized, top-down organization, and the solidarity-based, democratic, self-organization of the workers who really make up the union.

While emphasizing the strategic power workers have in the economy, he does not limit his approach to radical unionism. Wetzel advocates community organizing, tenant organizing, associations of African Americans, of women, of LGBTQ people, and so on. Their methods would include mass demonstrations, civil disobedience, rent strikes, general strikes, and occupations of schools and of workplaces. As such hell-raising advances, and popular struggles win gains, he hopes that people will become more enthusiastic, they will improve their class consciousness, they will be more open to ideas from revolutionaries, and they will become ready for a revolution to replace capitalism with libertarian socialism.

This approach puts him in opposition to the strategies which dominate on the left. The main left strategy is electoralism, seeking to change society through votes. (This goes back to the electoral party-building advocated by Marx.) This is the dominant approach of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), the largest socialist organization in the U.S.A.

Most “electoral socialists” are for working within the Democratic Party, despite its history as the graveyard of popular movements—and despite Marx’s opposition to building capitalist parties. Unlike left parties in Europe, the Democrats have never claimed to be “socialist” of any sort, but have always been pro-capitalist (and, in their earliest history, pro-slavery).

Some “democratic socialists” are critical of the Democrats—for good reasons—but advocate the formation of a new, “third,” party of the left, possibly based in the labor unions and other progressive forces. However, such a new party is only likely to be formed (by union bureaucrats, liberal Democrats, and various opportunists) if there are massive upheavals in society—formed in order to misdirect the popular upheavals back into electoral reformism.

Wetzel argues that the state is made to serve the interests of the ruling capitalist class and cannot be used to serve the working class and oppressed. Reforms may be won, for a time through elections, but not the transformation of society. And the state is likely to give reforms and benefits to the people only if pressured from below by mass struggles. New Deal benefits were won through large-scale union struggles, and civil rights legislation was won through massive African-American “civil disobedience” demonstrations as well as “riots.” Now the unions have been beaten back to a small minority of the work force, and African-American rights are under attack. Elections did not win lasting solutions.

He gives a history and analysis of the U.S. government machinery, demonstrating the severe limits built into its “democracy.” Of course, it is easier for working people and radicals to live under liberal democracy than under fascist or Stalinist totalitarianism. But even the most “democratic” of bourgeois representative democracies cannot be anything but top-down, capitalist-dominated, machines. They exist so that factions of the capitalist class can settle their differences without much bloodshed, and for keeping the people passive while believing they are “free”.

He writes, “A strategy for change that is focused on elections and political parties tends to focus on electing leaders to gain power in the State, to make gains for us….An electoralist strategy leads to the development of political machines in which mass organizations look to professional politicians and party operatives.” (p. 231)

Electoralist socialists may also engage in other activities, such as strike support work or community organizing. Wetzel is for working with them in such activities, forming united fronts where it is possible.

Two Forms of Prefigurative Politics

Wetzel also criticizes the program advocated by many anarchists which is sometimes called “dual power” or “counter institutions”and which he calls “evolutionary anarchism.” The idea is to build communities, small businesses, and local associations which are non-capitalist and non-statist. They could be consumer cooperatives, worker-managed enterprises (producer cooperatives), farmer-consumer associations, land trusts, credit unions, cooperative housing, independent progressive schools, and so on. These would expand until they overwhelmed capitalism and the state. (I call this the “kudzu strategy.”) There is nothing new about this. P.J. Proudhon, the first person to call himself an “anarchist,” proposed just such an approach. Today it is advocated, Wetzel notes, by the Libertarian Socialist Caucus of the DSA, among others.

He is not against forming food coops or worker-run companies. These can be good in themselves. But he rejects this as a strategy for overcoming capitalism. The market is even more of a capitalist institution than the state! Various sorts of cooperatives have been built and thrived under capitalism, mainly at the periphery of the economy. They are no threat to capitalism as a whole.

Coops rarely have the capital necessary to compete with the giant corporations at the heart of the system. They are dominated by the cycles of the market. And if they did become a threat, the government would step in. You may ignore the state, but it will not ignore you. If coops became dangerous to the system, they would be outlawed and crushed by the government.

Wetzel makes “a distinction between two different kinds of organizations: (a) mass organizations of struggle (such as worker unions, tenant organizations, etc. (b) organizations that manage a social resource (such as a worker cooperative, social center, child care cooperative, land trust, and so on).” (p. 214) In his view, “the syndicalist strategy of building worker-controlled unions (and other grassroots democratic organizations) that operate through rank-and-file participation and direct collective action is indeed a strategy to build counter-power.” (pp. 218-219) And to prepare for revolution.

Anti-Leninism and the Militant Minority

The heirs of Lenin have many variations of Leninism. They range from advocates of Stalinist and Maoist totalitarianism to the many varieties of Trotskyism to the libertarian-autonomous Marxism of C.L.R. James and Raya Dunayeskaya.

Wetzel focuses on Leninism as the strategy of building a top-down centralized homogeneous party, one which aims at overthrowing the capitalist state in a revolution. It would replace it with a new state, ruled by the party. The centralized party would rule the centralized state which would control the centralized economy—eventually on a world scale. That such a party, whatever its original working class democratic ideals, would end up completely authoritarian, should not be surprising.

Wetzel is aware that the population does not spontaneously become revolutionary all at once in a homogenous wave. Instead, individuals, groups, layers, become radicalized, separately over time, as radicalization spreads through the mass of people. Syndicalists have long recognized the existence of a “militant minority” among the working class. Wetzel seeks to organize networks of militant workers (and militant community organizers, militant African-American activists, etc.). And among these to build revolutionary libertarian socialist political organizations, to be active in broader mass organizations. This has been called (awkwardly) “dual-organizationalism.”

Like the Leninist vanguard party, the libertarian socialist organization is formed to advance a program, develop its ideas, and coordinate the activities of its militants. Unlike the Leninist vanguard party, it does not aim to take power for itself, to take over mass organizations, or to rule a new state. It exists only to encourage the workers and oppressed people to organize themselves and fight for their own liberation. Naturally its internal organization must be democratic and federated, rather than the “democratic centralism” of Leninism.

Besides giving an excellent brief history of the Russian Revolution, Wetzel provides an analysis of the Stalinist social system which existed in the USSR, Eastern Europe, Maoist China, and elsewhere. He sees the “bureaucratic control class” as taking over and collectively establishing a system of exploitation of the workers and peasants. It needed an extremely authoritarian state. In my opinion this is accurate. Unfortunately he regards this as a new system of exploitation, as unlike capitalism as it is unlike feudalism. He does not name the system, but various theorists have called it “bureaucratic collectivism” or “coordinatorism.”

In my opinion, Stalinist Russia was a variant of capitalism, best called “state capitalism.” The state (composed of the bureaucratic ruling class) was an instrument of capital accumulation, the “personified agent of capital” as Marx called the bourgeoisie. It was pressured by competition on the world market with other national states and international corporations, as well as internal competition among internal agencies. The workers are bought on the labor market (selling their commodity of labor power), hired to work for money wages or salaries, produce goods for sale (commodities) which are worth more than their pay, and buy back consumer goods with their money. This realizes a surplus (profit) for the rulers. Officially it had a “planned economy,” but it never fulfilled its plans! And finally, after years of stagnation, it broke down and devolved into traditional capitalism. A similar process happened in China, but it kept its Communist Party dictatorship and state domination of the now openly capitalist market.

However, in practice there is little political difference between new system theories and state capitalist theories (although “state capitalism” gives a better explanation of how Soviet Russia could transform into traditional capitalism). The basic point is that Leninist-type parties in power create authoritarian, exploitative, systems.

The New Society

Wetzel’s presents a program for a post-revolutionary, post-capitalist, society, after the capitalists have been expropriated and their state dismantled. He believes in a new system composed of self-managed associations and communities, organized into directly democratic councils and assemblies. They would be associated horizontally through chosen delegates. These would be from the ranks of the people, for limited periods, and recallable at any time.

A stateless society would need means for settling disputes, coordinating activities (“planning”), as well as protecting people from antisocial actors (protection is not the same as seeking revenge or punishment). But this must not be a socially-alienated bureaucratic institution which stands over the rest of society, enforcing the interests of an exploiting minority—that is, a state. A workers’ or popular militia could replace the established police and army—so long as is necessary. A federation of communes and self-managed industries might be called a “polity” or even, he says, a “government” but it is not a state. (I would not use “government.” although Peter Kropotkin did at times.)

The “economy” of a free society would not be distinct from other aspects of society. In particular, Wetzel rejects the notion of centralized top-down economic planning. He cites the bad example of the Soviet Union, but would oppose it even under planners appointed by an elected government. Society is too complicated to be understood and managed by a small central group, no matter how brilliant they may be. A few top planners would tend to be corrupted by the power accumulated by their position. A centrally planned economy must have a centrally organized state. Instead, it is necessary for everyone to be involved in organizing, planning and decision making, at every level and in every way.

Similarly Wetzel rejects “market socialism.” This originally meant using central planning to imitate the market. By now it usually means worker-managed enterprises competing on the market. Democratically run by the workers, they would compete just like capitalist businesses except that there are no capitalists. (A system like this existed in Yugoslavia under Tito’s reign, with competing companies, socially owned, directed by their workers’ councils. For decades, it worked as well as traditional capitalism or the Stalinist system.)

Such an economy cannot be regarded as democratic, despite the workers councils in each enterprise. The overall system is “managed” by the uncontrolled marketplace, not the working people. The business cycle of booms and busts would dominate the worker’s cooperatives. Some would do well and others would do poorly, as businesses do in the U.S.A. The poorer enterprises would have to fire workers in bad times. In order to regulate the market, there would have to be a centralized state (Yugoslavia had a dictatorship). The workers’ councils of each enterprise might hire professional managers, as they did in Yugoslavia. These would crystallize into a “bureaucratic control” class. Over time, the system would devolve toward traditional capitalism.

For a positive program, Wetzel has been influenced by several sources, especially Michael Albert and Robin Hahnel’s program of Parecon (“Participatory Economics”). Factories, offices, and other workplaces would be managed by the workers’ involved. If the workers do not govern themselves, then some other class will govern them. Work would be reorganized so there would be an end to order-givers standing over order-takers. An ecological technology would be created. But there would not be independent, competing, enterprises. They would be federated and networked—coordinated by recallable delegates and group decisions.

In turn, communities, neighborhoods, and consumer groups would also be organized into assemblies, federated together. The two federations, community and producer, are composed of the same people but organized differently, in a “dual governance” or “bi-cameral” system. By dialogue and negotiation they would coordinate economic and political decisions. There would be many “distributive” centers of initiative and cooperation.

I will not go into detail about Wetzel’s proposed libertarian socialist economy. He does not support Kropotkin’s communist-anarchist approach, which was similar to Marx’s vision of the “final stage” of full communism, governed by “from each according to their ability, to each according to their needs.” Rather he proposes to motivate workers by “paying” them, usually according to the time they work—plus “allowances” for those not able yet to work. He proposes a “non-market pricing system” so goods and services may be produced according to need and availability.

I will not evaluate Wetzel’s proposals. I am not against them but neither would I endorse them—beyond the general conception of a decentralized federation of self-governing, collectivized, industries and communities. In the tradition of Errico Malatesta, I expect that different communities, regions, and countries will experiment. They will likely try out various methods of social production, distribution of goods, ways of self-government, education, social defense, techniques of federating, types of technology, and so on. They will choose what they think is best. While it is good to speculate, it is too soon to propose a specific system.

Conclusion: The Revolutionary Strategy

Tom Wetzel advocates an approach to achieve syndicalist libertarian ecosocialism. He is not necessarily opposed to individuals voting in elections or building food cooperatives, but he does not think either is a strategy for overcoming capitalism. He proposes a strategy of non- electoral independent movements and organizations, democratically organized from below, with popular participation and active engagement. The axis of these movements must be labor, because of its centrality in production and the economy. But every sector of the population which is oppressed and exploited has to be included and mobilized. A militant minority, political organizations of revolutionary libertarian socialists, committed to this strategy, needs to be organized as part of the popular mobilization. This is a strategy for revolution. Without using the label, Wetzel has produced a major work of anarchism.

References

Wetzel, Tom (2022). Overcoming Capitalism: Strategy for the Working Class in the 21st Century. Chico CA: AK Press.

*Firstly written for Black Flag: Anarchist Review (UK) virtual journal

Ιβηρική / Αναρχική Ιστορία / Κριτική / Παρουσίαση Wednesday August 02, 2023 21:41 byΑργύρης Αργυριάδης

Η αφορμή γι’ αυτή την παρουσίαση στάθηκε το αίτημα από ένα σύντροφο για ένα ιστορικό κείμενο που θα έγραφε, να του βρω ένα απόσπασμα για το ξημέρωμα της 19 Ιουλίου στην Βαρκελώνη. Την στιγμή εκείνη που χτυπούν απελευθερωτικά για μια και μόνο στιγμή, οι σειρήνες των εργοστασίων και οι Ισπανοί προλετάριοι ξεκινούν την δική τους έφοδο στον ουρανό. Φυσικά ο νους μου έτρεξε στο κλασσικό έργο του Χ.Μ. Εντσεσμπέργκερ με τον αντίστοιχο τίτλο, το οποίο θεωρώ απαραίτητο να έχει διαβάσει κάποιος πριν αρχίσει την παρούσα εργασία του Μιγκέλ Αμορός σχετικά με τον αναρχικό επαναστάτη Μπουεναβεντούρα Ντουρρούτι, γιατί είναι γενικότερο και αναφέρει αρκετά στοιχεία για το Ισπανικό αναρχικό κίνημα και θα βοηθήσει περισσότερο στην κατανόηση του «Λαβύρινθου».

Eξ-ερευνώντας τον Ισπανικό Εμφύλιο - «Ο Ντουρούτι στο λαβύρινθο»

Βιβλιοπαρουσίαση: Αργύρης Αργυριάδης

Όπως έχω επισημάνει και σε άλλα κείμενα για τον Ισπανικό εμφύλιο, ως συμβάν θα συνεχίζει να μας απασχολεί για δεκαετίες ακόμα. Οι λόγοι είναι πολλοί και διάφοροι που αυτό το σύντομο καλοκαίρι της Αναρχίας παραμένει διαχρονικό έως τις μέρες μας.
Η αφορμή γι’ αυτή την παρουσίαση στάθηκε το αίτημα από ένα σύντροφο για ένα ιστορικό κείμενο που θα έγραφε, να του βρω ένα απόσπασμα για το ξημέρωμα της 19 Ιουλίου στην Βαρκελώνη. Την στιγμή εκείνη που χτυπούν απελευθερωτικά για μια και μόνο στιγμή, οι σειρήνες των εργοστασίων και οι Ισπανοί προλετάριοι ξεκινούν την δική τους έφοδο στον ουρανό. Φυσικά ο νους μου έτρεξε στο κλασσικό έργο του Χ.Μ. Εντσεσμπέργκερ με τον αντίστοιχο τίτλο, το οποίο θεωρώ απαραίτητο να έχει διαβάσει κάποιος πριν αρχίσει την παρούσα εργασία του Μιγκέλ Αμορός σχετικά με τον αναρχικό επαναστάτη Μπουεναβεντούρα Ντουρρούτι, γιατί είναι γενικότερο και αναφέρει αρκετά στοιχεία για το Ισπανικό αναρχικό κίνημα και θα βοηθήσει περισσότερο στην κατανόηση του «Λαβύρινθου».

Σύμφωνα με τον Ερίκο Μαλατέστα, «επανάσταση σημαίνει, με την ιστορική έννοια της λέξης, η ριζική αναμόρφωση των θεσμών που πετυχαίνεται γρήγορα με τη βίαιη εξέγερση του λαού ενάντια στην υφιστάμενη εξουσία και στα προνόμια. Κι είμαστε επαναστάτες κι εξεγερμένοι, γιατί δεν θέλουμε απλώς να βελτιώσουμε τους τωρινούς θεσμούς, αλλά να τους καταστρέψουμε εντελώς, καταργώντας κάθε μορφή, κυριαρχίας ανθρώπου από άνθρωπο και κάθε είδος παρασιτισμού πάνω στην ανθρώπινη εργασία, κι επειδή θέλουμε να το πετύχουμε αυτό όσο το δυνατό πιο γρήγορα και επειδή πιστεύουμε ότι οι θεσμοί που γεννήθηκαν απ’ τη βία διατηρούνται με βία και δεν θα υποκύψουν παρά μόνο μπροστά σε μια ισοδύναμη βία».

Η Ισπανική επανάσταση αφορά αυτό ακριβώς και η μελέτη του συγγραφέα ακολουθώντας τον Ντουρούτι βάζει ξεκάθαρα αυτά τα ζητήματα. Πώς δηλαδή συμπεριφέρθηκε το συνδικάτο της CNΤ αλλά και η φυσική ηγεσία της FAI κατά την διάρκεια του εμφυλίου πολέμου. Με βάση την αντεπίθεση στην Σαραγόσα αρχικά αλλά και την μάχη της Μαδρίτης, ο συγγραφέας δείχνει ξεκάθαρα το χάσμα που υπήρχε ανάμεσα στους μαχητές όπως ο Ντουρούτι που επεδίωκαν τόσο την νίκη επί του φασισμού αλλά και την ταυτόχρονη δημιουργία του κοινωνικού μετασχηματισμού εγκαθιστώντας διαμέσου του κολεκτιβισμού τον Ελευθεριακό Κομμουνισμό. Σε αντίθεση με τα τεκταινόμενα των στελεχών και των παρατρεχάμενων τους στα μετόπισθεν.

Έτσι έρχονται στην επιφάνεια σημαντικές αντιφάσεις και εγείρονται σοβαρά ερωτήματα για ζητήματα τα οποία πέρα από την ιστορική τους καταγωγή διεκδικούν ολοφάνερα απαντήσεις και επεξεργασίες. Ένα από αυτά, κατά την γνώμη μου, είναι η αδυναμία της CNT να προχωρήσει στο καθοριστικό βήμα την στιγμή που είχε την απαραίτητη δύναμη τουλάχιστον στην Βαρκελώνη. Η παρουσία του Γκαρσία Ολιβέρ παραμένει αμφιλεγόμενη κατά την άποψή μου διότι αν και αρχικά βρισκόταν πολύ κοντά σε αυτή του Ντουρούτι, δηλαδή στην εγκαθίδρυση του ελευθεριακού κομμουνισμού, οι προσωπικές του επιδιώξεις τον οδήγησαν στην συνέχεια να εκπέσει και να γίνει σκιά του συνδικαλιστικού εαυτού του, αποδεχόμενος ασήμαντες θέσεις και να προβεί την διαιώνιση μιας συμμαχίας που μόνο προς όφελος της χειραφέτησης των Ισπανών εργατών και εργατριών δεν ήταν.

Σε λυκοσυμμαχία με την αριστερά και τις λοιπές δημοκρατικές δυνάμεις, η FAΙ και τα στελέχη της, αντί να καταργήσουν και να καταστρέψουν την εξουσία που ως Αναρχικοί όφειλαν να πράξουν στάση εκπίπτοντες, αντίθετα επέλεξαν κάτι το «διαλλακτικότερο» και προσηματικά αντιεξουσιαστικότερο, να προβούν στην μη κατάληψή της, αφήνοντάς την να υπάρχει και αναπόφευκτα να συνδιαλαγούν μαζί της, με ολέθρια αποτελέσματα. Φυσικά, αυτός ο αντιεξουσιασμός δεν τους εμπόδισε να πάρουν ασήμαντες και συχνά ανύπαρκτες - άνευ ουσίας και περιεχομένου θέσεις στις κυβερνήσεις του λαικού μετώπου. Με τον τρόπο αυτό έδωσαν την δυνατότητα να συγκροτηθούν εντός του αντιστεκόμενου στους φασίστες του Φράνκο δημοκρατικού στρατοπέδου όλες εκείνες οι δυνάμεις που προτιμούσαν να ηττηθεί η κοινωνική επανάσταση. Ενδεικτικά η στρατιωτικοποίηση και η Μπολσεβικοποίηση.

Τα στελέχη της CNT FAI με την πάροδο του χρόνου και την συνεχή έκβαση της ήττας ειδικά μετά τον θάνατο του Ντουρούτι να βάλουν πολύ νερό στο Καταλανικό κρασί τους και να εκπέσουν αρχικά με πρόσχημα τον αντιφασισμό πρώτα στην νίκη επί του πολέμου, φτάνοντας έτσι στο τέλος του εμφυλίου λίγο πριν την ήττα να υπερασπίζονται πατριωτικές θέσεις ή εθνικοαπελευθερωτικούς αγώνες του Ισπανικού λαού με βερμπαλισμούς που δεν αρμόζουν σε Αναρχικούς.
Γι’ αυτό και το βιβλίο αυτό αξίζει να διαβαστεί, όχι για να χαϊδέψει τα αυτιά, αλλά επειδή είναι ένα τραχύ μα εξαιρετικά ενδιαφέρον ανάγνωσμα που αναγκάζει τον αναγνώστη να αναθεωρήσει τις βεβαιότητές του, όχι όμως για να απογοητεύσει και να αποστρατεύσει τους κοινωνικούς δράστες ή να υπονομεύσει την ανάγκη επαναστατικής οργάνωσης.

Θα διαφωνήσω κάθετα με τον απαράδεκτο Ισχυρισμό του Γκαρθία Ολιβέρ ότι ο Αναρχισμός είναι ο αναποτελεσματικότερος για την χειραφέτηση των ανθρώπων. Διότι η ζωή και η πράξη του Ντουρούτι τον διαψεύδει. Αντίθετα, οι αναρχικοί που συνδιαλέγονται με την εξουσία και αστικοποιούνται, όπως έγινε στην Βαρκελώνη, παίρνοντας θέσεις και ζώντας μια κατά τα άλλα εύκολη ζωή στα μετόπισθεν σε σχέση με αυτούς που πολεμήσαν στην πρώτη γραμμή είναι οι αναποτελεσματικότεροι να δράσουν προς την πραγματική χειραφέτηση και απελευθέρωση του ανθρώπου μιας και υποκύπτουν στην χειρότερη για τους Αναρχικούς αμαρτία: την Εξουσία.

Κατά την άποψή μου, η όλη έρευνα του Αμορός δείχνει ότι στο Αναρχικό κίνημα της εποχής του Ισπανικού εμφυλίου υπήρξαν δυο χαρακτηριστικές τάσεις: Αυτή που ήθελε να πεθάνει αγωνιζόμενη για τις ιδέες και τα ιδανικά της όπως ο Ντουρούτι και οι μαχητές του. Και στον αντίποδα αυτή που δεν ήθελε ούτε καν έστω να ζήσει με αυτές συνδιαλεγόμενοι και κάνοντας τον έναν πίσω από τον άλλο συμβιβασμούς που την απομάκρυναν από την ΙΔΕΑ της Αναρχίας.

Κλείνοντας αυτή την σύντομη παρουσίαση, θα ήθελα να επισημάνω ότι η είσοδος σε κάθε περιβάλλον λαβυρίνθου προϋποθέτει ως βασικό κανόνα ασφαλείας την χρήση του ανάλογου μίτου της Αριάδνης ώστε να μην χαθεί κανείς στις εξουσιαστικές, αριστερές, δημοκρατικές και πατριωτικές παρακάμψεις που οδηγούν στην αναπόφευκτη ήττα και το πολιτικό αδιέξοδο.

Ξετυλίγοντας την ζωή, το έργο και την καθαρότητα του αγώνα του Ντουρούτι ο οποίος μέχρι το τέλος της ζωής του παρέμεινε σταθερός στην Ιδέα για την Αναρχία και τον Ελευθεριακό Κομμουνισμό. Αν και δεν μαθαίνουμε από ποιον προήλθε η σφαίρα που σταμάτησε την ζωή του Ντουρούτι και συνάμα το μεγαλύτερο Ελευθεριακό πείραμα, αλλά μπορούμε να συνάγουμε ότι όλα τα παραπάνω συνέβαλαν προς αυτό.

Είναι σημαντικό δε σε μια εποχή, αναθεωρητισμού των γεγονότων το βιβλίο αυτό μας δείχνει πώς επιχειρήθηκε και ακόμα επιχειρείται η διαστρέβλωση του λόγου και του αγώνα όχι μόνο του Ντουρούτι αλλά και των υπόλοιπων αγωνιστών προς όφελος μια υποτιθέμενης ταξικής συμφιλίωσης που τους συμπεριλαμβάνει όλους. Απέλπιδα προσπάθεια που δεν θα περάσει.

north america / mexico / anarchist movement / opinion / analysis Wednesday August 02, 2023 03:38 byI-5AF   text 4 comments (last - thursday january 18, 2024 16:11)

Like Black Rose/Rosa Negra, we also see new possibilities arising for the development of Popular Power by combining the organized forces of the exploited, dominated, and oppressed classes together. The I-5AF supports "Turning the Tide".

Just like Black Rose/Rosa Negra (BRRN) in their recently released political program “Turning the Tide: An Anarchist Program for Popular Power”, in our own regional organization – the I-5AF – we have often compared general strategy to a compass. Strategy serves as our north star. It helps us get to where we’re going, but it isn’t the actual destination, just a tool to help us triangulate our position and approximate our heading. A long-term political project on the international level is not at all in opposition to establishing anarchism as an influential force in the US and, concerning our own project, more specifically along the I-5 corridor. Because of this, we are in full agreement with BRRN that our longest-term strategies must be oriented by our ends and that our shortest-term, most immediately relevant strategy must always be framed by time and place. As organized anarchism continues to grow internationally, it becomes even more necessary for political organizations to have methods for adapting general strategies to current conditions locally. It is this flexibility and dynamism to respond to specific demands which allows an org to stay focused on its final objectives and long-term strategy. Because periods of upheaval and deadly crises will continue, our movements need to be supported by dependable organizations, the kind of orgs capable of maintaining a revolutionary perspective during both ebbs and flows.

Today, most leftist organizations are limited by capacity, both of membership and of stamina. The countless repetitions of protests, followed by burnout and fatigue, have erased not only the know-how but also our desire to "move together". And activists are only propagating individualism when they don’t concern themselves with chronicling and promoting the collective history of struggle. Like BRRN, we too see flaws in this endless cycle of activism motivated by nothing more than moral outrage, and we completely agree that the coordination of militants involved in social struggle is essential for the development of effective political strategy. Beyond mobilizing, for popular movements to effectively confront the ruling class, there is a need to organize the active minority. This means a steady flow of militants from various orgs towards a unified perspective, in the form of a grouping of tendency or a social-political organization. This is with the medium-term goal of unifying different sectors of society into a broader movement by politically and strategically connecting real sites of struggle. We see this as the role of theory, and it is why we think that theory must be developed in context, while doing politics, not idealistically, and definitely not just online.

In our own especifismo current of anarchism, of which BRRN is currently the largest org in the US, the political organization assists in bringing movements together, forging solidarity through struggle amongst a broad spectrum of organized, emancipatory social forces. For this reason, we support non-ideological mass movements. Autonomous movements that employ direct action instead of representation and direct democracy of the rank-and-file, not cults of personality or demagoguery. Movements that are militant, self-managed, and federalist. Movements that are engaged in struggle and reach beyond both localism and nationalism.

We want to see anarchism plant its seeds and grow its politics in rural, suburban, and urban locales across the entire continent. But the limited strategies necessary in these contexts will have to be based on immediate, specific conditions. And as things stand, while the two-party system continues, unthreatened by the ebbing tides of “progressive” candidates, the socialist movement in the US has stalled. The democratic socialism of the Bernie Sanders movement and the DSA never sufficiently grappled with the fact that it is impossible for elected representatives to change the State's policies enough to avert catastrophes that are already occurring globally. We need a revolution! Nevertheless, we must admit that libertarian socialism is itself entirely overshadowed by the pervasiveness of dem soc rhetoric in the US left. Today, anarchists are rarely organized politically. This is why anarchism doesn't usually have an explicit presence in leftist spaces, unions, or community organizations. In most of the country, there is no political organization raising the strategic question: how do we popularize social movements that produce grassroots organizations and militant culture that endures beyond mobilizations and protests?

As BRRN says, our movements lack the “muscle memory” required to work together and develop political lines through open debate. And though this is an ever-increasing problem given the multiple systemic crises whose effects are already overlapping in our daily lives, like BRRN, we see new possibilities arising for the development of Popular Power. But it will only be possible by combining the organized forces of the exploited, dominated, and oppressed classes together. A counter power protagonized by the social movements themselves depends on broad social influence, not on opportunistic leadership from a party, a church, a corporation, or the State.

¡PROTAGONISMO POPULAR!
¡POPULAR POWER!

north america / mexico / workplace struggles / opinion / analysis Tuesday August 01, 2023 14:09 byBRRN Labor Committee   text 3 comments (last - wednesday march 27, 2024 05:45)

In May of 2023 several Black Rose / Rosa Negra (BRRN) militants organizing in the healthcare sector attended the Health Autonomy Convergence (HAC) in Durham, North Carolina. This is their collective reflection on and analysis of the event and of the prospects for radical labor organizing in healthcare more generally.

Last May, 200 anti-authoritarian healthcare workers gathered together in Durham, North Carolina for the first Health Autonomy Convergence. With many more healthcare workers wanting to attend but unable to, because capacity was reached within a day of registration opening, this event speaks to a huge desire for radical political approaches among healthcare workers. This is unsurprising, given what we have been through since the beginning of the pandemic, and the failures of the racist capitalist system we see everyday as we try to provide care in this broken world.

The fact that this was a conference specifically for healthcare workers, rather than a gathering to discuss healthcare abstractly or theoretically, was an important feature. We believe it is critical to encourage an organizing orientation among radicals, which means shifting the focus from the WHAT (like the issue of healthcare), to the WHO (like healthcare workers). As healthcare workers, we need spaces to connect with others who share the same needs and struggles as us, and who face the same healthcare industry bosses that we need to build power against.

Among anarchists in the US, an organizing orientation is rare. It is more common for anarchists and the anarchist-adjacent to be oriented toward the activist world of issue-based projects and ideologically-closed collectives. This is neither surprising nor limited just to anarchists, given that most communities in the US today are cut off from any memory of sustained and transformative collective struggle. The norm in the US left is spectacle: protests or marches, often organized by professional activists, that appeal to the media or “the public” without a critical engagement with who has the power to meet our demands. US anarchists may take these protests up a notch on the street, but many still lack a coherent sense of how a demonstration might build power for the mass of people. More recently, anti-authoritarian political projects are largely internally focused, with emphasis on how we speak and how to decolonize our individual thoughts and social relations. There is an unquestioned sense of resignation that the thing we need — an actual anarchist social revolution — is a hopelessly unrealistic vision to be invoked only as rhetoric, rather than something toward which we can make practical progress here and now.

Among anti-authoritarian healthcare workers, political projects tend toward street medic collectives, DIY herbalism projects, efforts to change the way we speak with our patients, or maybe a writing and propaganda project with other radical healthcare workers. These kinds of activist projects made up the majority of the sessions at HAC as well. These projects can indeed make useful contributions, but without a conscious plan for how to connect them with a broader movement that builds and wields the power of healthcare workers, and without an active process for reaching out to and bringing in previously unpoliticized healthcare workers, these projects often end up creating an insular subculture: separated from society, rather than engaged in struggle within it. Without a mass movement that can actively embrace the vast swaths of dissatisfied health workers by offering a genuine strategy to challenge the horrific conditions we face and, more broadly, to attack the murderous capitalist healthcare system that creates these conditions, we will remain isolated and largely powerless.

As BRRN members, we were motivated to participate in HAC to share what an organizing perspective within healthcare can look like. We wanted to show that there is an alternative to the default activist model, and share how healthcare workers can take simple steps toward organizing — a necessary step in a strategy for systemic change and ultimately social revolution.

At HAC, the slogan chosen by the conference organizers was: “Seize the Hospitals”. We agree wholeheartedly, both in sentiment and real practical terms. We agree because seizing hospitals is something that we actually can do, if we are powerful and organized enough to pull it off. If we are going to liberate our healthcare system and turn it into something that is controlled by the workers, patients, and neighborhoods, then as healthcare workers we do need to physically seize the hospitals. But at HAC we unfortunately did not see how this slogan could become reality, outside of a couple historical discussions of past movements. The idea of radical change, of mass collective action, of seizing the hospitals, of revolution, remains an abstract slogan if there isn’t an explicit connection to what we are doing in the here and now.

To build our vision of collective organization in healthcare, we put together a panel for the convergence during which healthcare workers shared their experiences with organizing at work. With panelists speaking to a range of experiences — a unionized nurse in a major urban hospital striking and organizing to transform the union, a non-union nurse in a home care setting talking about her first steps in organizing, a social worker discussing a successful campaign to unionize in a right-to-work state, and a nurse talking through the challenges of a stalled campaign at an academic hospital in the south — our hope was to give practical examples of what organizing in healthcare can look like and motivation to start something similar. From the conversation during the workshop and responses after, it seems to have worked: people were able to make connections to their own workplace experiences and asked for advice on dealing with their own challenges. After seeing how other healthcare workers managed to build power and make changes in their hospitals, they said that they felt more inspired and capable to take action themselves.

We paired this panel on organizing experiences with a workshop breaking down the steps of workplace organizing in healthcare and showing how it is an essential part of revolutionary struggle. Workplace organizing is outside of most healthcare workers’ experiences in an era when unionization is near rock-bottom lows and online activism often takes the place of rooted social movements. We believe it is important to re-introduce workers to basic tools like workplace mapping, one-on-ones, and building an organizing committee, and to practice these together so we can work through the anxieties of doing this challenging work with our co-workers. This workshop landed a little more unevenly. A couple of people in the workshop expressed discomfort with the model of organizing one-on-ones, when we have intentional conversations with our co-workers to listen, agitate, and invite them to take action. Their concern was that it felt manipulative to go into a conversation with a goal and with the intention of asking somebody to join an organizing campaign. Since we can’t do much in life without asking other people to do things with us, this felt like a disempowering and disappointing response. But other workshop participants said they found the organizing skills to be useful and practical.

Not only are these skills often not available to radicals, but when they are available, they are usually disconnected from any revolutionary project. Unions use and teach organizing skills, but most often to grow their own top-down bureaucracies, and they pointedly separate these practical skills from any kind of political content. Our intervention at HAC aimed to demonstrate how organizing skills can be used to build democratic self-organization, and how they can be combined with political education and class-wide fights to create movements that challenge the state and capitalism.

Participating in HAC was also an opportunity for us to understand the conditions of healthcare workers across the country, as well as opportunities and challenges for organizing. We learned there is a strong desire for radical and militant organizing from within healthcare. We saw that a group of healthcare workers were willing to put in months of labor to create this three day conference, and that hundreds were excited to travel from across the country to participate. We met a few comrades who do movement organizing with unions or campaigns like the Do No Harm Coalition and DPH Must Divest. However, the majority of anarchist-sympathizing conference attendees were not oriented toward mass organizing, or strategically building power, whether for lack of interest or lack of opportunity.

We see this orientation as reflecting a huge unmet need to build structures for mass organizing, for organizing outside of our narrow social circles, for organizing that aims to build power. We believe we should continue to develop and promote real-world examples of radical organizing models in healthcare, so that we can show how organizing can be both a more sustainable way of developing supportive culture and a way to build and wield our own power. Relatedly, the relatively small number of attendees who were union members speaks to the low union density in healthcare (even though it is higher than in many industries). We need to organize in spaces like this where we reach non-union healthcare workers, along with organizing within union member spaces like Labor Notes.

Approaching the convergence with our orientation toward mass organizing for power, we saw the trends in left and anarchist activism reflected at HAC concerning and sobering. At the same time we see the existence of such a conference, and the work the organizers and participants were willing to put in to make it happen, to be a hopeful sign of the potential for healthcare workers to fight together for a revolutionary future. We hope that HAC is part of a growing and developing trend toward militant organizing in healthcare.

bolivia / peru / ecuador / chile / movimiento anarquista / opinión / análisis Tuesday August 01, 2023 02:25 byFAS   text 3 comments (last - wednesday october 11, 2023 17:56)

Es urgente la recomposición y rearticulación de la militancia política en luchas sociales, el trabajo político sin estar inserto en las luchas de nuestra clase carece de proyección y limita su posibilidad de antagonismo. La superación de la sociedad de clases, la abolición del Estado y la propiedad, la destrucción del capitalismo y del patriarcado comienza en el fortalecimiento de la organización popular, surge de la acción directa y anida en las comunidades organizadas. En este marco, nuestra organización política anarquista cumple cuatro años desde su fundación, nuestro compromiso con la lucha por la emancipación de la clase oprimida sigue intacto, nuestra tarea de enraizar el anarquismo en los sectores populares aún está pendiente, nuestra convicción en la organización y la acción directa es inclaudicable. A sacudirse la derrota, la desesperanza y la depresión post revuelta, hay un futuro que disputar.

Era otoño la última vez que entregábamos un posicionamiento público, allí advertíamos el duro invierno que se avecinaba, acentuado por la precarización de la vida que nos afecta como clase oprimida, hoy, en medio del periodo invernal, aquellas palabras han tomado un duro peso.

Recordemos el colapso hospitalario sufrido a comienzos de junio que afectó, especialmente, a bebés y niñxs contagiadxs con virus sincicial, situación que provocó la muerte de, al menos, 6 de ellxs, esta información es tremendamente cuestionable, ya que, una vez que las cámaras de televisión quitaron del foco la situación pediátrica, se dejaron de contar e informar los fallecimientos. Uno de los casos tuvo lugar en el puerto de San Antonio, donde una lactante falleció debido a la falta de camas críticas necesarias para la gravedad de su cuadro, sin embargo, tal disponibilidad de camas si existía y fue la nefasta gestión del Ministerio de Salud la que impidió el acceso a la misma, siendo cómplices del fallecimiento de la bebé y, como si lo anterior no fuese suficiente, el ministerio lanzaban afirmaciones macabras como que “era difícil (que la lactante) hubiese sobrevivido”, denotando una total falta de empatía con su familia y explicitando que la vida de lxs pobres a este gobierno no le interesa en lo más mínimo. Dentro de este marco, el gobierno que afirma tener un “compromiso por los cuidados” se ha negado a extender el posnatal de emergencia, protegiendo los intereses productivos y empresariales.

Pocas semanas después, tuvimos, en la zona centro-sur del territorio, vientos y lluvias que significaron inundaciones, deslizamientos de tierras, crecidas de ríos, muerte y destrucción de vidas humanas y no humanas. El drama vivido es consecuencia de la crisis ecológica que transita nuestro planeta, el cual, ha alcanzado temperaturas jamás registradas, produciendo escenarios que ponen en vilo la sostenibilidad de la vida. Como hemos señalado, la verdadera catástrofe es el capitalismo y el patriarcado, elementos estructurantes del sistema de dominación que mientras sigan en pie, sepultan nuestras posibilidades de construir una vida libre. Mientras tanto, en el territorio que habitamos, el patrón de acumulación vía extractivismo goza de buena salud y el gobierno progresista se ha encargado de que aquello continúe así. La revolución es el último freno de emergencia que tenemos para detener el avance de esta máquina enferma.

Por otro lado, la corrupción en el gobierno se ha hecho visible y estos adalides de las buenas prácticas, aquellos que serían “la tumba del neoliberalismo”, han utilizado el sistema subsidiario para enriquecerse de la manera más tramposa posible. El “caso Democracia Viva” es un claro ejemplo de cómo la oposición Estado y Mercado es artificial, es por ello que como organización política apostamos por superar ambos espacios de mercantilización y control de nuestras vidas y territorios. Ahora bien, no solo los partidos de gobierno están detrás de recursos públicos, también muchas organizaciones sociales que se han puesto en fila para recibir cargos administrativos, recursos y favores políticos a cambio de su total domesticación y la cancelación de la movilización. Esta orientación estatista y clientelar a lo que ha contribuido es a sostener las políticas represivas de la socialdemocracia, así como a extender la desorientación en el campo popular, dinamitando la autonomía de las organizaciones sociales y colocándolas en función de un gobierno que le abre las puertas al pinochetismo y a otras fuerzas reaccionarias.

La consolidación de la restauración conservadora avanza rampante, hace pocas semanas hemos sufrido, como clase oprimida, el lamentable fallecimiento de Jorge Salvo, quien durante la revuelta social sufrió la mutilación de uno de sus ojos, producto de la represión de la nefasta institución de los pacos. Jorge fue completamente abandonado por este gobierno que llegó a la Moneda prometiendo justicia, verdad, reparación y garantías de no repetición de las violaciones a los derechos humanos cometidas desde el 18 de octubre en adelante, sin embargo, Boric ha avanzado en un sentido completamente distinto: fortaleciendo la impunidad policial y promoviendo el olvido, cuestiones auspiciadas por la “Ley Naín-Retamal” y por la eliminación de la otrora “Plaza de la Dignidad”. Pero no solo en el gobierno se manifiestan estas pulsiones cavernarias, también en el Congreso, el cual, se encuentra legislando la “Ley Anti Toma” que no solo criminaliza a lxs habitantes de campamentos o a lxs peñis que ejercen control territorial en el Wallmapu, también faculta a los propietarios de tales terrenos a ejercer una “legítima defensa privilegiada”, posibilitando la formación de grupos paramilitares que atentan directamente contra estas legítimas luchas. El poder judicial no se queda atrás y pretende encarcelar por más de 150 años a Francisco del Solar y a más de 25 a Mónica Caballero, cuestión que da cuenta de una clara venganza judicial en castigo a sus posiciones y prácticas anarquistas. Finalmente, el nuevo Consejo Constitucional, dominado por la extrema derecha, pretende excarcelar a los agentes de Estado que han sido declarados culpables por los crímenes de lesa humanidad ocurridos durante la dictadura de Pinochet y también buscan restringir constitucionalmente el aborto en tres causales. Como vemos, el Estado en toda forma se posiciona en torno a la barbarie represiva. De la misma manera, las expresiones de xenofobia, racismo y nacionalismo abundan en nuestra clase, claro ejemplo de aquello es el asesinato de un migrante colombiano en situación de calle por parte de miembros de la Armada o el caso de esclavitud que afectó a ocho migrantes haitianos por parte del empresario Jaime Cabrera. Ambos hechos no concitaron mayor interés, no se desarrollaron manifestaciones espontáneas, ni “velatones”, dando cuenta del grado de descomposición que abunda en los sectores populares, es allí donde la disputa ideológica es apremiante.

Pero allí, en la cornisa, es donde aflora el conflicto y sus posibilidades. Es urgente la recomposición y rearticulación de la militancia política en luchas sociales, el trabajo político sin estar inserto en las luchas de nuestra clase carece de proyección y limita su posibilidad de antagonismo. La superación de la sociedad de clases, la abolición del Estado y la propiedad, la destrucción del capitalismo y del patriarcado comienza en el fortalecimiento de la organización popular, surge de la acción directa y anida en las comunidades organizadas. En este marco, nuestra organización política anarquista cumple cuatro años desde su fundación, nuestro compromiso con la lucha por la emancipación de la clase oprimida sigue intacto, nuestra tarea de enraizar el anarquismo en los sectores populares aún está pendiente, nuestra convicción en la organización y la acción directa es inclaudicable. A sacudirse la derrota, la desesperanza y la depresión post revuelta, hay un futuro que disputar.

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image.png imageCarta de Opinión Marzo 2024 Mar 09 00:40 by Federación Anarquista Santiago 1 comments

(...) la destrucción de lo que nos oprime no vendrá de una de las instituciones que sostiene el sistema de dominación, ningún tipo de Estado ni de proyectos que pacten con él podrán aterrizar cambios significativos en la autonomía de nuestras cuerpas, derechos sociales para las de abajo o construcción de espacios seguros. El caso de Argentina es ejemplificador de aquello, de qué sirve tener un Ministerio de las Mujeres, Géneros y Diversidad o decretar el uso del lenguaje inclusivo en todos los documentos de las instituciones estatales si basta con un cambio de gobierno para desmotar estas medidas con los mismos instrumentos con los que se “ganaron”. Como lo mencionamos en nuestra matriz de análisis, el Estado es una institución central para el actual sistema de dominación, de ahí que las medidas de corto plazo que surgen desde él siempre tenderán a reforzar su legitimidad. Mientras no sean los movimientos sociales, en el marco de la lucha de clases, los que logren conquistas sociales y políticas, prefiguren la sociedad libre y den la batalla ideológica que se contraponga al modelo actual, ningún cambio será duradero ni podrá movilizar y articular a las de abajo por su defensa. En síntesis, no será garantía ni certeza de nada.

61z6jtrb0ml.jpg imageMalatesta’s Revolutionary Anarchism in British Exile Feb 28 08:50 by Wayne Price 2 comments

A review of the writings and speeches of Errico Malatesta, the great Italian anarchist and comrade of Bakunin and Kropotkin. Material is taken from the 13 years he spent in London exile. His views remain relevant--and controversial among anarchists.

carta_de_opinin_general.png imageCarta de Opinión Enero 2024 Jan 29 23:40 by Federación Anarquista Santiago 3 comments

En el plano internacional, el genocidio sobre el pueblo de palestina continúa; el Estado de Israel con el apoyo de EEUU, la Unión Europea y el mundo occidental en general, llevan meses realizando una política sistemática de aniquilación de la población de Gaza. Por nuestra parte no nos extraviamos en laberintos epistémicos y nos solidarizamos con la resistencia palestina en Gaza y Cisjordania. Sin embargo, no hay que mirar solamente al sionismo y su política de muerte, en Wallmapu se vive una guerra sucia sin la extensión y crudeza de Gaza, pero con el mismo objetivo: la erradicación de quienes se oponen a los opresores. En el territorio ancestral mapuche, el gobierno progresista ha sostenido una militarización sin precedentes, buscando desarticular el movimiento autónomo mapuche por medio del terrorismo de Estado. A día de hoy existen más de 60 presxs políticxs mapuche, las comunidades son acosadas constantemente e incluso desalojadas de sus tierras por la “Ley Anti Toma”, a su vez, comunerxs encarceladxs mantienen una larga huelga de hambre, que ya se ha extendido por más de 70 días exigiendo la nulidad del juicio racista que les ha condenado a extensas penas.

whatsapp_image_20231205_at_10.16.jpeg imageEncuentros Ácratas: Miradas anarquistas sobre el libertarianismo de derecha. Dec 05 23:59 by ViaLibre 0 comments

Miradas anarquistas sobre el libertarianismo de derecha.

textL’Intifada depuis la France Dec 01 03:38 by Anonyme 0 comments

Ce texte est une traduction et une adaptation collectives d'un texte originellement écrit sur Puget Sound Anarchists à l'attention des anarchistes nord-américain/e/s. La section "cibles" a été adaptée par nos soins à la situation européenne et plus particulièrement française.
Ce texte se propose d'apporter des solutions à la passivité dans laquelle nombre de camarades se sont enfermé/e/s face à l'horreur des crimes d'Israël, leur permettant des sorties par le haut et qui reposent sur des principes horizontaux et anti-autoritaires, sur des modes d'action à notre portée géographique.

octoberrevolution.jpeg imageAn Anarchist View of Trotsky’s "Transitional Program" Nov 22 05:26 by Wayne Price 3 comments

Trotsky's "Transitional Program" has both strengths and weaknesses from the viewpoint of revolutionary anarchist-socialism. It is an important document of historical socialism, although deeply flawed.

download.jpg imageThe Joy of Alex Comfort Nov 21 17:47 by Wayne Price 2 comments

In many ways Comfort reminds me of another anarchist-pacifist, as well as poet and novelist, Paul Goodman (although Goodman seems to have been one of the few influential anarchists whose path did not cross with Comfort). Goodman wrote that he had been criticized for “spread[ing] himself thin on a wide variety of subjects, on sociology and psychology, urbanism and technology, education, literature, esthetics, and ethics….It is false that I write about many subjects. I have only one, the human beings I know in their [human]-made scene.” (1962; p. xiii) As this book shows, the same could be said of Alex Comfort.

resist_genocide.jpg imageResist Genocide Oct 14 20:31 by Melbourne Anarchist Communist Group 6 comments

resist_genocide_1.jpg imageRésister au génocide Oct 14 20:28 by Melbourne Anarchist Communist Group 4 comments

L’armée israélienne a ordonné aux habitants de la moitié nord de Gaza d’évacuer dans les 24 heures. Il est impossible pour plus d’un million de personnes de le faire en si peu de temps. Cet ordre ne peut être interprété que comme une formalité de relations publiques et un prélude à un génocide. Tous les travailleurs et soldats en mesure d’empêcher cela ont le devoir d’agir.

coops.jpeg imageΚοοπερατίβες ή τ^... Oct 12 06:55 by Tommy Lawson 1 comments

Επιπλέον, οι κοοπερατίβες δε θα πρέπει να στοχεύουν στο κράτος να ενσωματώσει τους εργαζόμενους στη διοίκηση. Οι ουσιαστικές κατακτήσεις των εργατών θα είναι το αποτέλεσμα του αγώνα που δίνουν στους χώρους εργασίας, μέσα από μορφές άμεσης δράσης που έρχονται σε ευθεία αντιπαράθεση με το κεφάλαιο. Οι σοσιαλιστές που στρέφονται στην εργασία σε συνεταιρισμούς μπορεί κάλλιστα να είναι σοσιαλιστές στην καρδιά και την πρόθεση, αλλά δεν ακολουθούν επαναστατική στρατηγική.

10801079108610731088107210781077108510801077_20230924_162632077min.png imageA volunteer from Kharkov was tortured by the military after trying to leave Ukraine Oct 11 22:55 by Assembly 1 comments

Full original version: https://assembly.org.ua/ustalost-rozhdaet-zlost-pytki-harkovskogo-volontera-v-tczk-i-chto-o-nem-izvestno/
First published on Libcom: https://libcom.org/article/volunteer-kharkov-was-tortured-military-after-trying-leave-ukraine

380713793_699111572256482_5298125431710198778_n.jpg imageFORO CONVERSATORIO: A 50 AÑOS DEL GOLPE CÍVICO MILITAR Los desafíos y tareas del anarquism... Oct 05 02:24 by Asamblea Anarquista Valparaíso y Federación Anarquista Santiago 1 comments

En el marco de los 50 años del golpe cívico-militar en los territorios dominados por el Estado chileno, realizaremos, en la ciudad de Santiago y en Valparaíso, un foro conversatorio en el que compartiremos nuestras reflexiones sobre lo que significó el golpe para nuestra clase y la organización popular, así como sobre los desafíos y tareas del anarquismo hoy

1.jpeg imageAnarchists in Rojava: Revolution is a struggle in itself Oct 04 23:52 by Jurnal mapa 1 comments

União Libertária, a group of young libertarians in Portugal, came into contact with militants of the Tekosîna Anarsîst (TA, Anarchist Struggle in Kurdish), present in Rojava, in northeastern Syria. This is a militant conversation around the reflections of this voluntary anarchist group around justice, art, religion and what it is to be "revolutionary". TA, in addition to having participated in the difficult fight against the forces of the Islamic State (ISIS), currently also functions as a unit of combat medics, assists in agricultural work and plays an educational role.

61thrfbmy8l.jpg imageAn Attempted Marxist-Anarchist Dialogue Oct 03 07:13 by Wayne Price 2 comments

Review of "Revolutionary Affinities: Toward a Marxist-Anarchist Solidarity," by Michael Lowy & Oliver Besancenot. Two writers from Trotskyist backgrounds discuss the overlap and interaction between anarchism and Marxism.

tea_paros_nacionales.jpeg imageTaller de Estudios Anarquistas: La experiencia de los paros nacionales en Colombia Sep 12 08:38 by ViaLibre 9 comments

Del 14 de septiembre al 5 de octubre

377428561_843860310647981_2410053042863431509_n_1.jpg imageComunicado Público a 50 años del Golpe Cívico-Militar Sep 12 05:10 by Asamblea Anarquista de Valparaíso y Federación Anarquista de Santiago 2 comments

El terror fue desatado sistemáticamente desde el Estado y cayó la noche sobre la alegría de los pueblos. La contra revolución capitalista se abrió paso brutalmente con una imparable avanzada de muerte, tortura, violencia sexual y desaparición forzada, a la vez que llevaba a cabo la misión estratégica de desarticular todas las expresiones comunitarias en donde la vida fuera resuelta de manera solidaria, colectiva y en autogestión. La dictadura cívico-militar se desplegó tácticamente en múltiples dimensiones para sembrar el miedo en la sociedad, con el fin de desmantelar la fuerza social organizada que había hecho posible la experiencia socialista en la región chilena. Estos procesos de desmantelamiento político, social y emocional de gran parte de la clase organizada han provocado una herida colectiva, profunda y traumática, herida que la impunidad y los pactos de silencio institucionales mantienen abierta hasta el día de hoy y que ha traído múltiples consecuencias en la experiencia vital colectiva de todxs quienes hemos crecido en estos territorios los últimos 50 años y más.

images.jpg imageA Talk on the Ukrainian-Russian War Aug 31 03:36 by Wayne Price 7 comments

A talk on the Ukrainian-Russian war, from an anarchist perspective. I reviewed my reasons for being in solidarity with the Ukrainian people. But revolutionary anarchists should give no political support to the Ukrainian government nor to the U.S. imperialists who help it.

sudan_soli_tu_copy.png imageSürgündeki Sudanlı anarşistleri destekleyin Aug 30 15:53 by Çeşitli anarşist örgütler 1 comments

Sürgün olmak asla kolay bir karar değildir. Asla bir seçim değildir. Kaynaklar olmadan, gerçek bir çileye dönüşebilir. Dayanışma, bu zor zamanların üstesinden gelmenin anahtarıdır.

[لغۃ العربیۃ] [Castellano] [Deutsch] [English] [Français] [Italiano] [한국어] [Português]

text망명중인 수단 아나키스트... Aug 29 05:56 by Various anarchist organisations 0 comments

우리의 아나키스트 동지들은 여전히 수단에 남아 있으며 그곳에서 은밀하게 선전 활동을 계속하고자 합니다. 우리는 전쟁 전과 전쟁 초기에도 동지들에 대하여 재정적으로 지원을 제공했습니다. 하지만 상황이 더욱 악화되면서, 수단 내부에서의 사회적 활동이나 정치활동은 불가능한 것이 되었습니다. ‘신속지원군’에게 고향을 약탈당한 일부 회원들은 RSF에 가능한 한 빨리 수단을 떠나기로 결정했습니다. 다른 사람들은 아직 수단에서의 활동을 더 이어가기로 결정했으며 우리도 그들을 돕기 위해 노력하고 있습니다. [عربي] [Castellano] [Deutsch] [Eλληνικά] [English] [Français] [Italiano] [Português] [Türkçe]

textΥποστηρίξτε τους... Aug 29 05:45 by Διεθνές κάλεσμα 0 comments

Οι αναρχικοί σύντροφοί μας βρίσκονται ακόμα στο Σουδάν και ήλπιζαν να μπορέσουν να συνεχίσουν τις αγωνιστικές τους δραστηριότητες εκεί κρυφά. Παρέχαμε οικονομική βοήθεια πριν από τον πόλεμο και ακόμη και στην αρχή του. Αλλά η κατάσταση έχει γίνει αφόρητη και δεν επιτρέπει πλέον καμία κοινωνική ή πολιτική δραστηριότητα. Κάποια μέλη της ομάδας αποφάσισαν να εγκαταλείψουν τη χώρα το συντομότερο δυνατό μετά τη λεηλασία του σπιτιού τους από τις ΔΤY. Άλλα αποφάσισαν να παραμείνουν προς το παρόν και προσπαθούμε να τα βοηθήσουμε και αυτά.
[عربي] [Castellano] [Deutsch] [English] [Français] [Italiano] [한국어] [Português] [Türkçe]

mihail_gerdzhikov.jpg imageΗ Κομμούνα της Στ ... Aug 28 20:23 by Γιάβορ Ταρίνσκι 0 comments

Η Κομμούνα της Στράντζας υπήρξε ένα βραχύβιο πείραμα, με ξεκάθαρα ελευθεριακά χαρακτηριστικά, στο εν λόγω βουνό που βρίσκεται στη σημερινή νοτιοανατολική Βουλγαρία και στο ευρωπαϊκό τμήμα της Τουρκίας. Η δημιουργία της ανακηρύχθηκε στα μέσα Αυγούστου του 1903, εν μέσω της εξέγερσης του Ίλιντεν –ενός αυτονομιστικού αγροτικού ξεσηκωμού ενάντια στην οθωμανική διοίκηση και υπέρ μιας αυτόνομης πολυεθνικής Μακεδονίας–, από αντάρτες της Εσωτερικής Μακεδονικής Αδριανουπολίτικης Επαναστατικής Οργάνωσης, της οποίας τότε διοικητής είναι ο μεγάλος και σπουδαίος αναρχικός Μιχαήλ Γκερντζίκοφ.

دعم اللاسلطويين السودانيين في المنفى imageدعم اللاسلطوي¡... Aug 27 18:27 by اللاسلطويين 1 comments

لا يزال رفاقنا الاناركيين في السودان يأملون أن يتمكنوا من مواصلة أنشطتهم بي ادوات التعبير السلمية المجربة والغير مجربة هناك سراً. لقد قدمنا ​​مساعدات مالية قبل الحرب وحتى في بدايتها. لكن الوضع أصبح غير محتمل ولم يعد يسمح بأي نشاط اجتماعي أو سياسي. وقرر بعض أعضاء المجموعة مغادرة البلاد في أسرع وقت ممكن بعد أن تعرضت منازلهم للنهب والتدمير والإرهاب المستمر من قبل قوات الدعم السريع. وقد قرر آخرون البقاء في الوقت الحالي، ونحن نحاول مساعدتهم أيضًا [Castellano] [Deutsch] [Eλληνικά] [English] [Français] [Italiano] [한국어] [Português] [Türkçe]

textSosteniamo le anarchiche e anarchici sudanesi in esilio Aug 26 02:19 by Varie organizzazioni anarchiche 3 comments

Le nostre compagne e i nostri compagni anarchici sono ancora in Sudan e speravano di poter continuare le loro attività di agitazione in modo clandestino. Abbiamo fornito aiuti finanziari prima della guerra e anche all'inizio. Ma la situazione è diventata insostenibile e non consente più alcuna attività sociale o politica. Alcuni membri del gruppo hanno deciso di lasciare il Paese il più rapidamente possibile dopo che la loro casa è stata saccheggiata dall'RSF. Altri hanno deciso di rimanere per il momento, e stiamo cercando di aiutare anche loro. [لغۃ العربیۃ] [Castellano] [Deutsch] [Eλληνικά] [English] [Français] [한국어] [Português] [Türkçe]

portugais.jpeg imageApoie anarquistas sudaneses no exílio Aug 23 23:32 by Várias organizações anarquistas 0 comments

Nossas companheiras anarquistas ainda estão no Sudão e esperam conseguir dar continuidade às suas atividades de agitação clandestina. Nós garantimos apoio financeiro antes da guerra e também no início dela, mas a situação se tornou insustentável e não nos permite mais qualquer atividade política ou social. Alguns dos membros do grupo decidiram deixar o país o mais rápido possível depois de sua casa ter sido devastada pelo RSF. Outros decidiram ficar por enquanto e nós estamos tentando ajudar eles também. [لغۃ العربیۃ] [Castellano] [Deutsch] [English] [Français] [Italiano] [한국어] [Türkçe]

tucuman.jpg imageΑργεντινή: Το κλε ... Aug 23 21:22 by Organización Anarquista de Tucumán 2 comments

Την ημέρα αυτή διεκδικούμε τις εμπειρίες του αγώνα και της μαχητικότητας του λαού μας, κρατώντας την ταυτότητά μας ως γυναίκες και άντρες του Tucuman που, ακόμα και στις πιο δύσκολες στιγμές έχουμε μάθει να αντιστεκόμαστε και να κρατάμε ψηλά την ελπίδα για την οικοδόμηση ενός πιο δίκαιου κόσμου!

internationalcampaignsudan.jpeg imageSupport Sudanese anarchists in exile Aug 23 18:19 by International anarchist organisations 23 comments

Our anarchist comrades are still in Sudan and were hoping to be able to continue their agitation activities there clandestinely. We provided financial aid before the war and even at the beginning. But the situation has become untenable and no longer allows for any social or political activity. Some members of the group decided to leave the country as quickly as possible after their house was ransacked by the RSF. Others have decided to stay for the time being, and we are trying to help them too.
[عربي] [Castellano] [Deutsch] [Eλληνικά] [Français] [Italiano] [한국어] [Português] [Türkçe]

espanol.jpeg imageApoyo a los anarquistas sudaneses en el exilio Aug 23 18:15 by Diversas organizaciones anarquistas 0 comments

Nuestros/as compañeros/as libertarios/as están todavía en Sudán, esperando poder continuar allí sus actividades de agitación clandestinas. Les hemos proporcionado ayuda financiera tanto antes de la guerra como poco después de su comienzo. Pero la situación se ha vuelto insostenible y ya no permite la organización de ninguna actividad social o política. A raíz de que su casa fuera saqueada por las Fuerzas de Apoyo Rápido, algunos miembros del grupo decidieron abandonar el país lo antes posible. Otros/as han decidido quedarse por el momento, y también estamos intentando ayudarles.
[لغۃ العربیۃ] [Deutsch] [Eλληνικά] [English] [Français] [Italiano] [한국어] [Português] [Türkçe]

deutsch.jpeg imageUnterstützt sudanesische Anarchist:innen im Exil! Aug 23 17:45 by Verschiedene anarchistische Organisationen 0 comments

Unsere anarchistischen Genoss:innen sind immer noch im Sudan und hoffen, dass sie ihre Agitationsaktivitäten dort im Geheimen fortsetzen können. Wir haben vor dem Krieg und sogar zu Beginn des Krieges finanzielle Hilfe geleistet. Aber die Situation ist unhaltbar geworden und lässt keine sozialen oder politischen Aktivitäten mehr zu. Einige Mitglieder der Gruppe beschlossen, das Land so schnell wie möglich zu verlassen, nachdem ihr Haus von der RSF geplündert worden war. Andere haben beschlossen, vorerst zu bleiben, und wir versuchen, auch ihnen zu helfen.
[لغۃ العربیۃ] [Castellano] [Eλληνικά] [English] [Français] [Italiano] [한국어] [Português] [Türkçe]

Appel anarchiste de solidarité internationale avec nos camarades soudanais en exil imageSoutenir l’exil des anarchistes soudanais·es Aug 23 03:53 by Diverses organisations anarchistes 2 comments

Nos camarades libertaires sont toujours au Soudan et espéraient pouvoir y continuer clandestinement leurs activités d’agitation. Nous avons fourni de l’aide financière avant la guerre et même au début. Mais la situation est devenue intenable et ne permet plus de mener aucune activité sociale ou politique. Certains membres du groupe ont décidé de quitter le pays au plus vite après la mise à sac de leur maison par les FSR. D'autres ont fait le choix de rester pour le moment et nous essayons de les aider également. [لغۃ العربیۃ] [Castellano] [Deutsch] [Eλληνικά] [English] [Italiano] [한국어] [Português] [Türkçe]

elisee_reclus.jpg imageΕ. Ρεκλύ: Ένας πρωτ&... Aug 20 21:58 by Αυτολεξεί 2 comments

Η σύνδεση μεταξύ γεωγραφίας και αναρχισμού μπορεί να μη φαίνεται εύκολα κατανοητή, αλλά δεν είναι τυχαίο ότι δύο από τους σημαντικότερους αναρχικούς του τέλους του 19ου αιώνα, ο Κροπότκιν και ο Ρεκλύ, ήταν επίσης σπουδαίοι γεωγράφοι. Ούτε ήταν απλή σύμπτωση ότι οι δυο τους βρέθηκαν μαζί εξόριστοι στην Ελβετία, μία χώρα που για πολύ καιρό αποτέλεσε μαγνήτη των κατατρεγμένων αλλά και πατρίδα του πιο δυναμικού αναρχικού κινήματος στα χρόνια που ακολούθησαν την Παρισινή Κομμούνα ανάμεσα στο 1877 και το 1881. Οι Κροπότκιν και Ρεκλύ εργάστηκαν από κοινού και για ένα διάστημα, έζησαν μαζί παραμένοντας φίλοι για μία ζωή παρά τα σύνορα και τις θάλασσες που κατά καιρούς τους χώριζαν. Η συγχώνευση των απόψεών τους παρήγαγε μία νέα κατανόηση του αναρχικού ιδεώδους, θεμελιωμένου με πιο στερεό τρόπο στην επιστήμη και τη φύση.

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