First, the aim of libertarian socialism is organisation become dependent on them. Zabalaza Books’ AgitProp Series #1 that the masses themselves should This was part of the process that led to achieve power, through mass direct bureaucratization of unions in the USA. democracy, not that a leadership group Thus working to make rank and file should do so through a party gaining con- self-management effective requires that trol of a state. Reflecting this, the aim of we have conscious programs and methods Anarchism, Class the libertarian Left activists should be to for democratizing knowledge, doing popu- encourage self-management of move- lar education, nurturing people as organ- ments/organisations. isers, developing skills from writing to Struggle and Political After the October 1917 revolution in public speaking to theorizing one’s experi- Russia, most of the world’s libertarian ence. For example, local worker schools syndicalist labour organisations... which that draw on the experience of activists Organisation then had a membership of 3 to 4 million... and organisers who teach, or share their affiliated tentatively to the new labour experiences with, classes. international initiated by the Russian In the ‘30s in Spain the Mujeres Libres Communist Party. However, at the actual activists talked about a process of capac- founding conference the libertarian syndi- itacion – developing the capacities of by Tom Wetzel calists were confronted by Communist ordinary people. This was the focus of Party officials insisting that the union their organising of working class women. organisations should be mere “transmis- They created literacy classes, public sion belts” of the Communist Parties in speaking classes, and circles to study their respective countries. This led the lib- social theory, created child care pro- ertarian syndicalist unions to withdraw. grams, and worked with the anarcho-syn- Autonomy of the mass movements is itself dicalist unions to develop apprentice pro- a libertarian socialist principle. grams for women. These were all part of Second, we shouldn’t take for granted their efforts at developing the capacities the unequal distribution of “human capi- of women for effective participation in tal” crafted by a highly inegalitarian and the unions and other organisations and oppressive society. Although “We Are All control over their lives. Leaders” is maybe not always an accurate Direct democracy is necessary but not description of what is, it should be the sufficient for effective self-management of ideal that we strive towards. movements. People are better able to par- We need methods of working against the ticipate effectively as knowledge is relative monopolization of skills and democratized and skills are more widely knowledge and organisational resources developed. This prefigures the more equal in the hands of a minority. Historically sharing of resources to develop people’s when some activists and organisers gain potential in a libertarian socialist society. knowledge through practical experience, it often happens that members of that

[BCBMB[B CPPLT www.zabalazabooks.net “Knowledge is the key to be free!” “Knowledge is the key to be free!” Cindy Milstein points out in her This is a reasonable summary of much its “line” on the mass organisation. organisations, and the kinds of differences Asessay “Anarchism’s Promise for of the discussion and thinking among Rather, through their long term involve- in skills, confidence and education that Anti-capitalist Resistance,” anarchists anarchists, but it doesn’t quite answer my ment and personable relations with others reflect a society that is unequal along have been involved in numerous visible question about the relationship between they can gain an influence and be a voice class, gender, and race/nationality lines. protest actions, such as the various anarchism and the mass of the population for self-management of organisations and To put it another way, some people have protests at meetings promoting corporate and their potential for self-liberation. for militant collective action. The develop- more “human capital” as far as being globalization from the 1999 “Battle of During the past decade a number of ment of the working class is an organic effective in, and disposed to, activism and Seattle” on, or the Direct Action to Stop anarchists have developed a critique of process but the activists and rank-and-file organising. the War protests in San Francisco in 2002. various weaknesses in American anar- organisers can play a role. Thus understood, the “vanguard” within Activists who are already radicalized con- chism, such as anti-organisational preju- Dual organisational anarchists often the working class consists of the layer of verge in such actions. Of course a variety dices, fragmentation, “tyranny of struc- say that the role of the anarchist political people who are active, do organising, have of organisations mobilize to participate in turelessness” and excessive focus on organisation is to “win the battle of ideas,” some influence through the sorts of lead- some of these protests, from environmen- “actions” without relating this to ongoing that is, to gain influence within move- ership qualities I’ve referred to, take on tal groups to the unions who mobilized for mass organising in workplaces and com- ments and among the mass of the popula- leadership positions in organisations, can the 1999 World Trade organisation meet- munities. Some of the influences on anar- tion by countering authoritarian or liberal articulate and theorize situations and do ings. But what is the relationship of the chism mentioned by Cindy Milstein... such or conservative ideas. Bakunin had said things like publishing leaflets and anarchists to the other social movements as European “autonomism,” Situationism that the role of anarchist activists was a newsletters. The “vanguard” in this sense and mass organisations? and the model of the small informal “affin- “leadership of ideas.” is extremely various in its ideas but most Anarchists are a part of the layer of ity group”... have contributed to these But disseminating ideas isn’t the only right now may not be anti-capitalist in already-radicalized activists. But this is a weaknesses. Some anarchists believe that form of influence. Working with others of their thinking. very thin layer in American society. What any sort of formal or large organisation is diverse views in mass organisations and The idea of a “vanguard party” is that a about the majority of the population who “inevitably authoritarian.” struggles, exhibiting a genuine commit- political organisation is to try to draw to it make up the exploited and oppressed in Some of the anarchists who had been ment, and being a personable and sup- the layer of the working class that has society? What is the relationship between involved in “protest hopping” have, in portive person in this context also builds these sorts of leadership qualities and to anarchism and anarchist activists and the more recent years, become more interest- personal connections, and makes it more use this “human capital” to achieve a mass of the population? ed in workplace and community organis- likely one’s ideas will be taken seriously. hegemonic position within mass move- The slogan “the emancipation of the ing, building a more long-term presence in How does this conception of the anar- ments. Its aim is to use this position of working class must be the work of the working class communities, and building chist political organisation differ from dominant influence to eventually achieve workers themselves” was included by a social base for libertarian Left ideas. vanguardism? power for its party. And along the way it Marx in the principles of the “First Last year about a hundred activists (from To answer this question we need to start also thinks in terms of achieving power International” in the 1860s-70s and anar- the USA and Canada) attended a Class with some idea of what “the vanguard” is. within the various union or mass move- cho-syndicalists and other social anar- Struggle Anarchist Conference in New York I think there are two aspects to this. Both ment organisations. This means congeal- chists have always strongly supported this City. To ensure a productive and friendly anarchists and Marxists in the past have ing the party’s power through various principle. But what is the relationship experience, the conference was invitation- talked about “uneven consciousness” with- methods of hierarchical control. This is between anarchism and anarchists, on the only. There were panels on “Anarchists in in the working class population. People formal leadership power and not just one hand, and the masses who are sup- the workplace,” “Anarchism and vary in terms of how far they aspire to influence. posed to be, in libertarian Left thinking, Feminism,” “Anarchists in Communities of change society for example or to the Moreover, the idea is that the party’s the agency of social transformation? Colour,” “Anarchists in Anti-fascist/Anti- knowledge they gained about how capital- dominant position would flow from its rel- racist Movements”, and a variety of other ism works, and so on. But also there are ative monopolization over a certain kind Cindy Milstein writes: subjects. According to the report in issue 14 some people who exhibit more leadership of theoretical knowledge – its absorption of Northeastern Anarchist: skills than others... speaking ability, self- of Marxist theory – which is supposed to “Anarchism has valiantly tried to meld the confidence, a disposition to take initiative, provide effective guidance for the success universalistic aims of the Left and its “One comrade said that ‘The discussion ability to articulate a viewpoint or rally of a revolutionary movement. expansive understanding of freedom with went beyond all regional differences, and others behind them, ability to write, self- Putting aside the question of the value the particularistic goals of the new social commonality was emphasized.’ The ‘pre- education about various aspects of society, of Marxist-Leninist theory, a libertarian movements in areas such as gender, sexu- senters were not afraid to learn from fail- knowledge about how to organise. Left approach to this question should dif- ality, ethnicity, and ableism.” ures, and there was a lack of posturing.’ This is shaped by various things, includ- fer from the “vanguard party” concept in ‘There was an overall broad class focus,’ ing past experience, being involved in two ways. 2 7 ly important, aspects of social liberation. 1936 the FAI moved away from the very said another.”... On the panels themselves, “Anarchism with a class-struggle per- And, third, class struggle was viewed as “affinity group model” that Bookchin rec- one person said ‘the panels on feminism spective” doesn’t mean it is “class reduc- occurring not only in workplaces but also ommended. To have a more effective organ- and communities of colour were for every- tionist” but that it disagrees with in the community. In the mid-’20s anar- isation to counter the growing influence of one, not... just by those interested in the Bookchin and others who fail to see the cho-syndicalist union activists had begun the Communist Party, the FAI moved to subjects.’ Another comrade said ‘the focus continued reality and importance of the to worry about being boxed in through col- large geographic chapters. After this of the workshops was experiential, not the- class structure that is at the heart of capi- lective bargaining with employers. change the FAI grew to 140,000 members. oretical, but the two... were merged in talism and the struggle that grows out of Catalan syndicalist theoretician Joan In recent years many dual organisation- many instances.’” this. To change society, it’s not adequate to Peiro recommended building neighbour- al working class-oriented anarchists in appeal to “humanity” or “citizens” in gen- hood organisations and developing a the USA have moved away from the older Since then two inter-organisational dis- eral, as Bookchin proposed. The capitalist broad discussion over issues of importance model of an anarchist federation formed cussion bulletins have been produced and and co-ordinator classes are also part of to workers outside the workplace. This as a link among pre-existing collectives. another Class Struggle Anarchist humanity but they are entrenched in organising eventually led to the massive Through various experiences with such Conference is scheduled for later this year. maintaining their power and privilege. At rent strike in Barcelona in 1931, which formations, from the ‘70s to more recent The purpose of this process is to see what the same time, the division of society along brought into action new sectors of the pop- years, it was found that this tends to get level of agreement we have, share experi- the various lines of oppression generates ulation... for example, women played a in the way of the level of theoretical and ences, and develop a better-organised and movements and struggles in opposition. dominant role in the rent strike. practical unity needed to work effectively more co-ordinated movement. In the years after World War 2, seeing It was because of this experience with together. Thus many dual organisational This process has involved three regional the increasing co-optation and bureaucra- community struggle that the anarcho-syn- anarchists these days tend to think in federations (on the Atlantic and Pacific tization of unionism in the industrial dicalist movement in Spain modified its terms of a unitary organisation based on a coasts), five local groups (in the Great countries, Bookchin adopted the view that “vision” at its congress in May 1936, common program and individual member- Lakes area), and one continent-wide there was, somehow, an epochal change in adding neighbourhood assemblies and ship, with local branches and a federal organisation. I would estimate that these which struggles in workplaces were no resident-based councils as an equal build- council of delegates of some sort. organisations include between three and longer relevant to popular empowerment ing block of governance in a libertarian Dual organisational class struggle-ori- four hundred activists... overwhelmingly and the struggle for social transformation. socialist society along with workplace ented anarchism continued to have a people in their 20s and 30s. I haven’t Other anarchists in that era, such as Paul assemblies and worker councils. Bookchin social base in some countries after World obtained permission to name all the Goodman and Colin Ward, followed a sim- also drew on this concept of “libertarian War 2... particularly in South America. In groups, but I can say that North Eastern ilar path. In the period of the Cold War, municipality” rooted in assemblies. the decades leading up to the military Federation of Anarchist Communists, talk of “class struggle” was also readily But this was not separate from class takeover in Uruguay, the Uruguayan Workers Solidarity Alliance and associated with Communism. struggle. Most of the actual “free munici- Anarchist Federation (FAU) had a signifi- Solidarity & Defense have played a role in At its heart, capitalism is a system of palities” formed in the revolution of 1936 cant influence in the CNT labour federa- initiating and organising this process. exploitation of people who are subordinat- were in rural villages and towns in tion and in the housing movement, and Except for the continent-wide group ed in the work process, and a continual Aragon. But it was the CNT rural unions, also played a role in the resistance (Workers Solidarity Alliance), which was resistance or tug of war ensues because of who took the initiative to overthrow the (including armed struggle) to the dictator- founded 25 years ago, all the groups have this... sometimes on a small scale, some- old municipal councils, invoke an assem- ship. The legacy of the FAU in that era been formed within the last decade. times breaking out in large social events bly of the residents, elect a new revolu- and the ideas it developed from its experi- Activists in these groups are involved in such as general strikes. Ultimately there tionary committee, and collectivize land. ence are still an important influence on anti-racist organising, support for immi- is no liberatory replacement for capital- The collectivization of land was directed South American anarchism. grant rights, for reproductive freedom, ism unless workers are able to gain con- in particular against the Spanish kulak I will mention one of the FAU’s ideas tenant organising, workplace organising trol over their own productive activities class... wealthy farmers who employed that I agree with... the idea of “social and support for worker struggles, radical and potentials. If we take seriously the farm hands. The aim of both the Socialist insertion.” They believed it was necessary popular education, and dissemination of principle that “the emancipation of the and anarchist rural unions in Spain was for the anarchist activists to be committed anarchist ideas, among other things. working class is the work of the workers destruction of wage-slavery in the coun- to long-term involvement in organisations I would estimate that pro-organisation- themselves,” it’s hard to see how this tryside. This is why the rural unions and struggles in workplaces and neigh- al anarchism with a class struggle per- emancipatory result is going to happen insisted that no farmer could privately bourhoods. The role of the organised anar- spective in the USA has reached its high- without a movement actively developed by control more land than he could farm chist minority is not to try to gain top- est point since World War 2. workers themselves. through his own labour. down control through bodies such as exec- In what follows I’m giving my own inter- That said, class isn’t just about strug- During the Spanish revolution in utive committees or manipulate to impose pretation of this sector of anarchism. gles in workplaces between workers 6 3 and bosses. The power of the dominating more formal education. These same social To have the power to transform the soci- a tenants union, this is a “mass organisa- classes spreads outward throughout socie- relations in the work process also encour- ety, the various social movements and tion.” A mass organisation is put together ty, in their control over the state and age the managers and professionals and strands of struggle have to come together, to fight in some area and people join media. Class struggles occur at the point owners to have a bloated sense of their to forge a unity through alliance. To be an because they support the aims... such as of consumption, among tenants and public entitlement to make the decisions. authentic alliance, it must take seriously having a union at work to oppose manage- transit riders for example. Much of the working class is forced into and incorporate the concerns of the various ment or an organisation at a college to The working class is highly heteroge- dead-end or de-skilled jobs where they movements. fight tuition hikes. Membership in a polit- neous. Workers are women, African- have few opportunities to develop them- In my own essay in the Reimagining ical organisation, on the other hand, is Americans, gays and lesbians, skilled and selves, their knowledge or sense of self- Society discussion I referred to this as a based on agreement with a particular ide- less skilled, and so on. esteem. Working class people are also less labour/social movement alliance. That is, ology or political perspective. Many anarchists who work with a class likely to have access to resources to help the mass organisations created by work- A political organisation is desirable for a struggle perspective these days operate them develop their knowledge, such as col- ers in the struggles with the employers variety of reasons. To pool resources for with an “intersectional” analysis of lege education or better schools. develop an alliance with other social projects, to provide each other feedback oppression. Structural racism and struc- There are effects of this we need to con- movements that emerge in the struggles and support, to achieve greater public vis- tural gender inequality (patriarchy) or sider. First, this tends to generate passiv- against the various forms of oppression in ibility for social anarchism, to co-ordinate homophobia/transphobia have their own ity and inaction, if a person doesn’t see society. In a period of fundamental chal- organising. We learn from trying to put sources though they are also exploited by collective struggle as an avenue for lenge to the dominating classes, this our ideas into practice, and political capitalism, to weaken the working class. enhancement of their circumstances. And, alliance might be expressed through the organisations enable activists to discuss It is equally important to fight all of them. second, it also generates inequality in kind of decision-making body that Ezekiel lessons of practical experience and develop They intersect in the lives of actual work- skills and knowledge that can effect the Adamovsky calls an “assembly of the their ideas. ing class people. An African-American way organisations or movements are run. social movements.” Of course, a major historical example of woman working as a postal clerk at the Gender and race/national oppression also Thus I think anarchists who emphasize “dual organisational anarchism with a post office is subject to the gender, race shape this inequality. organisation and a class struggle perspec- class-struggle perspective” was in the and class systems, but she lives her life as This also tells us why a liberatory social tive see mass struggles and mass organis- Spanish revolution in the ‘30s. The a totality... these oppressions aren’t in transformation is unlikely to occur “spon- ing as the process for changing society... Iberian Anarchist Federation (FAI) was separate worlds. taneously”... contrary to the thinking of because it is through the active participa- formed as a loose federation of groups How does this large and heterogeneous “autonomists” and some anarchists. As tion of growing numbers of ordinary peo- active in the National Confederation of population acquire the ability to change Marx pointed out, it is through the ple, building and controlling their own Labour (CNT). It was formed originally to the society? Here it is useful to consider process of mass struggle and building movements, that they develop the capaci- better co-ordinate responses to efforts by a the process that Marxists call “class for- their own movements that the working ty and aspirations for changing society. Leninist organisation (a predecessor of mation.” “Class formation” is the more or class... the oppressed and exploited in gen- From the point of view of “organised the POUM) to gain control of CNT unions, less protracted process by which the work- eral... develop themselves... their knowl- anarchism with a class-struggle perspec- also opposition to tendencies of some ing class develops from an objectively edge and capacities to effectively “self- tive,” two kinds of organisation are need- union officials to become less accountable oppressed group... a class “in itself”... into manage” their own movements and create ed: (1) forms of mass organisation through to the rank and file. a group with the consciousness and capac- the conditions for their social liberation. which ordinary people can grow and Spanish anarchism of that era was ity to liberate itself... a class “for itself,” in Because collective action can be a source develop their collective strength, and (2) “dual” in three ways. Marx’s words. People are shaped by the of power... as when workers shut down a political organisations of the anarchist or First, there was the distinction between power relations and oppressive systems workplace, it encourages a belief in the libertarian socialist minority, to have a the political organisation (FAI) and the they face within the current society. ability of the participants to make change. more effective means to co-ordinate our mass organisations –- both neighbourhood Workers are in a relatively powerless posi- Developing a unity of social movements activities, gain influence in working class centres and CNT unions. Second, in addi- tion and, if they are isolated, may have lit- that develop in opposition to the various communities, and disseminate our ideas. tion to the FAI there was another anar- tle sense of having an ability to change forms of oppression that working class peo- In the World War I era, Italian anarchists chist political organisation – Mujeres things. The social relations of production ple are subject to is an essential part of this coined the term “dual organisation” for Libres. This was an organisation dedicat- may develop a conflicted consciousness... process. I believe this presupposes that peo- this perspective. ed to the organising of poor peasant and both resentment and also going along or ple from a variety of backgrounds and situ- An organisation does not have to be urban working class women. The activists deference, or even accepting the idea that ations and movements have an opportunity large to be a “mass organisation” as I’m in this organisation were anarcho-syndi- the bosses must be the right people to to come together to explore their concerns using this term. If 30 tenants in a building calists but they viewed women’s liberation make the decisions because they have and achieve mutual understanding. get together and have meetings and form and class liberation as distinct, equal- 4 5