Anarchist theory and practice

1. Anarchist theory and practice Propaganda by the deed Anarcho-syndicalism Anarchist movement in the Spanish Civil War Anarchism � a �millenarian� movement? Counter-culture Anti-globalization movement Green Syndicalism

3. �The only form of revolution beneficial to the people is one which destroys the entire State to the roots and exterminates all the state traditions, institutions, and classes in Russia. [�] With this end in view, the Society therefore refuses to impose any new organization from above. Any future organization will doubtless work its way through the movement and life of the people; but this is a matter for future generations to decide. Our task is terrible, total, universal, and merciless destruction.� ( from CATECHISM OF A REVOLUTIONIST by Sergei Nechaev, 1869) �insurrectionary deed, designed to promote the principles of socialism by acts, is the most effective means of propaganda and the one which . . .penetrates to the deepest social stratum and attracts the living forces of humanity in the struggle that upholds the International� (Malatesta and Cafiero, 1876) �By actions which compel general attention the new idea [of revolution] seeps into people�s minds and wins converts� (Kropotkin 1881) We provoke; we stroke the fire of revolution and incite people to revolt in any way we can. The people have always been �ready� for freedom; they have simply lacked the courage to claim it for themselves. (Johann Most, 1884)

4. Anarcho-syndicalism Little connection between anarchist thinkers and terrorist activities that accounted for the lives of, amongst others, Russian Tsar Alexander (1881) and US President McKinley (1901) In 1890s, Kropotkin, Most, Malatesta denounced terrorism Anarcho-syndicalism is the anarchist branch of workers� movement (�syndicat� is French for trade union) Understands labour movement as Revolutionary Purpose of Unions is not to bargain with employers Decentralised self-management of unions Workers� organizations will eventually form basis of new society (which renders state authority obsolete) Most successful in Spain where the Confederacion Nacional del Trabajo (CNT) had 1.6 million members in 1936

5. Anarchism in the Spanish Civil War Spanish Civil War (1936-39) Between 500,000 and 1 million killed Republican government (supported by anarchists and socialists) vs. fascists under Generalissimo Francisco Franco (who established rule in Spain from 1939 until his death in 1975) Attracting volunteers to both sides from around Europe and beyond (Huxley, Hemingway, Picasso on Republican side, Salvador Dali and many Irish Catholics on fascist side) Mussolini and Hitler supporting Franco with troops, Stalinists aiming to control Republican movement Anarchists held much of Catalonia and Andalusia Social revolution Established self-sufficient agrarian collectives Took over factories and railways Eventually defeated by Franco�s army which took Catalonia in early 1939

6. Anarchism � millenarian movement? Karl Mannheim was first to suggest that Bakunian variety of anarchism �comes closest to continuing the chiliastic outlook in the modern world� (1936) Millenarian (chiliastic) movements Eschatological, utopian Religious sects living towards promise of apocalypse, second coming etc. Anarchism Secular movement, but in some ways quasi-religious Spanish anarchism characterised by anti-clerical rage Missionary zeal, aiming to convert �Sometimes, after a single reading from Tierra y Libertad � a labourer would feel illuminated by the new faith. The scales would fall from his eyes and everything seem clear to him. � He gave up smoking, drinking, and gambling. He no longer frequented brothels. Her took care never to pronounce the work God. He did not marry but lived with his companera, to whom he was strictly faithfull, and refused to baptize his children.� (Brennan, The Spanish Labyrinth 1943)

7. Counter culture Anarchist political theory Simplistic polarization between good and bad Anti-authoritarian Disassociating itself from all forms of state authority, whether democratic-republican or socialist State an artificial superstructure separate from society Victimization of subject community Whether workers, peasants or artists Counter community Development of co-operatives Emergence of self-sufficient collectives, disassociated from society, almost sect-like Organization of worker strikes combined with forming proletarian culture Decentralized actionism, revolutionary zeal, but weary of bureaucratisation of mass movements

8. Anti-globalization movement Heterogenous Environmentalism Feminism Single-issue campaigners Labour rights Attractiveness of anarchism Egalitarianism Anti-authoritarianism Exposure of truth rather than strategy Moral absolutism Decentralized, non-hierarchical organization �Liberalism on steroids� Intellectual fuzziness Militantly in favour of liberal values, human rights, free speech, diversity Target: corporate power Anarchist umbrella allows for coalition of non-violent protesters with militants

9. Green syndicalism Movement to combine radical ecological activism with syndicalist organization and strategy Exposing capitalist blackmail: �jobs vs. environment� Industrial Workers of the World (IWW or Wobblies) converting to green syndicalism in 1991 Changing its preamble for first time since 1908 �Between these two classes [working class and employing class] a struggle must go on until the workers of the world organize as a class, take possession of the means of production, abolish the wage system, and live in harmony with the earth.� IWW is remainder of syndicalist workers movement Non-bureaucratic, bottom-up organization Employing guerrilla tactics (sabotage, planned inefficiency etc.) Green syndicalism identifies lack of participation in corporate decision-making as a crucial impediment to ecological organising Similarity of strategies (decentralization, direction action) between ecologists and syndicalists Anti-growth, but not anti-industrialism; instead emphasizing interconnectedness, mutualism Expertise of workers in dismantling industrial capital