Reinventing the Rose of Fire: Anarchism and the Movements Against Corporate Globalization in Barcelona

Home , Anarchist Studies, Anarchy in Action, Contemporary anarchism, Individualist Anarchism, Late capitalism

HAOL, Núm. 21 (Invierno, 2010), 143-155 ISSN 1696-2060

REINVENTING THE ROSE OF FIRE: ANARCHISM AND THE MOVEMENTS AGAINST CORPORATE GLOBALIZATION IN BARCELONA

Jeffrey Juris

Northeastern University, United States of America. E-mail: [email protected]

Recibido: 21 Julio 2009 / Revisado: 15 Septiembre 2009 / Aceptado: 2 Octubre 2009 / Publicación Online: 15 Febrero 2010

Abstract: This article explores the intersections movement-related activities, including meetings, between classic anarchist praxis and political forums and debates, as well as parties contemporary anti-corporate globalization and concerts. As we talked, Pascual pointed out activism in Barcelona. It engages in a that beyond the recent upsurge in squatting, sympathetic debate with two key literatures, Barcelona has a long history of anarchist pushing my argument in contrasting, yet ateneos populares, community spaces during the ultimately related directions. I differ with early 1900s that housed debates and forums accounts that emphasize an identity, arguing around issues such as women’s rights, instead that anti-corporate globalization vegetarianism, and free love, as well as a variety movements involve a confluence between of cultural events.2 Pascual viewed such anarchist principles and emerging networking anarchist projects as a model for present-day logics associated with late capitalism. Given this organizing. When I asked him why, he affinity, anarchism is one among several related resolutely exclaimed, “I’m an anarchist! We positions radicals adopt in particular contexts. have to create our own institutions. If the anti- Indeed, radical identities reflect a growing globalization movement can do that we’ll be emphasis on multiplicity, openness, and unstoppable!” flexibility. Attention to such specificities is important for analytical and strategic reasons. As many observers have noted, anti-corporate Keywords: Anarchism, Barcelona, corporate globalization movements, particularly in Europe globalization, late capitalism. and North America, have been characterized by ______a resurgence of anarchist thought and practice.3 Since the first Peoples Global Action (PGA) ate one evening toward the end of inspired Global Days of Action, including the September 2001, I was sharing drinks Carnival against Capitalism on June 18, 1999 or Land tapas with Pascual, a friend from the the protests against the World Trade (ex-) Movement for Global Resistance (MRG) Organization (WTO) in Seattle that November, in Barcelona.1 We had just finished an intense radical movement sectors have emphasized summer of anti-capitalist protest, including anarchist principles such as decentralized increasingly confrontational mobilizations coordination, non-hierarchical organization, against the European Union (EU) in Gothenburg consensus decision-making, and direct action. (May), World Bank in Barcelona (June), and G8 This has been particularly evident in Barcelona, in Genoa (July). Radicals were now beginning a city with a strong culture of opposition forged to discuss how to translate this counter-summit through decades of nationalist and anti-Franco activism into sustained movement building, struggle and a powerful anarchist legacy. while reinforcing their struggles at the local Indeed, anti-corporate globalization activists in level. One strategy was to build new self- Barcelona, dubbed the “Rose of Fire” during the managed social centers, squatted or otherwise, anarchist bombings in the 1890s, often point to in neighborhoods throughout the city. This the city’s anarchist past as a major influence. would expand the critical spaces housing However, unlike Pascual, many do not identify

© Historia Actual Online 2010 143 Reinventing the Rose of Fire Jeffrey Juris as anarchist in the strict sense. Rather, conceiving freedom: liberal individualist and anarchism forms part of a wider movement socialist communitarian.6 The first stresses culture shaped by the interaction between personal liberty and self-expression, the latter traditional patterns of opposition and an collective self-management in the spheres of emerging cultural logic of networking. economics, politics, and society. The individualist branch is evident in the writing of This article explores the intersections between Max Stirner, who did not identify as an classic anarchist praxis and contemporary anti- anarchist, yet has been widely influential within corporate globalization activism in Barcelona. It the libertarian tradition given his defense of the engages in a sympathetic debate with two key self in the face of oppressive institutions such as literatures, pushing my argument in contrasting, religion and the state. The second branch is yet ultimately related directions. First, in often associated Peter Kropotkin, who believed conversation with José Alvarez-Junco’s work on that people have a natural proclivity toward the “two anarchisms” in Spain,4 I suggest that collective self-management in the absence of anti-corporate globalization movements in hierarchical institutions. Although figures such Catalonia not only reflect traditional anarchist as Bakunin attempted to reconcile these principles, these are distinctly communitarian. tendencies, particular anarchist traditions tend to Second, I also contribute to recent discussions emphasize one or the other. regarding the links between anarchism and anti- corporate globalization among politically Alvarez-Junco associates communalist engaged scholars. Here I differ with accounts anarchism with an older “Spanish” model, and that emphasize an identity, arguing instead that the individualist tradition with a more recent anti-corporate globalization movements involve “European” artistic-intellectual trend, Anglo- a confluence between anarchist principles and Saxon in origin and brought into France and emerging networking logics associated with late Spain with the student movements of the 1960s. capitalism. Given this affinity, anarchism is one Whereas the former was mass based, morally among several related positions radicals adopt in austere, and characterized by a modernist faith particular contexts. Indeed, radical identities in science and the liberatory potential of the reflect a growing emphasis on multiplicity, working class, the latter tended toward elitism, openness, and flexibility. Attention to such hedonist ethics, the critique of reason, and specificities is important for analytical and individualist action. Mirroring Bookchin’s strategic reasons. critique of “lifestyle anarchism,”7 Alvarez-Junco thus contends, “The problem with this ethical This article is primarily based on fourteen and aesthetic critique of bourgeois life is that months of ethnographic research among MRG- revolutionary action, struggle, and rebellion are based activists in Barcelona from June 2001 to completely disconnected from the doctrine or September 2002.5 I begin with a discussion of objective being fought for, becoming important classic anarchism and traditional cultures of and attractive in themselves.”8 Contemporary opposition in Catalonia, and then explore the individualist anarchism represents a complete links between anarchism and emerging break with the communalist anarchism of the networking logics in the contemporary period. past, as Alvarez-Junco points out with respect to Next, I consider how anarchist principles are the reemergence of the National Labor expressed within concrete organizational and Confederation (CNT) after the death of Franco: technological practice among anti-corporate In 1976, the anarchists held a couple of massive, activists in Barcelona. I then move on to an fervid assemblies and there were those who analysis of emerging political identities and thought that anarchist Spain was indeed eternal. visions, including the rise of a new anti- What those fleeting explosions demonstrated capitalism influenced by anarchism, yet was not the continuity but rather the distance emphasizing ideological openness, diversity, separating 1936 from 1976. The old CNT trade and flexibility. In the conclusion, I consider unionists found themselves face to face with some of the broader implications of this young, irreverent ácratas (libertarians), who analysis. were less interested in trade unionism than in “happenings,” personal freedom, and 1. THE TWO ANARCHISMS transgressing social taboos- whether by free love, drugs, or outlandish aesthetic According to José Alvarez-Junco, anarchism has provocations. The elders replied in puritanical traditionally been characterized by two ways of tones, unable to comprehend this new

144 © Historia Actual Online 2010 Jeffrey Juris Reinventing the Rose of Fire phenomenon.9 Of course, Alvarez-Junco is critique of hierarchy, decentralization, and describing the Spanish context three decades grassroots participation, helped forge, along ago. It is not my intention here to quarrel over with the unifying force of Catalan nationalism, a his characterization of the resurgent anarchist unique culture of opposition in Catalonia, movement in Spain during the 1970s, although providing fertile terrain for the emergence of one detects a tone of hostile exaggeration. Nor contemporary networking logics.12 am I arguing for a complete continuity between classic anarchism prior to the Civil War and the In this sense, although the Communist CCOO anarchist currents that emerged following the was at the forefront of the opposition to Franco, transition. Indeed, in Catalonia the CNT was it promoted open, loose-knit, and participatory crushed during the early Franco years, replaced structures that are typically associated with by the Communist Workers Commissions anarchism. This model helped facilitate (CCOO) and Unified Socialist Workers Party collective action under repressive conditions, (PSUC) as the main forces of opposition during but leaders also believed that they were building the dictatorship. Moreover, the increasingly a new kind of union based on grassroots wealthy industrial democracy that arose after the assemblies and direct participation.13 This death of Franco was a far cry from the participatory logic- no doubt influenced by economically backward, autocratic Spain during Spain’s anarchist past, combined with an ethic the early decades of the twentieth century. The of unity in diversity associated with the anti- largely middle class student base and emphasis Franco movement, which brought together on aesthetics and personal expression identified multiple actors including workers, students, by Alvarez-Junco with respect to post-transition feminists, ecologists, nationalists, and anarchism correspond to the features more neighborhood activists, helped give rise to the generally attributed New Social Movements “unitary” model of mobilization in Barcelona, (NSMs) in Europe and North America during which is still evident today. Meanwhile, the the same period.10 more radical NSMs that emerged in Catalonia during the 1980s and are at the heart of anti- Instead, I refer to Alvarez-Junco's analysis to corporate globalization movements: anti- make two observations regarding anti-corporate militarism, squatting, alternative media, globalization movements in Barcelona. First, solidarity and Zapatista activism, are all these combine features traditionally associated influenced by anarchist ideas and practices with modern individualist and communalist related to autonomy, self-management, and currents of anarchism. On the one hand, radical decentralized coordination. Despite a significant anti-corporate globalization activists are rupture, current expressions of anarchism are generally younger and middle class and tend to thus not entirely disconnected from Spain’s practice a personally expressive, often ludic classic anarchist tradition. brand of politics. On the other hand, their new forms of organization and protest reflect 2. ANARCHISM AND THE CULTURAL traditional communitarian anarchist principles, LOGIC OF NETWORKING including non-hierarchical organization, self- management, federation, and self-organization. That said I now want to push the argument in a Contemporary radicals are striking the kind of different direction. While some politically balance between the two anarchisms favored by engaged observers have suggested that more Bakunin, as Ana, from MRG explains, radical anti-corporate globalization networks are “anarchism means tolerance, respect, freedom, essentially anarchist, I want to suggest this is not and participation; it means community, but also exactly the case. On the one hand, as we shall the individual within the community.”11 see, many radicals in Barcelona do not identify Second, the rupture between classic and as anarchist in the strict ideological sense. On contemporary anarchism in Barcelona is perhaps the other hand, many of the principles often not as complete as Alvarez-Junco’s account associated with anarchism actually form part of would suggest. At the most obvious level, as we a broader networking ethic characteristic of saw with Pascual, many radicals continue to post-fordist, informational capitalism. In this look to Barcelona’s anarchist legacy as a model sense, there is a growing confluence between and inspiration for present day struggles. At the anarchist ideas and practices and an emerging same time, although the anarchist movement cultural logic of networking. As we shall see, was largely wiped out under Franco, many of this helps explain why so many anti-corporate the ideas, values, and practices it promoted: the globalization activists are drawn toward

© Historia Actual Online 2010 145 Reinventing the Rose of Fire Jeffrey Juris libertarian politics. Two kinds of arguments extend the argument in several ways. First, I have been put forward regarding the relationship suggest that we can best understand this affinity between anti-corporate globalization movements by considering broader social trends, including and anarchism. The strong case suggests that the emergence of a cultural logic of networking more radical movement sectors, or the practices associated with late capitalism. Second, given driving the movement, are anarchist. This does this context, anarchism is one among several not mean a rigid, doctrinaire form of anarchism, related anti-authoritarian identities radicals but a flexible, “post-structural” version attuned adopt according to local contexts. In Barcelona, to the multiple, shifting forms of power and radical anti-corporate globalization activists identity in today’s post-modern world.14 Graeme alternatively identify as anarchist, libertarian, Chesters suggests that emergent properties of autonomist, or anti-capitalist, and often express the “alternative globalization movement” as a multiple and fluid identities. Third, anti- complex, self-organizing system are generated corporate globalization movements are by the “adherence to anarchist principles of extremely diverse. Anarchist-oriented sectors organization and decision-making.”15 These thus constitute one branch within a wider include: participation, antipathy to hierarchy, movement field.20 At the same time, anarchist consensus process, directly democratic decision- principles of organization have also influenced making, respect for difference, and the goal of more traditional sectors,21 which can be unity in diversity. Chesters then asserts, “If there explained in terms of a networking ethic is a spider at the centre of every web the one characteristic of informational capitalism as spinning this new wave of networked resistance well. is resolutely and undoubtedly anarchist.”16 While I am sympathetic to the thrust of this Indeed, as various observers have noted, social argument, it overstates the case. The principles movements are increasingly organized around and practices Chesters identifies are associated flexible, distributed network forms.22 I employ with anarchism, but they are also manifestations the term “cultural logic of networking” to of wider social trends. Rather than an identity, I characterize the guiding principles, shaped by suggest there is a confluence between anarchism the logic of informational capitalism, which are and contemporary networking praxis. internalized by activists and generate concrete networking practices.23 These include: 1) The weaker case argues for precisely such a building horizontal ties among diverse, loose affinity between anarchism and anti- autonomous elements, 2) the free and open corporate globalization activism, but fails to circulation of information, 3) collaboration specify the logic of this connection. For through decentralized coordination and example, Barbara Epstein suggests that anti- consensus decision making, and 4) self-directed corporate globalization activists have an networking. However, networking logics are an “anarchist sensibility,” a kind of “soft” or ideal type. In practice, they are unevenly “fluid” anarchism, more akin to organizational distributed and always exist in dynamic tension culture than a coherent worldview.17 For his with competing logics, often generating a part, David Graeber maintains, “Anarchism is complex “cultural politics of networking” within the heart of the movement, it’s soul; the source concrete spheres. of most of what’s new and hopeful about it.”18 At the same time, although principles such as At the same time, there is nothing inherently anti-authoritarian organization, prefigurative anarchist or even progressive about network politics, and direct action emerge from the forms and practices. Indeed, distributed libertarian tradition, they do not necessarily networks have expanded more generally as a constitute a strict anarchist ideology. On this strategy for enhancing coordination, scale, and view, anarchism is a spirit of resistance, an anti- efficiency in the context of post-Fordist capital authoritarian ethic, and a guiding principle.19 accumulation. Networks are decentralized, but Why anarchism assumes this role within they also involve varying levels of hierarchy and contemporary movements, however, is not can be used for divergent ends, including readily apparent. finance, production, policing, war, and terror. Despite their structural similarities, networks This article should be taken as a contribution to differ primarily according to their protocols: the weak case regarding the relationship their guiding values and goals. While networks between anarchist sensibilities and anti- of capital are oriented toward maximizing profit corporate globalization activism, but I want to and police networks are concerned with

146 © Historia Actual Online 2010 Jeffrey Juris Reinventing the Rose of Fire maintaining order, activist networks employ emphasis on autonomy and decentralized similar tools and logics in order to build mass- coordination. This networking logic was evident based movements for social, political, and in the organization of the Citizens Network to economic change. Radical movement networks Abolish the Foreign Debt (RCADE), founded to further emphasize openness, horizontality, and organize a Zapatista style Consulta Social in direct democracy. Although they are not March 2000 around whether the Spanish necessarily egalitarian, distributed networks government should cancel the debt owed to it by suggest a potential affinity with egalitarian developing nations. RCADE specifically values. It should thus come as no surprise that involved a statewide network of local, radical anti-corporate globalization activists autonomous collectives, which coordinated via increasingly express anarchist sensibilities, but e-mail lists and a central website. The network this does not mean they are anarchist in the strict exhibited a clear affinity between classic sense. anarchist strategies, including small-scale affinity groups and decentralized coordination, 3. ANARCHIST PRINCIPLES IN and the networking logic of the Internet, as Joan PRACTICE recalled: We organized ourselves as nodes, using the nomenclature of the Internet. This was This section explores how anarchist principles, completely new, because we were thinking in primarily from the communalist tradition, are network terms. The nodes were the spaces expressed within contemporary Catalan anti- where information was produced and made corporate globalization activism. public, the physical embodiment of the Internet, what we might call affinity groups today. We Non-Hierarchical Organization took the idea, not of a platform- we didn’t want to work as a platform- but rather of a network. Despite widespread popular belief, anarchism does not mean complete disorder. On the Several months after the Consulta RCADE- contrary, one of the threads uniting many based activists joined their counterparts from diverse strands of anarchism involves precisely squatted social centers, Zapatista support the importance of organization, but of a networks, environmental and feminist groups, distinctly different kind: one based on grassroots and anti-Maastricht collectives within the participation from below rather than centralized Movement for Global Resistance (MRG), command from above, as Bakunin wrote, “We created to mobilize for the September 2000 want the reconstruction of society and the action against the World Bank and IMF in unification of mankind to be achieved, not from Prague. Rather than top-down central command, above downwards by any sort of authority, nor MRG activists preferred loose, flexible by socialist officials, engineers, and other coordination, with a minimal structure involving accredited men of learning- but from below open assemblies, logistical commissions, and upwards.”24 The anarchist rejection of the state several project areas. A networking logic was derives from the critique of centralized power, inscribed directly into MRG’s organizational as the Russian anarchist Voline argued in architecture, as the manifesto declared, “We strikingly familiar network terms, “The principle understand MRG as a tool for collective of organization must not issue from a center mobilization, education, and exchange, which at created in advance to capture the whole and the same time, respects and preserves the impose itself upon it but on the contrary, it must autonomy of participating people and groups, come from all sides to create nodes of reinforcing all the voices taking part in the coordination, natural centers to serve all these action.” points.” Anti-corporate globalization networks such as Anti-corporate globalization networks are RCADE or MRG are not anarchist in the strict organized along similar lines. In Barcelona, ideological sense. Rather than a specific political digital technologies have reinforced traditional cast, they constitute broad “convergence cultures of opposition involving open spaces”25 organized around basic guiding assemblies, grassroots participation, and mass principles such as decentralization, grassroots mobilization inherited from the anti-Franco participation, autonomy, and coordination across movement and influenced by the region’s strong diversity and difference. Like their counterparts anarchist and nationalist traditions. At the same in other regions, radical anti-corporate time, such technologies have led to a growing globalization activists in Catalonia also favor

© Historia Actual Online 2010 147 Reinventing the Rose of Fire Jeffrey Juris consensus decision-making and grassroots corporate globalization movements with a assemblies. At the same time, these ideals are radical critique of the state, commitment to self- often contradicted in practice. Indeed, as I management, and focus on direct action. explore elsewhere,26 such networks tend to generate informal hierarchies, while contrasting At the same time, anarchists are staunch visions and goals among participants often lead internationalists, but they favor voluntary to heated micro-political struggles. As ideal federations involving horizontal coordination models, however, these networks reflect an among locally autonomous groups. Bakunin had increasing confluence among classic anarchist envisioned a future social organization “carried principles and emerging networking logics. out from the bottom up, by the free association or federation of workers, starting with Self-Management and Federation associations, then going into the communes, the regions, the nations, and, finally, culminating in Anarchists fervently believe in local autonomy a great international and universal federation.”32 and self-management, as Colin Ward (1973) Networking logics involve precisely this explains, “The anarchist conclusion is that every conception of horizontal coordination among kind of human activity should begin from what diverse, autonomous groups. Colin Ward views is local and immediate (58).” As a result, anarchist federations as distributed networks, according to Voline, “True emancipation can explaining that communes and syndicates would only be brought about by the direct action of “federate together not like the stones of a those concerned… and not under the banner of pyramid where the biggest burden is borne by any political party or ideological body. Their the lowest layer, but like the links of a network, emancipation must be based on concrete action the network of autonomous groups.”33 A truly and ‘self-administration.’”27 In this sense, anarchist society would thus involve a global anarchist praxis means acting on behalf of one’s “network of self-sufficient, self-regulating own local group or community, rather than communities.”34 another.28 In contrast to representative democracy, Kropotkin thus promotes a mode of Radical anti-corporate globalization activists in political organization that is “nearer to self- Barcelona share this utopian vision, while government, to government of oneself by transnational anti-corporate globalization oneself.” This does not mean larger associations networks within which Barcelona-based are never justified, but rather that these should activists participate, such as Peoples Global always be based on local needs and autonomy. Action (PGA) and to a lesser extent the World Social Forum (WSF), are putting it into practice. The level of emphasis on self-management PGA was founded in February 1998 as a tool for varies among anti-corporate globalization transnational coordination among local struggles activists, even within radical networks such as against free trade and neoliberalism. PGA is not MRG. Some activists are more concerned with a traditional organization, but a flexible, translocal ties and horizontal networking, while distributed network. Indeed, PGA has no others stress local control.29 In Barcelona, for members, but rather seeks to help “the greatest example, this latter position is widespread number of persons and organizations to act among an informal network of militant against corporate domination through civil collectives, including squatters, anti-militarists, disobedience and people-oriented constructive and media activists, which emphasize self- actions.”35 Anyone can participate as long as management and confrontation with the state. they agree with the hallmarks, which include: a For their part, although they ultimately split off clear rejection of capitalism and all systems of from the network, squatters played a particularly domination, a confrontational attitude, a call to important role in the formation of MRG. direct action, and an organizational philosophy Squatting specifically involves a radical critique “based on decentralization and autonomy.”36 of free market capitalism and speculation Rather than a centralized coordinating through the reappropriation and collective self- committee each continent selects rotating management of abandoned buildings.30 Squatted “conveners,” which are responsible for social centers also provide spaces for generating organizing regional and global conferences, countercultural values and practices, reflecting assuming logistical tasks, and facilitating the anarchist strategy of building alternative communication, often with the help of various counter-institutions.31 Along with anti- support groups. militarists, squatters helped infuse Catalan anti-

148 © Historia Actual Online 2010 Jeffrey Juris Reinventing the Rose of Fire Despite frequent internal conflicts and power coordinating and interacting without the need struggles,37 PGA’s hallmarks reflect an affinity for hierarchical structure or central command. between classic anarchist principles of Kropotkin theorized that in a society without federation and non-hierarchical organization and government social order and harmony would emerging networking logics. However, PGA is emerge through “an ever-changing adjustment not strictly speaking anarchist.38 Indeed, the and readjustment of equilibrium between the network was designed with a diffuse, flexible multitudes of forces and influences.”41 As ideological identity, in part, to facilitate ColinWard argues, “cybernetics, the science of communication and coordination among groups control and communication systems, throws espousing very different political visions, goals, valuable light on the anarchist conception of strategies, and organizational forms. While complex, self-organizing systems.”42 many participating groups from Europe and North America are smaller anarchist-oriented Emerging networking logics involve precisely collectives, not all identify as anarchist, while this conception of self-organization though the mass-based indigenous, peasant, and labor decentralized coordination among autonomous struggles from the Global South, including the elements. Similarly, Graeme Chesters, employs formerly active Brazilian Landless Workers the language of complexity arguing that, “What Movement, often have hierarchical structures. the AGM (Alternative Globalization Movement) seems to demonstrate is a set of emergent With respect to the WSF, the global social properties that are the outcome of complex forum process is driven by a centralized, adaptive behavior occurring through representative body- the International Council. participative self-organization from the bottom Yet, the WSF Charter of Principles expresses up.”43 In a related vein, Arturo Escobar suggests classic anarchist principles of organization that anti-corporate globalization movements are articulated through the concept of “open space.” emergent, in that “the actions of multiple agents The Charter thus defines the Forum as “an open interacting dynamically and following local meeting place for reflective thinking, democratic rules rather than top-down commands result in debate of ideas, formulation of proposals, free visible macro-behavior or structures.”44 exchange of experiences, and interlinking for Elsewhere I point out that complexity theory effective action.” It also declares that no one provides a useful metaphor for depicting shall speak in the Forum’s name, explaining abstract patterns of self-organization,45 but such that, "The meetings of the World Social Forum system-oriented language can also obscure the do not deliberate on behalf of the World Social micro-level practices and political struggles that Forum as a body. No-one… will be actually generate such patterns.46 authorized… to express positions claiming to be those of all its participants… it does not This need not be the case, but to avoid this constitute a locus of power to be disputed by the tendency I recast self-organization as part of a participants."39 As with other networks, these wider networking ethic, inspiring concrete principles are often contradicted in practice, networking practices within particular social, given widespread micro-level struggles for cultural, and political contexts. In this sense, power, closed organizing processes, and expanding and diversifying networks is much differing views of the Forum itself. At the same more than an organizational objective; it is also time, open space reflects the inscription of a a highly valued political goal. Indeed, the self- horizontal network ideal within the Forum’s produced, self-developed, and self-managed organizational architecture. network becomes a widespread cultural ideal, providing not only an effective model of Self-Organization political organizing, but also a model for re- organizing society as a whole. Moreover, anti- Anarchist thought and practice are also corporate globalization activists increasingly characterized by an emphasis on self- express their utopian imaginaries through organization and the theory of “spontaneous concrete organizational and technological order,” involving what Kropotkin refers to as practice. This self-organizing network ideal is “the severe effort of many converging wills.”40 reflected in the diffusion of distributed network As with open source software development, forms within anti-corporate globalization cooperative forms of production are generated movements as well as the development of self- through horizontal collaboration and exchange directed communication and coordination tools, among a multitude of autonomous participants

© Historia Actual Online 2010 149 Reinventing the Rose of Fire Jeffrey Juris including electronic listserves and collaborative went around, and someone sent another picture. projects such as Indymedia. Suddenly we had created an article! This ethic of self-organization is further exemplified by In Barcelona, RCADE activists self-consciously Indymedia’s open publishing software, which employed the idiom of computer networks to allows activists to produce and distribute their characterize their organizational architecture. In own news stories, constituting an innovative this sense, the Network was specifically form of horizontal collaboration. Users fill out composed of local, regional, and statewide an electronic form, click “publish,” and the story “nodes.” Local nodes constituted the Network’s instantly appears on the right-hand column. organizational and political base, and were Readers can also make comments, which are specifically defined as “self-defined, self- posted below the original posts, generating an managed, and self-organized spaces.” Local open forum for debate. Editorial groups then nodes further coordinated with their regional select the most relevant posts to build the feature and statewide counterparts through periodic stories in the central column. Open publishing meetings and annual gatherings, as one early reverses the hierarchy dividing author and document explained, "We are building an consumer, empowering users to participate in organizing formation that is difficult to classify. the production process, as programmer Evan We have called it a ‘citizens network’ formed by Henshaw-Plath points out, “people can exert independent persons and collectives that adhere power through egalitarian systems that will to the network and can take advantage of its reproduce horizontal [and] cooperative social structure. Many of these people are organized relations.” Open publishing reflects the into local nodes, which determine the dynamic confluence between classic anarchist principles of collective action.”47 The Network was “self- and the values associated with the network as a organized,” generated through the autonomous political and cultural ideal: open access, practices and collaborative interactions among horizontal collaboration, and the free exchange participants distributed across a network of of information. decentralized local nodes. Direct Action The Independent Media Centers (IMC, or Indymedia) is another example of self- Another key anarchist principle, direct action, organization in practice. First organized during has also significantly influenced contemporary the anti-WTO protests in Seattle, Indymedia is anti-corporate globalization activism.48 In many now a global process with hundreds of locally ways direct action can be associated with the autonomous collectives around the world. The more individualist, expressive branch of global portal is managed by transnational anarchism, including the 19th century working groups, while local editorial teams “propaganda by the deed” as well as the more make their own decisions about how to run their recent turn toward highly mediated, theatrical, web pages, what software to use, how to fund and carnivalesque forms of protest.49 The mass themselves, and other technical and logistical action strategy itself has practical (stop the issues. The global network involves a process of summit) and symbolic (communicate resistance) self-organized transnational collaboration, effects. Indeed, given the rise of a powerful supported by new digital technologies. An media logic,50 social movements increasingly activist in Barcelona recalled his experience engage in struggles for visibility.51 At the same with the global editorial group in this way: I time, the focus on prefiguration- living your learned how a group of people, some in the U.S., vision of another world as you struggle to create others in London, and others, who knows where, it- means that direct action practices also express coordinated through a global listserve. Suddenly utopian values such as horizontal coordination, someone would send an email, “I think this story direct democracy, and self-organization. is important, what do you think?” In less than a week, ten people had answered, most feeling it The “diversity of tactics” principle, whereby was important so we distributed the tasks: “I’ll activists divide the urban “terrain of reduce it to so many characters,” “I’ll translate it resistance”52 into distinct spaces, reproduces a into German,” “I’ll do Italian.” The next day we horizontal networking logic on the tactical started working, and the messages began plane.53 At the September 2000 protest against arriving: “Spanish translation done,” “Italian the World Bank and IMF in Prague, color-coded done,” “French done.” Then someone sent a zones were established for various protest photo, “What do you think?” The comments tactics, from non-violent civil disobedience to

150 © Historia Actual Online 2010 Jeffrey Juris Reinventing the Rose of Fire militant conflict. These included the use of activists in Barcelona increasingly view social vulnerable bodies to occupy urban space (Pink movements as directly democratic alternatives to Bloc), festive dancing and drumming (Pink & representative democracy. Silver Bloc), physical and symbolic conflict (Blue and Yellow Blocs), and autonomous pack With respect to their visions for an ideal world maneuvers (Southern Actions). Although the many radicals expressed views similar to action did not stop the Summit, protesters used a traditional anarchist visions of self-management “swarming” strategy54 to block delegates inside and federation. Nuria described a planet the conference center, forcing leaders to cancel composed of “small, self-organized, and self- their proceedings a day early. Given the managed communities, coordinated among them changing contexts and shifting police tactics on a worldwide scale.” Sergi posited a similar such a clear cut victory has been difficult to ideal, where: Exchange is prioritized over reproduce, but the model continues to be commercial products or monetary relations. It employed during mass anti-corporate would be a world without exploitation, with globalization actions, including the July 2005 much more collaborative work, less competition protest against the G8 in Gleneagles, Scotland.55 among people and communities, something much more organic. And these regions wouldn’t 4. EMERGING POLITICAL be so nationalist, religious, messianic, or SUBJECTIVITIES dependent on labor markets. There wouldn’t be banana republics. Regions would be self- The previous section explored how anarchist sufficient and would have food sovereignty, but principles are manifested in practice within they wouldn’t close themselves off. Instead, Barcelona-based anti-corporate globalization they would articulate and work together through networks. Rather than anarchist per se, we saw a kind of anarcho-eco-regionalist global how such networks reflect an increasing government. confluence between classic anarchist ideas and practices and emerging networking logics Indeed, new digital technologies make such characteristic of late capitalism. At the same visions seem increasingly plausible, as Pau time, how do radical anti-corporate globalization explained, “the Internet makes it possible to activists in Barcelona actually identify? Do they really talk about international coordination from define themselves as anarchist? If not, how do below. It allows us to interact according to they characterize their political identities? To models that have always existed, but weren’t truly grasp the links between anarchism and realistic before.” In this sense, rather than contemporary anti-corporate globalization generating entirely new political and cultural movements in Barcelona, it is important to listen models, new technologies reinforce already to the voices of activists themselves. existing ideals, including grassroots participation from below and horizontal On the one hand, when I asked activists from coordination across diversity and difference. MRG, RCADE, and allied networks about their political visions and strategies, most expressed On the other hand, when I asked radicals how views consistent with anarchist principles. they define themselves politically, many Contrasting parliamentary and networked hesitated to identify as anarchist. Some objected politics, Pau thus explained, "We are promoting to the prospect of having to identify themselves decentralized participation, making each group at all, as Manel protested, “It’s been a long time responsible for their part so decisions are taken since I’ve been asked to do that!” Other rejected among many people as opposed to the old rigid labels, as Pau expressed, “I don’t have an politics where a small group has all the ‘ism,’ it’s all about being open to what everyone information and decides everything." Networks can contribute, including those from a particular are thus the most effective way “to balance ‘ism.’ Above all I believe in participation… and freedom and coordination, autonomy with making collective decisions.” Some did identify collective work, self-organization with as anarchist, but often in a more visceral way, as effectiveness.” This focus on autonomous Nuria explained, “I’m close to the anarchist networking has gone along with the diffusion of position, particularly around self-organization. I anti-party sentiment, as Marc explained, have a lot of conflict with the issue of power, “Political parties are filled with people who have obedience, and injustice. I can’t give a precise objectives and modes of organizing radically definition. It’s more about how I was educated, different from ours.”56 Consequently, radical my way of thinking- that you can build the

© Historia Actual Online 2010 151 Reinventing the Rose of Fire Jeffrey Juris world you want.” Most exhibited significant Now I say I come from the libertarian or ideological flexibility, combining various anarchist tradition, but I don’t know where I’m perspectives, including anarchism, socialism, going. Saying I’m a Zapatista makes sense to and autonomous Marxism. Activists were me, if not for everyone. I define myself as particularly influenced by Barcelona’s anarchist searching for new ways of doing politics, far past, the Italian autonomous workers movement, from power, coming from anarchism, but I and the Zapatistas. When I asked about his wouldn’t use a particular label. political identity, for example Fernando explained, “I’m struggling to end inequality and In these quotes one detects a shift toward open, injustice. I believe strongly in direct, self- fluid political identities, combining influences managed action. You might call this libertarian from various political traditions shaped, in part, communism, beyond the market and state.” He by a cultural logic of networking. Radical anti- identified with the German and Italian corporate globalization activists in Barcelona are autonomous movements, and the writings of reluctant to classify themselves according to Antonio Negri. He was also strongly influenced rigid ideologies. At the same time, many stress by Catalan anarchism, noting that, "During the common themes: an emphasis on grassroots civil war there were cultural houses, ateneos participation, autonomy, self-management, populars, and cooperatives. We haven’t come decentralized coordination, and horizontal close to that, but we’re saying similar things. networking, all principles associated with, but When I talk about autonomy, we have the not exclusive to the anarchist tradition. If there is example of the worker’s movement here and a label that most identify with, however, it is their experiences with popular, direct, and self- “anti-capitalist.” As Joan suggested, “Anti- managed democracy." capitalism was a prohibited word five or six years ago, but capitalism has become so brutal. When I asked Marc how he identifies himself, Until recently I used to talk about neoliberalism, he replied, “Political labels don’t mean much but today we all use anti-capitalism to today, we should be defined by what we do, but characterize a diversity of positions.” Sergi for me the anarchist ideas from the beginning of explicitly linked his conception of anti- the [20th] century were very important, and also capitalism to an emerging network ideal, as he the ideas of diffuse autonomy during the 70s and suggested, "The revolution is also about process; autonomous movements in the 80s. I’m also the way we do things as social movements is influenced by Zapatismo… a new way of doing also an alternative to capitalism, no? politics that isn’t based on ideology.” Joan Horizontalism is the abstraction we want, and similarly explained, “For me, there is a Marxist the tools are the assembly and the network." component, of social description- the dynamics of what is happening, and a great deal of In this sense, openness and flexibility have influence from the methodology of anarchism, given rise to a new anti-capitalism shaped by an although more lived, but if I had to define emerging cultural logic of networking. Rather myself I would say I’m a European Urban than identical, anarchism provides one among Zapatista!” several related ideological coordinates around which radicals identify, while specific patterns Zapatismo has had a significant influence of political identification vary according to local among radicals in Barcelona, which is not context.58 For example, a stronger anarchist surprising given the prominent role Catalans identity tends to prevail among radicals in the have played within global Zapatista solidarity UK or even the US, while the influence of networks. Gaizka provides an excellent example autonomous Marxism and Zapatismo appears of the impact of Zapatismo and the more general stronger in Spain and Italy. shift toward open, flexible political identities. Gaizka had identified as anarchist for most of What seems most important for many activists, his life and was involved in the efforts to however, is perhaps the collaborative search for reconstruct the CNT after the transition. He soon new political forms and identities itself. As burned out on internal politics, and began Pablo suggested, “We’re in the moment of working with a series of small, self-managed deciding exactly what kind of political projects and collectives, before getting involved subjectivity we want to create… a mix of the old with the Zapatistas in the mid-1990s.57 When I and the new, a diffuse, an unknown subject; it asked how he describes himself politically, he clearly doesn’t have a name.” replied: A few years ago I said I was anarchist.

CONCLUSION This openness and flexibility allows them to reach out to greater numbers and more diverse This article has explored the relationship groups of activists than might otherwise be the between traditional anarchist thought and case. Finally, I asked how radical anti-corporate practice and contemporary anti-corporate globalization activists in Barcelona identify globalization activism in Barcelona. I began by themselves. On the one hand, many radicals using the work of Alvarez-Junco as a foil for expressed political strategies and visions that making two points specifically regarding the were consistent with traditional anarchist views resurgence of anarchist praxis in the current regarding political parties, the state, self- period. First, unlike Alvarez-Junco’s portrayal management, and federation. On the other hand, of young libertarians during the 1970s, today’s when it comes to political identity, many voiced anti-corporate globalization movements are discomfort with rigid categories. Indeed, most more influenced by principles of communalist radicals in Barcelona are influenced by multiple anarchism. Second, despite the discontinuities perspectives, including anarchism, autonomous between classic anarchism in Spain and Marxism, socialism, ecology, and Zapatismo. Catalonia and contemporary anarchist Many pick and choose among a variety of sensibilities, the rupture is not as complete as positions including, but not restricted to Alvarez-Junco’s depiction might suggest. At one anarchism. This suggests the rise of a new anti- level many radicals in Barcelona continue to capitalism based on an ethic of openness, draw on the city’s anarchist legacy as an fluidity, and flexibility associated with the inspiration for present day struggles. At the network as a broader political and cultural ideal. same time, the history of anarchism together with the influence of Catalan nationalism has By way of conclusion I want to address two contributed to a unique culture of opposition issues that emerge from this analysis. First, characterized by grassroots participation, given the historical importance of anarchism in decentralization, and self-management. Rather Barcelona and the continued relevance of classic than expressing a “natural” anarchist tendency, anarchist principles within contemporary such values are produced, reproduced, and Catalan social movements, why do many transformed within specific social, political, and radicals in Barcelona hesitate to identify as historical contexts. The critical divide is not so anarchist? Beyond a general networking ethic, much anarchist versus socialist, but rather are there reasons specific to the Catalan context? institutional versus grassroots strategies for Three factors immediately come to mind. To social change. begin with, and perhaps counter-intuitively, the presence of the CNT, which many activists in After positing the relevance of classic anarchist Barcelona view as “closed” and “sectarian,” principles with respect to Catalan anti-corporate may actually serve as a negative referent point. globalization movements, I went on to qualify Second, the region's cultural and geographic this contention. Such an affinity does not mean proximity to Italy as well as strong historical ties that radical anti-corporate globalization to Latin America, and Chiapas in particular, networks are anarchist in the strict ideological mean that alternative perspectives are readily sense. As others have noted, anti-corporate available, in this case autonomía and Zapatismo. globalization movements exhibit a kind of Anarchism remains important, but it is not the anarchist sensibility, but these accounts fail to only option for those attracted to a radical, explain the logic of this connection. I have grassroots, anti-authoritarian politics. Finally, argued that anti-corporate globalization the impact of libertarian ideals within Catalan movements involve a growing confluence social movements means that there may be less between traditional anarchist principles and of an impetus for radicals to define themselves emerging networking logics associated with late ideologically. Many self-identified Marxists I capitalism. As we have seen, radical anti- interviewed were also influenced by libertarian corporate globalization networks are ideals and were committed to assembly-based characterized by a commitment to non- organizing and grassroots participation. The hierarchical organization, autonomy, and self- critical division in Barcelona is thus not organization, all principles that are part of, but ideology per se, but rather one’s organizational not restricted to the libertarian tradition. In this praxis and relationship to institutional politics. sense, networks such as MRG, RCADE, or PGA Second, what difference does it make whether express traditional anarchist principles of radical anti-corporate globalization networks are organization, but do not identify as anarchist. defined as anarchist or as simply reflecting

© Historia Actual Online 2010 153 Reinventing the Rose of Fire Jeffrey Juris anarchist principles? On the one hand, there is an issue of analytic precision. Unless a network 10 Cohen, J. “Strategy or identity,” Social Research identifies as anarchist, then it should not be 52: 663-716, 1985; Offe, C., “New social considered anarchist in the strict sense. movements,” Social Research 52: 817-868, 1985. 11 Moreover, claiming an identity rather an affinity All quotations are from personal interviews unless may obscure larger processes at work, including otherwise indicated. Pseudonyms have been used to the rise of a broader networking logic. At the protect individual identities. 12 Historians have noted a general affinity between same time, neglecting the flexibility and fluidity Catalan nationalism, federalism and anarchism given in the way activists identify misses a critical their shared distrust of a centralized state (Balcells, point regarding the nature of contemporary A. Catalan nationalism, New York, St. Martin’s political subjectivity. On the other hand, this Press, 1996; Carr, R. Spain, Oxford, Clarendon Press, analysis also has important political 1966). implications. To the extent that networks such as 13 Fishman, R. M. Working class organization and RCADE, MRG, PGA, or the WSF process have the return to democracy in Spain. been successful it is because they are broad Ithaca, N.Y., Cornell University Press, 1990, p. 100. spaces where activists from diverse political 14 backgrounds converge. The attribution of a Chesters, G., “Shape shifting;” Farrer, L., “A Revolt to live;” Mueller, T., “Empowering anarchy,” specific ideological cast would exclude those Anarchist Studies 11(2): 122-149, 2003. with similar values and practices but do not 15 Chesters, G., “Shape shifting,” p. 43. identify in the same terms. What most 16 Ibid., p. 60. characterizes anti-corporate globalization 17 Epstein, B., “Anarchism and the anti-globalization movement in Barcelona and elsewhere is the rise movement.” of a new anti-capitalism defined by openness, 18 Graeber, D., “The New anarchists.” fluidity, and flexibility, and the accompanying 19 See Goaman, K. “Globalisation versus search for new political forms and practices. humanization,” Anarchist studies 11(2): 150-171, 2003; Grubacic, A. “Towards another anarchism,” In [Sen, J. et al.] World social forum, New Delhi: the NOTES Viveka Foundation, 2004; Welsh, I. and Purkis, J.

“Redefining anarchism for the twenty-first century,” 1 MRG-Catalonia was ultimately “self-dissolved” in Anarchist Studies 11(1): 5-12, 2003. January 2003 as a response to declining participation 20 The Catalan anti-corporate globalization field is and a political statement against the reproduction of comprised of four sectors: institutional actors, rigid structures. traditional Marxists and Trotskyists, network-based 2 See Smith, A., “Barcelona through the mirror,” in movements, and militant anti-capitalists. The [Smith, A.] Red barcelona, London, anarchist influence is most evident among the latter Routledge, 2002, p. 32. two, but many Marxists and Trotskyists are also 3 Chesters, G. “Shape shifting,” Anarchist studies influenced by libertarian ideals (Juris, J., Networking 11(1): 42-65, 2003; Epstein, B. “Anarchism and the futures). anti-globalization movement,” Monthly review (53) 21 See Chesters, G., “Shape shifting.” 4, 2001; Farrer, L., “A revolt to live,” Anarchist 22 Arquilla, J. and Ronfeldt, D.F. Networks and studies 14 (2): 131-155, 2006; Graeber, D. “The new netwars, Santa Monica, CA, Rand, 2001; anarchists,” New left review 13 (January-February Castells, M. The power of identity, Malden, Mass., 2002); Juris, J. Networking futures, Durham, N.C., Blackwell, 1997; H., Michael, and Negri, A. Duke University Press, 2008. Multitude, New York, The Penguin Press, 2004. 4 Alvarez-Junco, José, “Los dos anarquismos,” 23 Juris, J. Networking futures. Cuadernos de Ruedo Ibérico 55-57: 139-156, 1977. 24 Bakunin, Michael, “Letter to the Internationalists 5 Research in Barcelona was supported by the of the Romagna’ 28 January 1872 (cited in Ward, C. Wenner-Gren Foundation and the Social Science Anarchy in action, London: Allen and Unwin, 1973, Research Council (with Andrew W. Mellon p. 22. Foundation funding). In addition, I also conducted 25 Routledge, P. “Backstreets, barricades, and previous and subsequent fieldwork and activism in blackouts,” Environment and Planning D 12: the San Francisco Bay Area. 559-578, 1994. 6 Alvarez-Junco, José, “Los dos anarquismos.” 26 Juris, J. Networking futures. 7 Bookchin, M. Social anarchism or lifestyle 27 Voline. 1955. The Unknown revolution, 1917- anarchism, Oakland, CA, AK Press, 1995. 1921, New York (cited in Guérin, D. Anarchism, 8 Alvarez-Junco, J., “Los dos anarquismos,” p. 150. New York: Monthly Review Press, 1970, p. 37. 9 Alvarez-Junco, J. “Social movements in modern 28 Franks, B. “The direct action ethic,” Anarchist spain,” In [Laraña, E., Johnston, H. and Gusfield, R.] studies 11(1): 13-41. New social movements, Philadelphia: Temple 29 This is one of the defining characteristics that University Press, 1994, p. 311. distinguish network-based movements (MRG, RCADE, etc.) from militant anti-capitalists. The

154 © Historia Actual Online 2010 Jeffrey Juris Reinventing the Rose of Fire former stress horizontal networking, while the latter 55 See Farrer, “A Revolt to sive” emphasize local self-management in the sphere of 56 Such attitudes can be traced, in part, to the everyday life, although the distinction is more a transition, which many grassroots activists continue question of relative emphasis. to view as top-down and reformist, which has 30 Martinez López, M. Okupaciones de viviendas y de generated strong anti-party feelings and a focus on centros sociales, Barcelona, Virus, 2002. civil society as the locus for social change. In 31 Pallares, J., Costa, C., Feixa, C. “Okupas, addition, by the end of the dictatorship the Spanish makineros, skinheads. graffitis, grifotas, okupas,” in Communist Party (PCE), and PSUC in Catalonia, had [Feixa, C., Costa, C., and Pallares, J.] Graffitis, succeeded in imposing their leadership on the new grifotas, okupas, Barcelona: Ariel, 2002, p. 32. political actors that had emerged, including 32 ecologists, pacifists, feminists, and students www.spunki.org/library/intro/faq/sp001547/secA5.ht (Alvarez-Junco, J., “Social movements in modern ml, p.3. Spain), reinforcing a widespread critique of political 33 Ward, C. Anarchy in Action, p. 26 parties and a commitment to autonomy and diversity 34 Ibid, p. 134. Ward is citing here from Ecologist within subsequent movements. Magazine’s Blueprint for Survival, published in the 57 See Roca Martínez, B. “Anarchism, anthropology January 1972 edition. and Andalucía” Anarchist studies 14(2): 35 106-130, 2006 for a discussion of the division within www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/cocha/principles.ht the CNT following the transition over whether it m, accessed October 2, 2006. should participate in work-place elections. This 36 See PGA Hallmarks debate led to a split between the CNT and the (www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/gender/desire/nuts General Labor Confederation (CGT), the latter hell.htm, accessed October 2, 2006). ultimately becoming part of the formal labor relations 37 See Juris, J. Networking futures; Routledge, P. process. “Convergence of commons,” The Commoner 58 See Farrer, “Revolt to live,” p. 146. Autumn/Winter 2004, www.commoner.org.uk/08routledge.pdf (accessed May 19, 2004); Wood, L. J. “Breaking the chasms. In [Bandy, J. and Smith, J.] Coalitions across borders, Lanham, Md.: Rowman and Littlefield, 2002, pp. 95- 120. 38 Contra Mueller, “Empowering anarchy,” p. 142. 39 WSF Charter of Principles, www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/main.php?id_menu =4&cd_language=2 (accessed January 3, 2006) 40 Raymond, E. The Cathedral and the bazaar, O’Reilly Media, 2001, p. 52. 41 Cited in Ward, Anarchy in action, p. 52 from an article on Anarchism written by Kropotkin in 1905 for Encyclopaiedia Britannica, 11th edition. 42 Ibid, p. 5 43 Chesters, G. “Shape shifting,” p. 54 44 Escobar, A. “Beyond the third world,” Third World Quarterly 25 (1): 207-230, 2004, p. 222. 45 See also Chesters, G. and Welsh, I. Complexity and social movements, London: Routledge, 2006. 46 Juris, J. Networking futures. 47 Cited from an early proposal regarding RCADE working groups and commissions. 48 See Graeber, “The New anarchists’ and Franks, “The Direct action ethic.” 49 See Farrer, “A Revolt to live” and Goaman, “Globalization versus humanization” 50 Altheide, D. L. and R. P. Snow. Media worlds in the postjournalism era, New York: Aldine de Gruyter, 1991. 51 Thompson, J. The Media and modernity, Stanford, CA, Stanford University Press, 1995. 52 Routledge, “Backstreets, barricades, and blackouts” 53 See Juris, Networking futures. 54 Arquilla and Rondfeldt, Networks and fetwars.