Merseyside Anarchist Newsletter #23 (1991)
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‘_ .-7 Liverpool Anarchist Group meets every Monday night, 8pm at the Mutual Aid Centre, 45 Seel St, Liverpool l ...... if
Wed 5th Troops Out Movement video' night.' ‘Behind' The Mask‘ plus more. 7.30pm, Mutual Aid Centre, 45 Seel St. 50p admission. T1E VV S - e Thurs 6th Inaugural meeting of North West Trafalgar Sq Defendants Campaign. 7.30pm, Manchester Town Hall. Sat 8th Class Struggle Anarchist Network meeting, llam—6pm, Mutual Aid DECEMBER 90 Centre. Social in evening )starts llpm. JANUARY 91 Sun 9th Anarchist Black Cross conference, all day, Mutual Aid Centre. LIFE Wed l2th Troops Out Movement public meeting, 7.30pm, Trade Union Centre, 24 Hardman St, L‘pool l. With Gerry McLoughlin of Sinn Fein & Mary Mason of Troops Out. AFTER Thought THATCHER we’d never git
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§§§_l2§h 3D (independent anti-poll tax network) National Activists meeting Manchester Town Hall, 10am-6pm. Details from Nick Finley, 20 Troutbeck Rd, Stockport, SK8 4RR. t Zflp Sat 26th Annual Bloody Sunday commemoration march, London. Phone Troops ,~0ut, O71 609 1743 for details. v NUMBER 23 ' I g L t g pkg t ,3
MERSEYSIDE ANARCHIST NEWSLETTER P.0.BOX 110 LIVERPOOL L69 8DP Ber, LLFE AFTER TIJATLHER
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Niarflig i . " So, it’s over. Thatcher has finally, unbelievably, thrown her hand in. Anarchism is revolutionary anti- For many in the anarchist movement she had been the dominant figure for the state socialism. In practical r whole of their politically conscious lives — the enemy personified - Hello, and welcome to issue terms. anarchists aim for the capitalism made flesh. 23 of Merseyside Anarchist destruction of the power of the ruling class_and of all relat- The last days of Britain‘s longest premiership since 1827 have indeed Newsletter. ionships based on domination marked the end of an era - the question is, what happens next..... and submission. This means Who would have thought we §g§iQg_g!§£ our industries and communities and changing them , THE BLOODLESS COUP would outlive her! (poli- to meet the needs of all, as tically speaking, of course) well as the ecological needs of Margaret Thatcher's victory over Ted the environment. Without this Heath in the second ballot of the 1975 If we're to see off her takeover we can struggle within Tory leadership election was a triumph successor we need two capitalism but never replace it. for the 'radical' right of the party. things off you, the reader. They, along with many figures in the mil- Anarchism will be created by itary and political establishment, and lst, we are always looking millions of people. not-a dict- members of the civil service, were fright- for good articles and atorial elite (we are not marx- ened by the failure of successive govern- ist-Leninists), and all will ments to, in their eyes, get a grip on letters of interest to the have their part to play in snap- the economy and smash industrial milit- -_II".’-. " ,_ — ancy. When Heath was brought down by the anarchist movement. Why not ing it. Power will lie with the .,-.dQ-'5' dF_@ _ no _ T’. - -I‘ 1,14 1974 miners strike many on the far right organisations thrown up by and -d an R1 write something? - A -*;}é§;L .-:::::::: saw this as the last straw. Some, like p for the revolution, not with ' ,.-r=' - industrialist Sir James Goldsmith and t 2nd, we want you to subs- the political parties who will ~ is -—"""T ex-environment minister Nicholas Ridley, try to dominate and destroy them. cribe. Just £3.00 will get hf~e ~:;;,see““”E' went as far as to discuss a military. you the next TEN issues. The new society will not be born coup with sympathetic generals (read MerryqChristmas, through abstract ideas, but will 'Spycatcher'!), but others such as ' come out of the realities of Airey Neave believed that the necess— struggle and the need for work- ary policies could be implemented while maintaining Britain's sham of ‘democracy’. NEWSLETTER COLLECTIVE. ing class people to unite. Such €Q struggle doesn't just involve Neave and the radical right did resistance to ruling class power stage a coup, but it was bloodless and (strikes, mass protests and other happened inside the Tory party. Much to forms of direct action), but also _ . . the horror of grassroots party workers ‘ construction - the building of and the old Tory establishment, Ted AS EVER, THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS new. locally based federal organ- g uswstsmrsn ARE THOSE or rue Inorvtouat Heath was bundled out of place by the isations (examples of which qo right's stalking horse challenger, Mar- AUTHOR AND nor uscsssaarnr or trvsn- from the original soviets of the soot AHARCHIST snoop AS A wnots. garet Thatcher. Plans for a military Russian Revolution to the Miner's takeover were dropped and Thatcherism Support Groups of the 1984/S was born. strike), plus the forging of solidarity and the willingness to THE THATCHER FACTOR SUBSCRIBE £3.00 for 10 issues go further. ' A Payable tozr A Thatcherism; the aggressive form of A "Mutual Aid Centre", There is no truce in the class war. Conservatism. that dominated0 the 80_sI was at the address above, The answer to ruling class power is .,'.'i a new departure for politics in Br1t&1H- continual and ever-widening »o66'fi@92ogo£>' Even though they were rooted in the Tory struggle - for social revolution tradition of maintaining class differences DEADLINE February issue .. and anarchism. i and protecting the rich, it differed MONDAY JANUARY Zgthv LIVERPOOL ANARCHIST GROUP. significantly in style and substance from that of previous Conservative administ- §\;,¢~¢- rations . ' so-as '8 n - - /\ (and a good many Tory M.P.'s and minis- voters couldn't actually tell you what the party stood for (who could ?I). ters) were calling for agreement on B ._I'I '1 .'-:-5 .-$0 '|I‘I .l:0. ._'.I-‘ -.' Ia,no‘QV\ In-‘:-'9:-r-_--:4 ‘I1:95.’-'1,"-.-':-‘:5:'u‘ 'I.,' " _. '-1,! 0, u---\~.--'2--'.\,--'..-'-'-'~.-'¢' I.v'o' 0'-'¢'~"¢' . _ ..-I ‘ ._D ' -..--~-.--5.0'»'."u'uq . 4 "--' ‘ . ' - .. economic and monetary union in step T They are just desperate for a change ._,:o., -_, _: |_‘, _-I._.'_ V '\ _ ,,1~,~. -3, _- .’_' -' 1-:--‘.'3?-'.'-"-‘:3:--IMI‘,-,': " - ‘ . .1 ’ 2};' "’-__:_"\a'»“‘“*-'3'->'§_*__. I - ., ,:. :-' - - . , . I'- -‘. ¢'- :- .'-;0:0: , ‘i._I W -. ....‘.- ‘K-», I---- with the other member states of the EEC and anyone will do. 1'5- u,5.,1 '--.-‘.'1 1'. '.'.o':"I' - -.l\- - ob I p m . -' 9 . ' ' ‘ 4 ".'. ,' ‘.' \ ‘ . .."I .. \ ‘ . u-:"‘ :':'- 0'.‘-. i, ‘ y‘"}\P’fiv ‘ I 4.‘ 1 | . -- ’-'.'.- .'- \\I.‘ -"'. - a because they felt that this would pro- o H v:-:3: _'-:~_’..,e . I ~ ‘ -‘F-_"; o‘{"%'". i-..".'-Y_'~'§Y‘ -' ' '-'.' \l'.':\.'-'.'\- '-\_‘ -‘n . _ . . - T-.' --‘f. 1'3 , --a~o*;-'_-‘;:'-.'.-;;;.\:";'.\@§- ~. '- -~»r --';i+\';..';a --. . ' _ u ' '- I ' .'.n' ‘ ' - \\k‘l_'|'_‘- '0'. ,.'- I-',' 1 .' ‘.-"D-I. duce a more stable (and therefore more i But now Thatcher has gone the Labour ..,I _':.:. g-i‘-_. . "5' '._‘ , i-_..__ f . --_ :,-_._ Ir, |_-_ '_ _'._. ._.',-_._'.'-_ . -.. _ \:¢4---'_._-.2-.""'- profitable) financial climate. But leaders are thinking the unthinkable: \\, .,_ ._ . if-. -- ,. _-_.g~,\'_._-_ ._. \ \ what if the Tories can ride out the ¢1 Thatcher was always dragging her feet L 1s-n' ‘ .:._'I i*"*‘I' . ~'~* -6.._ II- -tn ,- II A.:_:_._'_. v,_‘-‘ti‘...-n,__‘.\_''o_'aJ’I'§?'.J ~'j:0'-I.. II,- ':':7."'¢''_.'_-:._ ‘'0‘It'.‘-F:{J5-_.,.-.___._ 7?‘-'-r‘;"g_.~..'ea.,_ 'I..J_ II'.- .\':::w:-,1,‘- :c'o'.'.I..",:II:, ''/‘II because the process involved g;aing up recession and shake off the hostility Q-I:'1.a‘1-':':'. -'uY..¢I'"..:'I‘.5...0.‘:.:.-.0-"-.---,,.'.3'.-1. _ .-'.' \| ''I.'._- .£._ _ _ .‘-‘u "I0-1__ ' o‘.<..-.",1. some of Westminster's 'sovereignty' and caused over the last few years ? What I .\. I. -:.-:. I !‘.;,<‘\'._ ''._'._L‘~'.5' . ‘Q"-I.‘ . . in '-:-Z-' 5.!‘ .‘: .- _- -_" ';\A_'?§\,\ ‘Ii.-'11''4'0.. I Ii 2 -" ; ‘_ '_ Q';' ‘I '__ ' ' - l V - ... decision-making powers. The tension this if Kinnock's overall strategy fails, if . > ' ‘Q V Q, ' _ Ow _ _" \ I »:'\',~ 1 I.‘ ‘
..'v. I I‘ In.I. PT".;_-'1?‘n 0. O.» slowly created in the cabinet eventually Labours' shift to the right doesn't pull .‘ _ :. !1".'iu__ ‘- p-.,:.‘ _ '_ ‘_'-l-,- , ' ._.: . ,_ \ in enough voters and the Tories win a oi . ' " '-..::-"- |" \ I ' I ' - .'.-'. '._‘ . .1‘ blew up in her face: when her loyalty to ' '1'.“ _' \' _.'_ . .4 *--..a-I “ fourth general election ? His fear isn't everything British came into conflict I 3\3' \:I H .?;>,\_-.'-n>~,¢:¢--I. .. I. V I '..'\ ‘W. 0 ' ' ' - ' '1'.'I . ;.;I§;:--:-.\,:-_ ' : . with the smooth running of capitalism, over what this'll mean for working class I :'.',', _"':-'-\,, ‘ ' . ' _- ' ', , - - , 0‘. II-'-‘I , °, -'. ' - ' _ '- 1 -_,_ ‘...I -0.. _ . . ,_ the Tory party remembered where its real people but what the consequences might . .’ I 1‘,-'2':¢ ..::.' . --.- D I , ‘I I - _ ._.-. _ ' -_ ,..,a‘ . -I -- _ . _ _ . l - -.- interests lay - and deposed her. be for himself and the Labour party. I In.._.___'.Q, ' n‘.:_____.‘‘I - _ , v _ _. .‘ '-‘-°_' ‘I n In; , - . < peg '-3 ~m.mz-flfl - . . '.-_u , -_-f _; -,’ I‘; _ - . ' ' :,. "f'5‘F-':;,1.i:'-3:’-_ - '- THE TORIES NEXT STEP Imagine the frustration that this ._.;_:::0 - ' J;"\-_'.-1 ' --:- ._ \-‘,_-¢ . -I »0_0_..§_- r_ -'..*9\'$'>.fi- . . . -- would cause. All those people from the b-o.
Anniversaries have always played a movement to be ready for it and many part in the struggle to end British rule activists were already on the run and in Ireland. Commemorating past epis- .4IIIII1 evaded capture. Also, much of the state's odes doesn‘t indicate a sentimental or information was inaccurate and the move L.Nl> ‘Y R backfired badly. Old IRA volunteers who I backward-looking attitude, but in this case showrthat the republican movement hadn't been active since the 40's and 50's is conscious of its history, and more- were rounded up as were teenagers and over takes a pride in it. Anniversaries IRE/Q/1V R5Al§s5OF people wholly uninvolved with politics. I are used to educate today's generation about the continuity of struggle and the Internment was beaten; prisoners re- conditions which give rise to it. strategy epitomised by the slogan "the of weapons, had poor co-ordination outside sisted, communities provided shelter ford armalite and the ballot box" was born and Dublin and were almost certain to fail, S fugitives and Britain was condemned In this sense 1991 is a significant the struggle took on a new dimension. they went ahead and took on the British internationally. Intarnment is commemor- year for supporters of a British with- at the start of the Easter weekend, pro- ated each August as a victory by those drawal from Ireland, containing as it UPRISINGI claiming a Republic and calling for support. campaigning for a British withdrawal. does three major anniversaries. SOLIDARITY April 23rd sees the 75th anniversary The Rising only took hold in Dublin, of the Easter Rising in Dublin. To under- THE HUNGER STRIKE ' where after a week of heavy fighting the Throughout the year, Merseyside Anar- stand its significance today, it's impor- vastly outnumbered IRA surrendered. tant to realise that there have always chist will be covering in depth these On March 1st it'll be ten years since anniversaries and the issues they raise. the start of the Hunger Strike for pol- been two tendencies within the struggle Though they had only few sympathisers This isn't just as an act of solidarity for Irish independence - those who believe itical status by republican prisoners in at the time, their heroic example and with people fighting the British state, A the H-blocks. They were demanding to be in ‘constitutional’ methods of change, p the brutality of the British after the but because, as anarchists, it's import- treated in accordance with what they were brought about by negotiation within the Rising persuaded many people that force ant that we have a clear understanding - political prisoners of war. ' existing structures, and the physical was the only language Britain understood. . of resistance, repression and revolution. force tradition; those who accepted both within three years a war of independence All these things are happening Q9! in They had been imprisoned for engaging the need and the right for an oppressed was underway which was to drive Britain c Ireland and that fact alone is enough to in armed struggle, were convicted in people to take up arms to achieve their from 26 of Ireland's 32 counties. demand our attentiom. special non-jury courts under draconian liberation. A ‘emergency’ laws, and incarcerated in I INTERNMENT- top security jails especially constructed to house them, and yet the state wanted g Since that partition and the formation to 'criminalise' them and their struggle S * gof the 'Northern' Ireland state, the I by treating them as ordinary convicts. authorities there have had to use intern- ment without trial in every decade to ROOPS OUT. Criminalisation was resisted first by keep the lid on opposition and to hold . OFIRELAND republicans refusing to wear prison c the state togethen. clothes and to slop out their cells; these became known as the blanket protests and e.The late 1960's saw the emergence of the ‘dirty’ protests, but were not enough the Civil Rights movement, which demanded PUBLlC MEETING to change government policy. Eventually nothing more than equality for the states the prisoners resorted to their ultimate Catholic minority. The violence this weapon - the Hunger Strike - to achieve movement was met with ensured (just as recognition. A D s after the Easter Rising) that people realised the futility of campaigning.' Ten men died, but four out of their for limited reforms. Up until than the can RY 'Mc LOUIGHLI N five demands were met, a de facto polit- republican movement had had little inf-A a ' (SINN'FEIN)' ical status was gained and criminalisationv luence in the Six Counties but the“ was smashed. S e In 1916 the physical force republicans radicalising experience of the Civil or were in a minority. The constitutional- Rights movement gave it new life. The MARY MASON I D Of equal importance was the effect the ists of the Irish Parliamentary Party IRA re-emerged in force, first to defend _, Hunger Strike had outside the jails. It under John Redmond were supporting Brit- the Catholic-ghettos from loyalist mobs traoors our uovsnsuri galvanised support_for the republican A ain in the First world war, were urging and the RUC, and then to go on the movement and brought a new generation out Irishman to enlist in the British Armyl Joffensive against the state itself. conto the streets. Also, while fasting in and were prepared to bide their time until wtnutsonv otctmstn I2th his cell, IRA volunteer Bobby Sands stood after the war in the hope of achieving a One tactic used to counter this was as a parliamentary candidate in the mid- limited form of Home Rule. n internment. On August 17th»1971 thousands Ulster by-election - and won! The real- of troops and police smashed their way S ~ 7.30pm I isation that electoral success and its s Despite this, the physical force tend- into homes across the north in an attempt attendant publicity was possible for A " eney, led by revolutionaries like James to capture republican activists. Hundreds-S TRADE UNION canvas.- republicans in the Six Counties trans- Connolly and Constance Markievicz, had of people were dragged off to prison 24.HARDMAN srnssr A formed Sinn Fain from being merely the long been planning an armed uprising to camps where they were held without trial, LIVERPOOL 1. public face of the_IRA into becoming a take advantage of England's preoccupation some for several years. However, intern- political force in its own right. The 1 with the war. Even though they were short ment failed. Experience had taught the~l A "13 ,both.went on hunger strike earlier this year after being framed on explosives. . Wl-IATCANWEDO? A charges..Greek comrades are convinced" that it was only through internationali Get involved! In Bngland ABC groups I. pressure generated by the ERN (The A exist in Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield SS Greek prime minister heard of the case Preston, Bolton, London and Oxford In Scotland, there are groups active At this summer's International Black Cross Conference in Liverpool on Dutch radio!) that lead to the rel~ ease of both activists. Often it is in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Groups in the the production of ‘Mutual Aid’, the internal bulletin of the Black CIOSS W85 pressure from abroad which has a decisive A north meet regularly as Northern effect onra situation where pressured ABlack Cross (until July we were transferred frcm Northern ABC (England) to Toronto, Canada. The first issue from at home has failed. In the USA,A responsible for "Mutual Aid“) and the frtn1Toronto is now out and we urge all Black Cross groups to ensure that they the same ERN pressure forced the screws next meeting will take place at the to stop beatings of John Perotti (an IWW Mutual Aid Centre on December 9th. recieve their copy and subscribe. The purpose of this article is to outline organiser and lawyer). ; I c A A the work of the ABC and it‘s importance to us, and how it is we can all get Write for a prisoners‘ list to us in In the case of denial of medical treat— Liverpool or to NABC at: r involved in supporting ‘our’ prisoners. ment sufficient worldwide pressure can P.0.BOX 5&6 T A Sheffield I produce leaflets and coordinate result in the authorities backing down.A In one such case, Dr Alan Berkman, who S1 INY. A THE ABC "days of action" and specific has cancer was being refused help. He is If you wish to form an ABC group, or prisoners’ campaigns. The ABC is an International anarchist probably alive today because he was. join an existing one,Awe can advise prisoners‘ supp:-t organisation with able to self—diagnose the cancer ands" you on ideas for activity which can active groups in Canada. the USA. THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE NETWORK seek help from the ABC. A range from just a few minutes per . Greece, Sweden. Denmark. Finland. week writing letters and sending Ireland. England. Scotland and Aust- The Emergency Response Network (ERN) Xmas and Birthday cards to regular ralia. There are further contacts in was set up by the ABC in 1989 and correspondence, gaining publicity, Spain. the USSR and Latin America. exists to help prisoners whenever an bcr'33 C giving financial help and eventually emergency arises. If a prisoner is .13rdA5¢?"cm c C (1-;:bo0k1.“wm' A prison visits. (Prison visits will h cad? . not’! Our aim in the ABC is to give support being beaten or tortured, is being normally take place only after you -u=1’°° myqxgnrni 1* " ”.ii‘;1i§i=°~h° have built up a relationship with on many levels to Anarchist and class denied urgent medical treatment or is .t¢11l§_¢ \31r;:'.3_m_c, 3,: pcqépiccgt wa but A on hunger strike the ERN exists to the prisoner concerned). A struggle prisoners through the basic knflfll . _¢1'D-" _ ' (10 .. solidarity work of letter writing, notify all groups worldwide by means of prison visits if requested, campaigning a telephone tree. From there each local ¢“°aboutandI d\;‘:su“Prf\;QncC1sui:\pi,1?mmY “mu*1‘:C:-Eliiijeuifldm_I_hc,,,_Thmkm A Subscriptions to "Mutual Aid" are for prisoners’ demands, the high— anarchist black cross group can organ- A :0 s wro _ 11, my on a group or individual basis and lighting of cases and conditions,_ ise whatever actions and publicity are can be obtained by sending Cdn$20y pickets and occasionally financial aid. necessary until the emergency ceases. 121?.‘laA*::;;.:‘:t. ,e."::.. is by International.Money Order to: (to prisoners and/or relatives) ERN work may include telephone block— °* ‘“ $5.3 =»~°““‘ ‘.1’. ‘I‘“§.==»»=1\v '"‘°“' Mutual Aid c ades of embassies or prisons, leaflet- A km‘lc who y “idly1 wofl1 dcr§'-1\'- I p . c . Toronto ABC. Whilst lending support to all other ting or direct action as appropriate. A P.0.Box.6326 Stn A prison campaigns from the Birmingham .. Toronto Ontario A six to Animal Rights prisoners and Already the ERN has proved it's effect- MSW 1P7 CANADA l Irish POWs, our priority remains to iveness as a thorn in the side of the (M.0.s to "Toronto Black Cross")i A support those prisoners who are inside authorities. Screws and prison bosses as a result, directly or indirectly, will attack prisoners so long as they WHY GET INVOLVED? of their anarchist/revolutionary think they can get away with it. Also, regular news of prisoners‘ activities, and who have no other Some examples - Two Greek prisoners, It must be in the interests of all . struggles worldwide appears in support channels of any kind. Kostas Andreadis and Dimitris Voglis anarchists, whether you belong to "Black Flag". " an established group orAnot, to give . _.,.,. r E ' 3 ‘ wgr "'“ ' i ‘ ‘i ' Ultimately, the ABC seeks the aboli- Ill . "'._ . _ "eT'=.'.-'!.!,!-."l'>._.. . the maximum possible support to class . :::Y _ .- _- .-_--..,..._ -- ... - "'\A - _ ' ‘ * -3;.’ tion of all prison systems. ' -I . 0 A_"- .' up .. struggle prisoners, especially those IMPORTANT NOTE'i '.." "0 :.'- \* _ I ls’. ' _ ,,'.." “ ‘ 11:0‘ ".'l who find themselves imprisoned by We have recieved news that Martin ::. I’. _','fL . . t ‘I-Ii’. “_ 1 _‘ "‘ "-E
MUTUAL AID ' n A , -Ur‘ ¢*n- I ‘I ___ ‘J 3: the state for their revolutionary Foran has started another hunger if _,- . ., \-*' ‘"4IIIII\//15* s,'’. --ow.‘AA _‘_‘ .-:1‘'3- O. fl I "\:'_“1'f .. '- activities. The events of Trafalgar. strike over his treatment for an fl .1 . ‘I F J / H __‘:*-_\ ‘.-
In order to spread the information llle - .=.- ..lllll"'./ A-l~;,. ;:..~._:0-‘J’ \-.:;"-31:54 Square and the recent heavy. A infected collostomy, (mid-NOV). which enables us to carry out our III!‘ llllI' -r..llllr .,.-,-.. --~ sentences handed down to three c Please write to him or send him a
1'?ti; “ ¢'.~:¢;_,,we-o. ll!" /lIIlIIII'‘ IIII support work the ABC internationally ~-" :-. ah\'!II' v AIIIIIIII IIIII members of RED ACTION for anti- A A card to; A . produces a quarterly internal bull- 4 #.flnfé;IIIlI!l§qA QQIII fascist work, show.that at any timed Martin Foran C5l796A A . - . -//IIIIIII‘ t at ..~_t_,!,ll etin, "flutual Aid" (they are inside '5.‘ any one of us could find ourselves HMP Frankland 0 SHEINOSIHJISIHDHVNV/31990318 for us, we are outside for them * *e¢.nw ,§2"":fi"‘.i2»--.;"§*..'1_{'," ..-=~A-H’ -- I. in the same position. Prisons Brasside .l ;:'~.- :='..- ""*~?"'-E’-3-"‘-""% '1 that is how the ABC sees it's work). ‘Q. i‘~‘Q."A$Ai<;.*\§<‘; \.._ "“ "-1- ' are there to seperate those who c Durham DHl SYD' c t It publishes a Prisoners’ List and I.'.:§-:1" ‘:"“",m;-. "** -=' 1:.‘--" - 1... break ruling class laws. At Xmas. II.:?~.*; .-s:'-\‘ _ ' '*--" ' I 5.3-1-5'-' u 4| holds an annual conference. Nation- ling ll ---. _ '.|.:=;e;%. time that support is needed more" ’ .See Back issues of this newsletter ally, groups hold regular meetings, I9!"--'=-" ll.I%£~x':o\'.%. :-‘fig‘§,1»'A',,,,03/-\,-I’_II.' lH¢’fl'-I'4,‘-0'.J‘:/‘i--A‘ . """"' ' """"" than ever;A A A A i for details or write. _ . _ - _Fq_,‘}'f‘vtg -1'-'I;_,Eu',-’!' 3 _ P v_ I . . .2-1_‘__‘¢1 . \ '3--;;: . _ , l _ -|'_ 9 . -0 theory, would knock out the Soviet nukes S that the Soviet empire isn’t.changingT**“¥:=\ ' before they were airborne. The USSR of but disintegrating. As people in Eastern 14 - e course followed suit, and so it went on Europe saw the Kremlin relaxing its grip until very recently. t v they took their chance and overthrew their corrupt and repressive leaders. END OF EMPIRE For them, communism hadn't come-about through struggle or revolution but had The effects of building huge nuclear arrived with the Red Army in 1945 and 5ORY L5/\To\@. , stockpiles and constantly maintaining, was imposed by a succession of Moscow- equiping and deploying large standing approved strongman. Previous attempts to armies was shattering to both Super- challenge or even alter Party rule were The c ollapse of East European ‘Communist’ governments and the end of powers. The USA became the worlds biggest crushed - East Germany in 1953, Hungary debtor nation and poverty increased rap- in 56, Czechoslovakia in 68, Poland in Cold War are such h p uge events that we have yet to appreciate the full idly in the States as the Cold War went 1970 and again in 82. But when people implications of the changes. on. But by far the biggest strain was on came out onto the streets in 1989 the the Soviet Union. s regimes had lost their Soviet backers One thing is certain: Those who are predicting the final victory 0 and with them the will to fight. of capitalism and the death of socialism are a little premature! The It began the Cold War at a disadvantage having been devastated during the titanic following article questions the post mortem..... struggle with nazi Germany from 19&1—L5 and having far fewer allies abroad than. PoL1.JN B001‘:-up the capitalist alliance. Added to this
A-. - Many in the Western ruling class saw w-. was the Communist Party's bureaucratic the Cold War as a struggle between two ‘"' control of the economy which slowed the I ?is K HI9 | 9 '5.» \- totally incompatible systems - Capitalism hwi ~1- development of new ideas and technology ' '\ fihffllflflfl and Communism, 'free' enterprise and Being led by a paranoid madman like ' state control. They had so much invested Stalin didn't help either - he constantly in capitalism that they were prepared to disrupted industry and administration by threaten (and fight) a nuclear war to purges of management and workers alike. Gfilfl' . defend it. . meowaim. Even after his death the USSR always ~ ,]m .iflr. .. --':é?-#*".~‘ * yr brilliantly when he recently observed, The Cold War went on for over 40 years T 1;¢ estation was the ‘Iron Curtain‘ which _ controlled that no-one could even use a 4 divided Europe, it was in fact a global ' "I_h|§_- '1.-r=a=-:»-.s~=- photocopier without first consulting T -'-.._,_‘.’_\-_,,4,g_._., their superiors was never going to win» >8.- conflict. with massive military might -.|..F‘-_.' “S.-:7 II'¢.'.<-'.' '.-0"-.L_ I"' the Cold War! s T and the centres of political power in II.‘''’.|_ )5I--I.‘"l " ._ g-.:'-.--:'.“,‘~.I__. I I":'' :-- -’*...-.- '_-.;_v._:.u_.\I‘ ‘__.'.'. f. @_u¢-L-_-_.",- ‘-'."""""'#,;,_"I<~'.'. '_‘'I;-,.$'..".“__l|1_:,'-I F?€é"*é:l‘it ' ._ _ 'fr-;".“;.-'':'--.. _' ;.. ‘ _v- 1-.'."-.""-1'?‘-".'3‘.-".""4"1a:... ' --_ _ . I . ' Europe, the Soviet Union and the USA, Iran‘; ' -5,. _,', '1 .. -J . In most.countries the governments gave .' tun._;_'.P"--5''.:31*"-.SJ-E-9- "-.v RY = " ' - ,;:,1'\_‘R - 1"!‘ direct armed conflict between the two " \*m-‘$.,.",==1\‘~f!\\1!\1¢1I\.,*--I-.:'¢'- :'-- I T" Eventually pressure on the Soviets in easily, merely trying to retain what blocs was considered both undesirable ' ' . ""t"1\.\F*l;'»* - ' Union became so great that a faction influence they could for themselves andlsi and unwinnable on the European front. developed within the Communist Party their parties in the new scheme-of things.* This, coupled with the ever-widening which admitted that the Cold War had to ‘Even in Rumania, where the dictatorshipt search for raw materials and the need Korea in the early 1950's to Nicaragua end. They gained influence, and ultim- refused to go, a week of street battles for strategic allies and bases arounds and Afghanistan at the end of the period ately control of the Party when Gorbachev was enough to convince its supporters. the world ensured that Superpower rivalry came to power. More importantly, they that the game was up. i outside Europe was anything but a ‘cold’ Short of full-scale fighting betweeni recognised that the Soviet economy would war. ' e NATO and the Warsaw Pact, the only way also have to change - firstly because C y But for Gorbachev, far more disturb- t the Cold“War could be won decisively was ,without the military shield it would be ing changes were on the way. The end of _ In what became known as ‘regional if one of the Superpowers became exhaus- vulnerable to Western coercion, and the Cold War has led to the 'unfreezing' conflicts‘ East and West intervenedt a - in ted by this constanta conflictT . and this secondly because discontent at home i of history, and with it the emergence ofy. every part of the world to support friends,l 15 in ffl¢t "hat "°'V9 5°90 happen in the about inefficiency, mis-management and - many old conflicts which Soviet power hadl topple enemies, to prevent the other side U533 and E1559?" EuP°PB Over the last" shortages of the basic necessities as smothered. T ‘ _ ‘ t getting the edge and to secure the supply few years. - C A t C well as consumer goods was threatening to boil over. The driving force behinds of oil, minerals, food and J'ust about t t ' - Just as the East European states cre- anything else to be found in the 'third' ~f 956905 the main aimsrof the arms race Gorbachev‘s ideas was the belief that atedafter World War 1 contained many world. In some cases ‘spheres of influence‘ rT°m AmePi¢fl'9 P°iflt Of View "HS to if the Party made no attempt to reform would be tacitly agreed: fiwé.wOnIt inter_ 9 icontinually force the Soviet Union to to system and to manage the comingv S fere there if you don't de-stabilise so- _ Pfit its PB$°flP¢B5lint° d9V9l°Pin8 "B" changes, then change would happen anyway * In Poland and Romania especially, Comm-t and-so across the border" etc. But this T a"d m°P°~°°5t1Y ""¢l°flP "98P°n$- BY and utterly destroy the Party and every- unists and 'former' Communists still con- didn't often happen and bloody wars. e i 1960 both sides had enough warheads to thing it had done since 1917.s ' I. trol key areas of the state - change int T ensued until one side or the other could s totally destroy the other, but America Eastern Europe hasn't been as revolutionary: install or sufficiently defend a friendly e Pressed OH. adding layer after layer of However, events have moved so fast as we've been led to believe. it e government. The list is endless and spans overkill and searching for a way of both the globe and the decades - from t delivering a ‘first strike‘ which, in \ - - . - ' 4'! 16 \ - . tcommunist society for us. Nice idea - N different ethnic groups within them, so I .,\ . . . ,4‘, . ' pity about the reality! S g ,.,@,l too does the USSR. And the inter-communal \.~i.,‘ . " bf~Only_anarchism takes this into a¢¢Qgnt "s ""‘5‘l‘."¢‘.1"-."4"‘i4\:k';.r‘ H -*-*' by seeking to.destroy both capitalism violence now going on in Rumania, Bulgaria ‘Q ‘lb ‘hi gm " “So what we've seen recently isn't the tggg the state, and to disperse power to and Yugoslavia is being mirrored by many cw»-=l end of history but the final failure of manageable “°PkPlace and community levels similar conflicts within the Soviet Union an experiment to do away with capitalism. itself. Wheres the Soviet leadership may This prevents the revolution being soldit Marxism has been tried now, it didn't s °Pt by 8 new leadership and does away s have been prepared for the loss of its work and the class struggle goes on. Iti allies in Eastern Europe, the threat of with the need for a professional 'revol—- must go on, not because the working class “t1°naPY Party’, an elite armed withn the USSR itself breaking up fills them is bloody-minded and confrontational but . v v with dread. obscure theories - organisations such as because while there is a system like R these are totally alien to what's needed capitalism, which is based on competition In the West we've heard much about by People in struggle, let alone those and under which the overwhelming major- demands for independence from the USSR's who want a successful revolution.' I Baltic republics - Latvia, Lithuania and ity of people lose (if you're lucky The party acts at you'll just be poor, if you're unlucky Estonia, but their struggles seem tame this stage of _ t Finally, the one thing wg.¢an be sure when compared to those happening in the pcrestroika as the you starve), then there is always going of, with the communists out of the way southern republics such as Azerbaijan political moving to be conflict between the rulers and and right~w1ng violence on the increase force of social and Moldava, where different ethnic the ruled - and this is the unbroken a°?°$$ Eur°PBi is that if we don't go development. thread running through history. - groups are butchering each other and Whatever sphere »f°T it!'if We Can't provide a lead L01 those seen as loyal to Moscow, and we take - those who still want and need change, s where the demands aren't for a mere de- econonucs. _»'TOWARDS A REAL REVOLUTION N then the fascists will - and that's one politics. inter- ‘new world order‘ that must never be¢, I gree of independence but for integration erhnic relations or with other countries (in these cases Iran, As anarchists, we've got an unequalled allowed to happen. 1 s p culture .-- the opportunity in front of us ~ if we can Turkey and Rumania). party's role is indispensable.’ grasp it. People all over the world are still going to engage in struggle and THE END OF HISTORY ? look for alternatives to capitalism, the‘ It's against this background of turmoil collapse of the Soviet Union hasn't alt- and ongoing change that some commentators ered that, but it has broken the hold in the West have declared the end of Marxism had over class struggle. History! "The Cold war is over" they say, "and capitalism won". They maintain.that In 1917 everybody was mesmerised by the Russian Revolution and when Lenin and all history was building towards a final co. took it over people thought ‘that conflict between capitalism and communism, must be the way to do it‘, so millions and now that it's ended, so too has hist- joined Communist Parties and stuck with ory. Their smug and self-gratifying theory them despite the sell-outs, the betrayed‘ claims that now capitalism has no barriers, GORBY CLINGS ON revolutions around the world and the R in a few years it will have firmly estab Q“ Satumda' . increasing terror inside the Soviet R I I YI N0Va;;ber V .. lished itself around the globe and we'll Union. Now that Marxism and its bastard Y su¢<=essfu1 gig was all enjoy a prosperous and conflict-free hijack their revolution - and the rest offsprings, Leninism, Trotskyism and is all too well documented history; a new future; the ‘New World Order‘ which Bush Maoism are utterly discredited, it's up s The F1Yine Picket" . ld"at dictatorship arrived in place of the old. and his ilk are pushing. . to anarchists to get their house in ' HLiverpool "ith bands in Capitalism took 70 years to regain access order, get into working anarchist org- to this particular marketplace but we I Dreaflfl" aw .- Now obviously this ‘end of history‘ anisations and get a viable manifesto shouldn't make the mistake of thinking theory is total rubbish (not to say a sorted out so that we can build around T I sand "The Street that that was the final round in the little prematurel), but it at least the failure of the Left and people's' V meevent class war, that the Bolsheviks were the recognises that there's a common struggle need to fight. R \ waswell s ” running through history. Their mistake best thing struggling people could come L and raised £145 whiattended -is- I . is to conflict between East and West as up with, and that now they've been exposed s Sent 'ch Was L its final outcome, rather than just the as being of no more use than the crooks The t°'therI$DC in latest episode in a much wider and older they replaced that we may as well pack - ' . . . , T$°¢'st1ll “' struggle by the great mass of humanity up and live unhappily ever after under Marxism could never provide us with needsinun to lead a decent and dignified existence capitalism - no way! the final victory in the class war because desperate1Y to defend ey and not to be robbed, oppressed and it didn't aim to get rid of the state - thQSe arrested alli murdered by whatever bunch of political Marxists are relative newcomers to the the centralised power structure capital+ 1 anal °W March- 31 gangsters happen to be around at any fight against the boss, and although they ism needs to be able to operate. They . . °°t°bsr zoos, on; St given time. H had a good analysis of capitalism, they took over the state, but its power tookii .Your '%.lQfit bK)w:' Se didn't have much idea of how and with over them - and destroyed whatever plans T, s In Russia in 1917 that struggle reached what to replace it. They came up with they may have had to carry the revolutions, I t° all those thé g a new high. People were sick of war, the ‘the revolutionary party‘ ~ a vanguard forward. After that, people no longeri - attended thati . t ruling class and repression - so they of educated, professional types who were slaved for a boss - the fruits of their R ~ n19ht.. . rose up and dealt with them. Unfortunately supposed to use our anger to take over labour were enjoyed by a new ruling class " - _ Bust Fund they allowed Lenin and his cronies to the state and then bring about a free, - the Partyri s I l l I g w g it ~ 1 ._ 1g; 4 _ ' CAGErELEVENs.s Six Counties, politics is never far away Gerry Adams' gand always intrudes into the narrative. Brandon Press Indeed, some of the book is a prisoner's- £4.95 o v, eye-view of the dramatic events going on 156 pages. outside. But, as is only fitting for an 18EIfF3E'\/1EN5 extraordinary jail, filled with extra- o ordinary inmates, most of the tales'i R ANARCHISM & ANARCHO-SYNDICALISM. and an economy based on people's needs ‘relate to life behind the wire and are Rudolf Rocker instead of on profit. a tribute to the solidarity, resilience Freedom.Press ' If nothing else, northern Ireland's and organisation of the prisoners. £1.25 'troubles' have produced some great Reading this book confirmed things working class writers. Take Bobby Sands A8 pages. I'd been thinking for a long time - that. for example. In another time and place 1|flIII" any ‘anarchism’ which doesn't put forward the man may well have passed unnoticed definite ideas about workplace and comm- as just another ghetto philosopher and I'll be honest - this was the first unity organisation is pie in the sky, poet, but the realities of life in the book on anarchism that I'd read for ages, that anarcho-syndicalism provides the Six Counties led him to take up arms and I was pleasantly surprised at how answers to all those awkward questions against the state and, eventually, to good it was! about ‘anarchist economics‘, and that r p death as a political prisoner. The up- since the term ‘anarchism’ was coined, heavals he lived through and the trad- The book doesn't contain the dry almost its entire history has centered ition he came from gave meaning and a theory that many of today's anarchists around anarcho-syndicalist organisations hard edge to his writings, which will whinge about, but a clear and easy to S and ideas: In short, that anarchism always shine through in revolutionary read essay which reflects the lessons means anarcho-syndicalism and that no-one literature. , learned by Rudolf Rocker during his 60- v has yet come up with any other viable plus years in the anarchist movement. suggestions for putting anarchism into Similarly you have Gerry Adams, one practise.lI of the sharpest political thinkers to s In this little book he not only come out of the conflict. If you want f describes anarchism in a nutshell and I to know about Republicanism and where gives short biographies of its early it's going, you couldn't do better than exponents, but also outlines well the . ‘ ' ’ ‘ - to read his book ‘The Politics of Irish anarchist case against the state and the ANARCHIST CLASSICS Freedom‘. political parties who would run it ‘on fwd?’ p - ,; I our behalf‘. g . _ _ Ii . His latest work, ‘Cage Eleven‘, is ti. 1 set in the early and mid-70's and sees For me the most important part of 1‘ Adams in a different incarnation; not It's all here; the burning of the _sgk the book is Rocker‘s view of anarcho- then the President of Sinn Fein or M.P. camp, the practical jokes (on ‘the Brits syndicalism - the belief that anarchism for West Belfast, but an internee (and and each otheri), the terrible food and will come about through the efforts of later a sentenced prisoner) in Long Kes the escape attempts - "I was only ¢flu8ht revolutionary trade unions and their prison camp - the forerunner of the twice" says the author. But the more hum- community-based equivalents. when det- notorious H-blocks. c s ourous moments are tBmP°F°d by tF&B§° t ailing the development of anarchist tales; of Fggney‘, 811013 dead Wh]-;!.B.. movements throughout the world he str- Wheres ‘Irish Freedom‘ is a straightj trying to escape; of Frank Staggv dYl"E esses the fact that they were all based political statement, ‘Cage Eleven‘ is on hunger-strike in an English Jail and around libertarian workers organisations a succession of short obsevations on B of prisoners who'd already served several which evolved in opposition to the auth- all aspects of prison life, some solemn sentences and who Wfluld 8° °n t° Serve oritarian Marxist view which saw unions and sad, some hilarious. While some have more in years to come. as merely stepping stones on which to \ only recently been set down, the rest climb to power. F-Rvuusn appeared in a jail column for the then- Adams observes that "I h°P°--- that ' fledgling paper ‘Republican News‘, for most of my readers this book is the By harnessing the revolutionary smuggled out of the prison by Adams and closest they ever get to finding out _ potential of syndicalist unions, anar- Rudulfflocker ‘ other inmates. Needless to say though, what a prison camp or any 0theT_Ja}1 15 chists were able to give their struggles j Cage Eleven is far more than just a jailer really 1iken_ But just in case it isn't, a political dimension beyond mere pay % Anamhismand journal - like life in the rest of the read ‘Cage Eleven‘! o and conditions. At the same time, mass A organised workers power was the means by I which anarchism could make the leap Anamhn-Syndicalism -. _ it-If .4’ from theory to reality. Unlike today's ” &—A' l» ‘,--| W’ .---5 *\ ‘ fili- unions, who's highest aim is for a Labour ‘ government and a few more crumbs from the bosses table, anarcho-syndicalism FREEDOM PRESS "-____ offers the re-organisation of society in favour of the producers and consumers, sn""%l“ <91 s?‘h" Ir! rs-sha