Everywhere from Britain’S Rebel Music Revival to Anti-Colonial Conflict in Papua, It’S Not All Paralysis and Defeat Around Here
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XXXX 1 vol 79:2 winter 2019/20 anarchist journal by donation KICKING OFF EVERYWHERE FROM BRITain’S REBEL MUSIC REVIVAL TO ANTI-COLONIAL CONFLICT IN PAPUa, it’S NOT All PARALYSIS AND DEFEAT AROUND HERE Pic by Anzi Matta | pateron.com/anzimatta PLUS: M THE HOUSING CRISIS n RISE OF DOMESTIC MURDER aberdeen’S RADICAL SPACE @ BISEXUAL ACTIVISM IN LONDON 2 editorial It all just needs a spark. From Chile to and token giveaways, somehow manages some common denominator with us. Start Hong Kong, through Catalonia to France to contain it? Will it be the far-right with building structures based on the principle — it has been kicking off everywhere. their populist policies? Or will these of mutual aid: show how this can work in What these events have in common is that upheavals lead to long-lasting, positive practice. Share our knowledge of what they were all sparked by a government and revolutionary changes to the world the State is, and what its main principles decision, of lesser or greater significance, we all live in, the sort of changes we will are. Join in with local struggles. Show but in all cases the States which did so be happy to support? that anarchism, while it maintains a solid thought they could get away with it, as In the UK one may, perhaps reputation of utopianism, can be and is they have done for decades until now. optimistically, assume that with almost the answer to the world-wide problems These decisions have been inflicted on a decade of the Tory rule behind us that we are all facing. Do everything we can populations already massively oppressed spark will eventually light. Right now, as to make sure when the spark comes it is by their living conditions, the politics of always, it is impossible to predict what not taken over by the far-right, whose only neoliberalism, and governments assumed might cause it. One thing is however interest, really, is to maintain the status that yet another form of oppression would (almost) certain — it will happen, and quo of racist, oppressive states, poorly go unnoticed because people already once it does, the previous assumption disguised as new politics and new hope, have a myriad of other daily life struggles that it was impossible will be laughable. and blaming the most vulnerable people to deal with and would just put up with Likely, as in many other places, it will be for the wrongs of this world. yet another obstacle. That given a choice something seemingly minor, something This is, of course, a difficult mission to between striving for social change and the government will not think about too undertake. It is however the one we ought their individual lives they would always much of implementing, but will still create to carry on, that is, if we are serious about chose the latter over taking care of their a critical mass of problems which people our own politics, and truly believe they wider communities. are not ready to put up with. can be introduced into wider society, and These assumptions were wrong, and While it is impossible to say what not only in our own spaces. now they are scrambling to contain it will be, we, the anarchists, need to So get out there. Speak with your peers mass, long-term protest movements do all we can to get ready. There are and neighbours. Share your resources, if which apparently took them by surprise. basically two ways to go about this. We you are privileged enough to have some They deal with it, more often than not, can remain in the echo-chamber of our spare. Show in practice that anarchism with severe state repression. In Chile, for equal parts beautiful and niche political can work: even if it will initially only be on instance, the State quickly resorted to ideas and then join the wider struggle, a smaller rather than larger scale. bringing the army to the streets in order to hoping that somehow our niche becomes And, most importantly, don’t sink to contain a protest movement which started a mainstream. Or we may go out there, despair. After all, we are in a world crisis due to its decision to raise ticket fares. right now, talk to people, share our ideas type of situation right now, but let’s all try The question remains — who will be in an accessible form, maybe be ready to see it as a chance rather than already the ultimate beneficiary of this recent for some compromises and potential assumed failure. That’s how our enemies wave of protests across the World? Will criticisms. Get ready for working with see it. it be the United States that, after a mix people who may not necessarily share Not all is lost, but comrades, we need of repressions, divide and rule politics the entirety of our position, but still have to roll up our sleeves and get to work. WHAt’s anARCHISM ABOUT? There are many misconceptions about direct, we have no desire to simply break This paper is itself produced by an what anarchism is and what anarchists the system. We also want to replace it organised non-hierarchical collective and want. Some of the myths are accidental, with something better — the beautiful covers some of the broad range of topics some spread deliberately — but the most idea. where you will find anarchists fighting for famous is that we’re all about chaos. What that idea represents in its a better future. Little could be further from the truth, specifics differs from person to person, Every member has an equal say in the famous circled A for example is as with every broad creed (capitalism how Freedom Press runs, and no-one historically a symbolic acronym. Anarchy included), but for the last 150 years, from is unaccountable for their actions. is Order. individualism to mutualism, to anarcho- Founded in 1886, Freedom has since its While we have our share of chaotic communism, anarcho-syndicalism and founding consisted of disbelievers in the adherents and experiences, and libertarian municipalism, the irony is that government of the many by the few in any sometimes comrades’ methods are very we are often obsessed with organisation. shape and under any pretext. Housing Crisis 3 LIVING IN THE CRACKS The causes of the housing crisis are, continuously to stay within one boundary In response there is a wave of organising in a nutshell, the unchecked power of for five years. People are ruled to be around housing issues. Campaigns have landlords, the 40-year attack on social “intentionally homeless” and so not helped brought about some small changes in the housing and stagnant wages. The for actions like moving out of a private law, including the abolition of letting fees. consequences are people sleeping in rented flat because they couldn’t afford it, However the ongoing brutality of the tents and doorways and under bridges, or out of a place where they were not safe. housing crisis has not abated. New groups children in A&E with constant chest Deregulation of the private rented sector often struggle to get going as volunteers infections, poverty, debt, mental distress, in 1988 and 1996 means that tenants in the can feel overwhelmed by the desperate and endless moving. private sector face short-term tenancies, situations people are in. One of the major causes of the housing evictions, appalling conditions of repair It is difficult to get to grips with the crisis is the undermining and running down and very little legal redress. The Benefit complex procedures needed to access of social housing. Since the introduction of Cap in the 2012 Welfare Reform Act also help from the council, which vary from Right to Buy in 1980, 1.5 million council meant tenants claiming housing benefit place to place and change quickly. It is houses have been sold, 40% of which often did not receive the full amount and also difficult to build up groups amongst are now rented out by private landlords. were forced to make up the shortfall. people who are forced to move frequently, Alongside Right to Buy there has been a There are now 4.5m households in the work very long hours or have language and campaign of slurs by media and politicians private rented sector, 38% (1.7m) of those health difficulties. However when groups against people in social housing, with other have children. Private sector tenants are are able to cohere they are able to offer people encouraged to despise or resent often assumed to consist only of young vital solidarity beyond housing, and to them for the high rent other tenants pay. people and students, while families and real empower members at a deep level. As well as Right to Buy, many councils adults all buy houses. This ignores the reality It’s in these self-organised spaces are knocking down large estates and that home ownership is declining and many where the nuts and bolts of mutual aid redeveloping the land as high-density people are now spending much or all of can be found. private housing, often purchased as an their lives as tenants, with bad conditions ~ Fingers Malone investment not a home. Tenants are usually damaging their health and wellbeing. Bad rehoused locally but there is a loss of conditions include damp and mould, high Radical housing groups: social housing in the area which increases rents, overcrowding, frequent moves and • Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty the length of the waiting list. On many dislocations, and increasingly eviction.