Perspectives on Anarchist Theory
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Contents Spring 1998 The Institute for IAS Update Anarchist Studies Being a Radical Professor Radical Cities and Social Revolution: An Interview with Janet Biehl The abstractness and programmatic emptiness so ian municipalism calls for the creation of self- characteristic of contemporary radical theory managed community political life at the municipal indicates a severe crisis in the left. It suggests a level: the level of the village, town, neighborhood, retreat from the belief that the ideal of a or small city. This political life would be embodied cooperative, egalitarian society can be made in institutions of direct democracy: citizens' assem concrete and thus realized in actual social blies, popular assemblies, or town meetings. Where relationships. It is as though - in a period of change such institutions already exist, their democratic and demobilization - many radicals have ceded the potential and structural power could be enlarged; right and the capacity to transform society to where they formerly existed, they could be revived; CEO's and heads of state. and where they never existed, they could be created Janet BiehFs new book, The Politics of Social anew. But within these institutions people as Ecology: Libertarian Municipalism, is an affront to citizens could manage the affairs of their own this. It challenges the politically resigned with a communities themselves - rather than relying on detailed, historically situated anti-statist and anti- statist elites - arriving at policy decisions through capitalist politics for today. the processes of direct democracy. I asked Biehl about her new work in the fall of To address problems that transcend the bound 1 9 9 7 b y e m a i l . - C h u c k M o r s e aries of a single municipality, the democratized municipalities in a given region would form a confederation, sending delegates to a confederal 7 ourlibertarian book is essentially municipalism programmatic: in a historical you con set council. This confederation would not be a state, text and offer concrete suggestions for practice. since it would be controlled entirely by the citizens* What political circumstances made it seem esp assemblies. The delegates that the assemblies send ecially important to produce this book now? would have the power only to advance decisions As the political dimension of social ecology - made by their assemblies; they would be mandated the body of ideas developed by Murray Bookchin and easily recallable. since the 1950s - libertarian municipalism is a As the libertarian municipalist movement grew libertarian politics of political and social revolu and as ever more municipalities became democrat tion. It constitutes both a theory and a practice for ized and confederated in this way, the confed building a revolutionary movement whose ultimate erations would hopefully become powerful enough aim is to achieve an equal, just, and free society. to constitute themselves into dual power, one that My book is intended as a simple articulation of could finally be pitted in opposition to the nation- these ideas, which Bookchin himself has ex state. At that point either a confrontation would pounded elsewhere. ensue, or the citizenry would defect to the new Briefly, for readers who do not know, libertar continued on page 6 IAS Grant Awards The IAS annually awards $6000 in grants to the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) writers whose work is important to the anarchist and Zapatista communities in Chiapas, Mexico. It critique of domination, who exhibit a clear will have three main components: an empirical financial need, and whose piece is likely to be investigation of Zapatista theory and practice, a consideration of the two main forms of libertarian [ widely distributed. On January 17, 1998 the IAS | Board of Directors was pleased to award grants thinking in Mexico - the traditions of indigenous t to the following individuals: autonomy and European anarchism; and finally I an investigation of the more recent historical j S2000 to Chris Day for Anarchism and the roots of the EZLN in the Mexican New Left and | Zapatista Revolution. This book will develop a the indigenous struggles of Chiapas in the past revolutionary, anti-authoritarian analysis of few decades. It will draw out. some of the ! Zapatismo as expressed in the words and deeds of Continued on Page 12 PerspectivesJLon on anarchistanarchist theory Institute for Anarchist Studies Update Perspectives - On Anarchist Theory This issue of Perspectives brings the IAS's first full some necessary equipment for the IAS office, an calendar year of operation to a close and thus investment that will permit us to work more Spring 1998, Vol. 2, No. 1 marks a milestone in our efforts to provide support effectively on behalf of radical authors as well as Newsletter of the Institute to anti-authoritarian social criticism. I am pleased the IAS's long-term development. (Please see page for Anarchist Studies to say that these efforts continue as vigorously as 11 for a list of those who made our 1997 campaign ever. a success). Editorial Committee: Rebecca DeWitt, Chuck Morse The IAS board awarded the third set of IAS grants All of these developments heighten the enthusiasm to another fine group of radical writers this with which we enter 1998, in anticipation of Grammatical Specialists: January. The three projects we supported bring another year of sustained activity and growth. The Lex Bhagat, Brian Wells Hay, anarchism to bear on some of the most important IAS's 1998 fundraising campaign, inaugurated John Schumacher issues facing radicals at the end of the millenium: with this issue of Perspectives, will be a central the global capitalist attack on communities Subscription Rates focus of our efforts. Specifically, the IAS must (Two issues per year) worldwide, the forms and implications of various raise S9200 by January 1999 to award another L A S D o n o r s - F r e e responses to these assaults, and, finally, the S6000 in grants, publish two issues of this I n d i v i d u a l s - $ 5 relationship of new communication technologies newsletter, and build the IAS endowment. Our I n s t i t u t i o n s - $ 1 0 (i.e., the Internet) to community and democracy. 1998 fundraising goal, as some readers may notice, Bulk Subs (25 Copies) - $25 (See page 1 for a fuller account.) is S700 above our 1997 goal. This increase reflects a demand we have placed upon ourselves: to put 15 (Please make checks payable to the Institute for Anarchist Studies) It is also with satisfaction that we watch previous percent - not 10 percent - of every contribution into IAS grant recipients bring their works toward the IAS endowment. Indeed, one of our primary Disclaimer: the views expressed in publication. There are many developments to objectives is to make sure that support is available Perspectives do not necessarily report in this regard: Murray Bookchin has finished to future generations of radical writers and it is our represent the views of the IAS as a whole. The material in this newsletter is the first and major chapter of the second volume of endowment that will make this possible. © the Institute for Anarchist Studies. his Spanish Anarchists; Allan Antliff has completed the first draft of his book, The Culture Please help us reach this goal by donating to the IAS if you are not among those who have already IAS Board of Directors: of Revolt: Art and Anarchy in America; Paul Paula Emery, John Petrovato, Fleckenstein has submitted his piece, "Civic contributed or pledged a contribution to our 1998 Dan Chodorkoff, Cindy Milstein, Vitality or Civic Mortality? Progress and Growth fundraising campaign (see page 11). Please also Michelle Matisons, Maura Dillon, in Burlington, VT" to publishers; Peter Lamborn note that Perennial Books has provided the IAS Paul Glavin Wilson has nearly finished his introduction to with books in support of our fundraising efforts Enrico Arrigoni's autobiography; and, finally, once again. Those donating S25 or more to the IAS IAS Coordinator: Mark Bohnert and Richard Curtis have almost are entitled to at least one of the great books Rebecca DeWitt completed their Post-Industrial Resources: they've generously made available to us. Perennial Anarchist Reconstructive Efforts and Visions in the has also renewed its pledge to discount items in General Director: their extraordinary catalogue by 15% to all those Chuck Morse Upper Midwest. (Note: there are more extensive accounts of previous IAS grant awards in earlier who give S25 or more. Please join us in our efforts Perspectives.) to support radical writers now and in the future. For more information or a grant I am also happy to state that the IAS's 1997 We are proud of what the IAS has accomplished application, please send a self- over the last year and regard these addressed, stamped envelope to: fundraising campaign was a complete success and that we even exceeded our S8500 fundraising goal. accomplishments as a foundation upon which to Institute for IAS donors were extremely generous and their build further contributions. It is immensely Anarchist Studies support - a source of encouragement to all of us gratifying to work on behalf of radical social RsQ^ox^OSfi here - enabled the IAS to provide real assistance to criticism, to participate in an emerging counter- AfcwyrNY radical writers, continue publishing Perspectives, institution, and, above all, to be active in a project 1-222^-USA and build the IAS endowment by 10 percent of that embodies the continued vitality of the ideal of every donation. In addition, we have used the a cooperative, egalitarian, and ecological society. Phone: 518-465-3062 excess from the fundraising campaign to purchase ~ Chuck Morse E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://members.aol.com/ Correction: iastudy/Default.htm In the last issue of Perspectives the date of the The IAS is a nonprofit, tax-exempt Third Annual Bay Area Anarchist Bookfair was organization.