Direct Action www.direct-action.org.uk Spring 2008 contents

Direct Action is published by Solidarity Federation, British sec- Inside this issue: tion of the International Workers Association (IWA). 3: Editorial: Them & Us - the class war and economic slowdown DA is edited and laid out by the DA Collective, and printed by 5: Letters - respect / football fans bite back Clydeside Press. Views stated in these pages are 6: With Friends like these - what we can do about not necessarily those of the Direct unions failing to protect us Action Collective or the Solidarity Federation. 7: S. London SF Act against Underpaying Restaurant We do not publish contributors’ 8: London Coalition Against Poverty names. Please contact us if you want to know more. 10: Tenant Privacy Breached / Education Workers 11: No Such Thing as Class? - poverty / education / health Subscriptions (for 4 issues ) 14: War is Murder for Profit - Iraq, Afghanistan & the War Supporters – £10 on Terror Basic – £5 16: The First Casualty of War - Harry, the Media & Afghanistan (Europe – £10; rest of the world – £15) 17: International - Colombia / Poland cheques payable to ‘Direct Action’ 18: The ‘May Days’ - a turning point in the Spanish Revolution – return to: DA, PO Box 29, S.W.D.O., 22: International - Mexico / Iran Manchester, M15 5HW. 23: Unione Sindacale Italiana - interview with Italian anarcho-syndicalist To contribute - beyond bullets / making a killing / the anarchist past If you would like to help out or 26: Reviews contribute articles or photos, work / my revolutionary life / red mutiny is entirely voluntary. 31: Anarchism, Sex & Freedom - a closer look at the We welcome articles of between 250 and 1,500 words on industrial, fight against capitalism, patriarchy & repressive religious morality social/community and international issues; on working class history; 35: Contacts Directory and on anar- chist/anarchosyndicalist theory and history. Articles may be sent as hard copy, Aims of the Solidarity Federation on a disk or by email, and can only be returned if accompanied he Solidarity Federation is an organi- which arise from our oppression. We recog- by a request (and SAE if appropri- sation of workers which seeks to nise that not all oppression is economic, but ate). Tdestroy capitalism and the state. can be based on gender, race, sexuality, or Capitalism because it exploits, oppresses anything our rulers find useful. Unless we Contact us and kills people, and wrecks the environ- organise in this way, politicians – some ment for profit worldwide. The state claiming to be revolutionary – will be able to DA Collective, PO Box 29, South because it can only maintain hierarchy and exploit us for their own ends. West PDO, Manchester, M15 5HW privelege for the classes who control it and 07 984 675 281 their servants; it cannot be used to fight the The Solidarity Federation consists of locals [email protected] oppression and exploitation that are the which support the formation of future revo- consequences of hierarchy and source of lutionary unions and are centres for working privilege. In their place we want a society class struggle on a local level. Our activities Bulk Orders based on workers’ self-management, soli- are based on direct action – action by work- AK Distribution, PO Box 12766, darity, mutual aid and libertarian commu- ers ourselves, not through intermediaries Edinburgh, EH8 9YE, Scotland nism. like politicians or union officials – our deci- 0131 555 5165 sions are made through participation of the That society can only be achieved by work- membership. We welcome all working peo- [email protected] ing class organisation based on the same ple who agree with our aims and principles, www.akuk.com principles – revolutionary unions. These are and who will spread propaganda for social not Trades Unions only concerned with revolution and revolutionary unions. We or direct from the DA Collective ‘bread and butter’ issues like pay and con- recognise that the class struggle is world- ditions. Revolutionary unions are means for wide, and are affiliated to the International ISSN 0261-8753 working people to organise and fight all the Workers Association, whose ‘Principles of issues – both in the workplace and outside – Revolutionary Unionism’ we share. 2 Direct Action www.solfed.org.uk Spring 2008 editorial Them and Us class war, the credit crunch and a culture of resistance

otions of belong- What would you expect carry on as if nothing from public funds. We ing to the working to happen if you were to had happened? No? Well can add the case of Rose Nclass are…outdat- completely mess up your that’s exactly what hap- Gibb, the NHS boss who ed and belong to the era job? A £¾million golden pened with Tory MP, presided over Britain’s of flat caps, factories, goodbye plus £2.5million Derek Conway, after it worst superbug out- steel works and going pension pot? Maybe not, emerged he’d paid his break which contributed down the pit. but that’s what Adam son a full salary and par- to over 300 deaths at Applegarth, incompetent liamentary expenses for Maidstone and Such denials three years for not a tap Tunbridge Wells NHS by various of work. A stark con- Trust. Gibb has rejected academics, trast indeed to the treat- a £75,000 pay off and has politicians ment of those on or begun a legal claim for a and other below the poverty line bigger pay-off, reported commentators who come under the to be in the region of of what is as merest suspicion of fid- £¼million. plain as the dling their benefit nose on your claims. We could go on, but the face are one point is that these people clear reflec- These are just two of the not only get treated dif- tion of the more prominent exam- ferently, they absolutely ongoing class ples of how the system believe they are entitled war. Another is stacked in favour of to it. And with the com- is the inequal- our rulers and bosses. ing economic slowdown ity that is rife We can add the revela- guess who they think throughout tions regarding should bear the brunt. most aspects Prescott’s food bills, of Brown’s Blair’s TV licence, culture of resistance Britain. It is Brown’s cleaning costs with this in and Cameron’s mortgage And the attacks have mind that the Applegarth - got something to be pleased about? payments, all claimed already begun. The latest install- recent ment of our series ‘No former chief executive budget has such thing as class?’ (see of Northern Rock has removed page 11) has a look at walked off with after the 10p tax class divisions as shown master minding the first band while up by poverty and access run on a UK bank for the govern- to education and health over a century. No such ment is services. luxury though for the trying to 2,000 Northern Rock impose a expenses, fiddles & staff set to lose their 2% ceiling pay-offs jobs as a direct result. on public sector pay Yet another way the What would you expect rises over class division is mani- to happen if you were the next fest is in how people caught siphoning off three expect to be treated tens of thousands of years. If when things go wrong. pounds of your employ- this goes Or to put it another way er’s money to family and ahead it – it’s one rule for them friends? A 10 day sus- will and another rule for us. pension and then just Gibb - not enough to be pleased about? amount to

3 Direct Action www.direct-action.org.uk Spring 2008 editorial pay cuts for provided some millions of war commen- workers since, tary (see ‘War is as everyone murder for prof- knows, the it’, page 14, and real inflation ‘The first casu- rate is far alty of war’, higher than page 16) while the massaged this issue’s his- figure the torical focus is Treasury the Barcelona works with. ‘May Days’ of 1937, which However, there leading Labour’s attack on the working class were a major are signs of turning point in resistance. The coordi- can wrest control of the to widen. However, here the fortunes of the anar- nated one day strikes by struggle from our union there are also hopeful cho-syndicalist led social teachers and civil ser- leaders, prevent them signs of the growing cul- revolution that took vants that are due to go from doing shoddy and ture of resistance. One place during the Spanish ahead as we go to press inadequate deals behind inspiring development Civil War (see page 18). are to be applauded. If our backs and go on to involves the use of Amongst our interna- Labour’s attacks on the establish the basis of a direct action principles tional coverage we have British working class genuine culture of work- to tackle official shilly- an interview with a mili- are to be beaten off, ing class resistance to shallying and outright tant of the USI, our anarcho-syndicalists and capitalism. Such recent illegality in areas like Italian sister organisa- other workplace offerings by the likes of housing provision (see tion, which gives some activists must use the the Unison leadership ‘London Coalition insight into the issues anger and momentum and the way forward are Against Poverty’, page facing workers and anar- that is building to revi- the subject of ‘With 8). The potential for this cho-syndicalists in Italy talise and reestablish friends like these…’ (see kind of approach to (see page 23). As well as workplace based organi- page 6). empower people at the the usual review section sation and links between sharp end of Labour’s we also take a closer workplaces that go Beyond the workplace anti-working class offen- look at the relationships beyond the divisions too, the slowdown will sive are very clear. between patriarchy, capi- imposed by reformist inevitably exacerbate talism and religious trade unions. It is only the yawning inequality also in this issue... morality in ‘Anarchism, this kind of escalating that a decade of New Sex and Freedom’ (see pressure for action that Labour has only served Besides this, we have page 31). Enjoy the read.

Anarchist Writers & Publishers' Manchester Anarchist Bookfair Bookfair & Conference 1in12 Club Saturday 7th June - 11.00-5.00 21-23 Albion Street, Bradford, Jabez Clegg West Yorkshire, BD1 2LY 2 Portsmouth Street, Bookfair - Saturday 17th May Manchester, M13 9GB 12.00 - 6.00 (opp M/cr University Students Union) (followed by disco 8.30 - 11.30 !!) www.bookfair.org.uk Conference - Sunday 18th May [email protected] 10.00 - 4.00

4 Direct Action www.solfed.org.uk Spring 2008 letters your letters Reject Respect Dear DA, rised as ‘a united Further to your article on the front of a split in Respect. In February special Councillor Ahmed Hussain kind’. (right) defected from Respect- Footie SWP to the Conservatives, mak- As you said ing them the official opposition Respect on the council. was bound Fans Bite to come to It came about after initial talks grief as it with the Lib-Dems broke down. was writ- Back! Councillor Hussain had joined ten into its political DNA from the SWP and initially they its inception. What the SWP vehemently denied that any- has witnessed is the logical con- Dear DA, thing was happening only for sequences of its decision to him to appear in a local paper wind up the Socialist Alliance Since your article on the colonisa- shaking hands with the Tories! so that it could realign itself tion of football by capitalism with George Galloway and sec- (’Take Back the People’s Game’, The SWP then did their best to tions of the Muslim community DA 40), there have been some make light of Hussain’s trans- in an attempt to get their ideas interesting developments. fer of allegiance but the move and policies accepted by just underlines the paucity of default. They thought they Recently, Manchester United the SWP and other left parties could manipulate the ‘united announced annual profits of £212 forming front groups. It is also front’ to their own ends only to million, officially making them- part of the farce and now col- find themselves with egg on selves the second richest club in lapse of the scheme that the their faces. the world. The visit of the club’s SWP, supposedly the vanguard much-maligned American owners of Britain’s working class theo- In solidarity, Leon. the Glazer brothers, to Manchester didn’t go unnoticed, however (as you credentials by boycotting a game irony the King of Spin, a big pointed out, sea- against promotion rivals Burnley fan, has since become son ticket hold- Curzon Ashton, after the com- Chairman of fundraising for ers were pany televising the match Leukaemia Research. stumped with forced a change in kick- off a 12% hike in time. With Liverpool fans mounting a prices and a vociferous campaign against the compulsory And, on the 12th of February, club’s American owners, commer- retainer 2 fans invaded the pitch at the cial forces certainly aren’t getting scheme charg- Burnley v QPR game and things all their own way! ing them for cup unfurled a banner bearing the games). Some dis- message “Campbell Causes Dan, the Terraceman gruntled fans, having been tipped Leukaemia”. This made reference off about the brothers’ flying to Blair’s former spin doctor (Disclaimer: DA in no way con- visit, greeted them by discharging Alastair Campbell and his previ- dones such naughty behaviour!) the contents of an industrial ous justification of “smart” ura- ketchup container onto their limo nium-tipped bombs being dropped If you have any comments as they attempted to beat a hasty on Iraq by allied forces. There has exit from a city centre restaurant. since been an increase in about the content, or any leukaemia rates in affected other issues, please e-mail Rebel club FC United’s fans also regions, but by a further twist of or write to us. underlined their anti-corporate

5 Direct Action www.direct-action.org.uk Spring 2008 comment With Friends like why union bosses fail to protect our interests and what we

he experience of sacked Trust bosses themselves. in a snapshot why the workers’ nurse Karen Reissmann, movement has been so demor- Tand the inability of indus- During the strike, solidarity and alised and put firmly on the back trial action to achieve her rein- support from other workers was foot. Bosses like those who sacked statement, serves as a timely largely gleaned through word of Karen Reissmann for daring to reminder of the shortcomings of mouth and tireless campaigning speak out must be rubbing their today’s unions in their ability, by rank and file activists. But did hands in glee. The politicians will desire and commitment to effec- we at any time hear the Unison no doubt also see this test case as tively support workers in strug- big wigs calling for local or further vindication of their NHS gle. But all is not lost and for the national industrial action in sup- privatisation program and firm anarcho-syndicalist solution to port of Karen? Did the Unison anti-union stance. the tyranny of capitalism and yet hierarchy at any time discourage more sell-outs, read on! other members from scabbing the anarcho-syndicalist and thus undermining the brave alternative Despite the tenacity of Karen’s strikers‘ resolve? And, for that local Unison branch, who matter, against a tide of creeping Karen Reissmann and her col- remained on strike up until her public service privatisation and leagues’ experience shows exactly appeal, the response of the union cutbacks, do we see Unison cam- why we need syndicalist rank and nationally in promoting solidari- paigning for robust action to file unions. So, why would syndi- ty for her cause was pitiful. In counter this? The answer to these calist unions be so much more fact, the wholly inadequate questions is, predictably, ‘NO’. effective? response from the Unison leader- When public sector workers were ship contributed to the defeat of offered below inflation pay rises Well, in a nutshell, the power the strike every bit much as the for the third year running, did we structure of most of today‘s actions of the Primary Care see Unison standing firm for a unions mirrors that of capitalist better settlement? Not on your organisations. This fact, in itself, Nelly! is part of the problem. Rank and file unions, in contrast, retain That Unison still serves political direct workers’ control through funds to a New Labour regime at workplace based organisation and the forefront of attacks on work- mass assemblies. Rather than ers’ rights, pay and conditions is operating a band of (corruptible) quite frankly, laughable. At least boardroom based careerists, a the cash-for-honours brigade get system of instantly revocable, some payback for their invest- mandated delegates is preferred. ment. With Unison’s full-timers This ensures that delegates do sitting on committees with the not become divorced from the very bosses responsible for needs and aspirations of the rank destroying workers’ livelihoods, and file, and accountability is any faint hope that our welfare is maximised. Syndicalist organisa- being protected looks, at best, tions, unlike traditional unions, fleeting. But if the unions (partic- do not divide workers by trade. for free copies or bundles contact: ularly those with the membership Instead they recognise that work- ers, both internationally and in Solidarity Federation, PO Box 29, and resources that Unison com- any particular region, have simi- South West D.O., Manchester, mands) are so unwilling to resist lar interests and common adver- M15 5HW; attacks on our living standards, and are actively colluding with saries. Eventually, therefore, syn- 07 984 675 281; the forces behind these attacks, dicalism aims for the ultimate in [email protected] what hope is there? Very little, it workers’ solidarity; one big appears. This indictment explains union. 6 Direct Action www.solfed.org.uk Spring 2008 comment / organising These... South London SF Act against can do about it Underpaying Restaurant

Syndicalists hold no hope whatsoever top London restaurant The South London local of Mr that New Labour, Respect, the paid only £1.50 an hour Copeta’s union, Solidarity Socialist Workers Party or any other Ato a kitchen porter. Federation, wrote to the boss self-proclaimed vanguard can repre- setting out our member’s legal sent our interests in any way. History Cesare Copeta, a member of entitlement to the National has continually borne this out. But the Solidarity Federation’s Minimum Wage, payment for unions must also actively involve South London local, was wrongful dismissal and communities and those who use the employed by The Food Room, accrued holiday pay. We services and products of our labours owners of The French Table organised a picket outside the to be truly inclusive. We also recog- restaurant in Surrey and the restaurant at 6:30pm on nise that the interests of the worker Tom Ilic restaurant in Thursday 7th February. At the and boss will always be at odds, so Battersea, currently listed in start of the picket, the efforts to co-opt delegates on to man- Time Out’s Top 50 London employer agreed to pay the agement boards and seek compromis- restaurants. He was employed member his wages at a little es are fruitless. For these reasons, we as a kitchen porter at the Tom over the rate set at the see syndicalist unions as eventually Ilic restaurant and had National Minimum Wage and giving workers the confidence to applied for the job through an has also paid the member’s assume complete control of their advertisement in the Depart- accrued holiday pay. workplaces through continued strug- ment of Work and Pension’s gle. This will be achieved using Jobcentre Plus database. The South London local secre- proactive methods of industrial tary, Mike Ward, said: direct action. The ultimate tool in He worked 50 hours over a 2 our armoury is the general strike, weeks shift, but was then paid The catering industry is rid- with popular workers’ councils tak- only £75. Having been paid dled with long hours, low pay ing hold of the means of production only £1.50 per hour, he walked and shady practices. This is a as a prelude to operating these for out of the job in disgust. far cry from the glamorous the general good of society. Rank and world of file unions therefore also provide a celebrity means to build the new society with- chefs. We are in the shell of the old. This new soci- determined ety will be one based on libertarian to help work- communist principles, wherein we ers do some- all enjoy the full fruits of our labours thing about and have direct control over the day- the condi- to-day decisions affecting our lives, tions they livelihoods and communities. face.

In a climate of rising fuel and food If you are prices, cutbacks in jobs, wages, facing a sim- affordable housing and vital public ilar situa- services, as workers we are now bear- tion and ing the brunt of a chaotic economy want to which threatens to spiral into organise freefall. Now, more than ever, we against it, need powerful unions run for work- contact ers by workers, not career-minded fat the world of celebrity chefs is a South cats who kow-tow to our sworn ene- far cry from the world of low London mies. paid kitchen staff suffering long SolFed on hours and other shady practices 07956 446 162. The time for change is well overdue. 7 Direct Action www.direct-action.org.uk Spring 2008 organising London Coalition ne of the most exciting offices with the person affected immediately escalated their developments in London and between five and ten support- action by leafleting the people Oover the last year is the ers who will refuse to leave until waiting with information about formation of the London the person has been housed. their legal rights. Although ini- Coalition Against Poverty. LCAP tially threatening to call the is inspired by the Ontario LCAP’s approach is based on police the Housing Office backed Coalition Against Poverty in ‘Direct Action Casework’ (see down and took the application the Canada, who have created a suc- below) which has been used suc- same day, providing temporary cessful and empowering model of cessfully on several housing in a hostel. grassroots community organising occasions, in each over the last two decades. It case challenging the LCAP has also held brings together activists, advice unlawful refusal of consultations outside workers and campaigning groups accommodation to Hackney HPU to col- in order to tackle the causes and homeless people. For lect evidence about effects of poverty, merging advice example, LCAP was ‘gate-keeping’ and to work, direct action and libertari- approached by a man get people’s ideas an organising. who had lived on the about what they streets for some want to see changed LCAP’s work has been based in time. He had at the HPU. There Hackney and, to a lesser extent, approached the have been two suc- Haringey in the north east of Housing Office for cessful demos London. This is a pragmatic help and had been against ‘gate-keep- approach, reflecting where most turned away and pre- ing’ outside Hackney current members live or work. vented from making town hall. One was a The main focus over the year has a Homeless Person’s Halloween action been combating Hackney Application. LCAP called ‘a Night Left Council’s Homeless Persons brought five people to accompany on Mare Street’ where costumed Unit’s (HPU) use of ‘gate-keep- him to the Housing Office and revellers trick or treated council- ing’. This is the practice of misdi- demanded that the application be lors. The other was just before recting, lying and confusing peo- accepted. The Housing Office Christmas with a Dickens’ ple attempting to access housing. responded by offering an appoint- ‘Christmas Carol’ theme with the Officially ‘gate-keeping’ is illegal, ment in several days time. This ghosts of Christmas past, present but the practice is widespread was not good enough and LCAP and yet to come exposing amongst councils who attempt to manage demand for reduced housing stocks through making Direct Action Casework staff deny people a Homeless is about knowing our rights and using direct action to enforce them Person’s Interview which is their in the same way that workers use disruptive action (go-slows, work statutory right. to rule, sabotage and strikes) to gain their demands

LCAP started out leafleting out- applies this approach to life outside the workplace disrupting the smooth functioning of institutions which are failing to meet their side the HPU (which they still do legal requirements, forcing them to concede to our demands regularly) informing people of their rights and asking if they is designed to cut through official processes to get people what they had experienced ‘gate-keeping’. deserve and facilitates self-organising by the people directly affected Once they have a case they work enables those people, whose immediate problem having been by placing pressure in the form of resolved, to become involved in helping others without feeling that public collective action on the they need specialist expertise HPU office. A typical action is effective but it isn’t enough – campaign work is crucial to chal- involves a letter to the council lenge the underlying problems and extend the experience of direct explaining their obligations fol- action to a broader context lowed by a visit to the housing 8 Direct Action www.solfed.org.uk Spring 2008 organising Against Poverty Hackney’s ‘gate-keeping’ prac- dence, knowledge and skills. Casework in bailiff cases. tices. A future tactic will be to try to get the council to support a Other campaigns have included LCAP have also been working motion against ‘gate-keeping’ to the Haringey Anti-poverty with North London Action for the publicise the practice and use the Initiative, looking to tackle issues Homeless with documenting the motion to pressure the council in around debt, with the dual meth- numbers of rough sleepers and the future. ods of offering support the problems they face, to gath- and advice and con- er evidence to counter LCAP seeks to empower people fronting the finance Hackney Council’s ridicu- through solidarity rather than to companies mak- lous claim that there are duplicate the work of existing ing money out of only six street sleepers advice agencies. They always misery. Activities in the borough. This is make clear that they are working have centred a good of example of to change the unjust system of mainly on Noel LCAP’s attempts at which these cases are particular Park estate alliance building, to examples. But once they take on a including advice enable groups to share case the priority is to win. surgeries with the resources whilst retaining emphasis on using autonomy. LCAP is also LCAP have started doing training collective action and pick- facilitating a campaign of hos- days, helping people learn about eting Brighthouse, a company tel residents who want to chal- doing Direct Action Casework that specialises in fleecing people lenge the unsafe, overcrowded, and about the law around home- with poor credit ratings through unsanitary and poor conditions lessness. The first one was attend- extortionate interest on goods they are being forced to live in. ed by about 25 people who consid- brought. In the future they hope ered it a success. Whether this to map the main problems in the Although the successes LCAP will translate into many people area, build a support network have had have been small, they becoming involved is yet to be capable of mobilising when debt prove Direct Action Casework seen, although some were already collectors or bailiffs are in the does work. The last year has seen members gaining greater confi- areas and to use Direct Action LCAP consolidate and educate its membership base, build alliances, fund raise and build a solid foun- How to Enforce your Rights at Work dation for future growth and Held recently by LCAP, this workshop consisted of three sessions: action. In its second year it is looking to find a permanent office 1 ‘Exploring Workers’ Rights’, looked at basic rights through explor- (it currently has a temporary one ing what rights apply in particular scenarios and where to find in the London Activist Resource sources of further information. Participants received a booklet Centre), expand its activities into containing what was covered in this session. other parts of London and apply 2. ‘The Whys and Hows of Organising’, was divided into two sec- Direct Action Casework to other tions relevant issues. a. ‘Why Organise at Work?’, was presented by South London Solidarity Federation, and looked at the specific reasons why we Like what you’ve read?...then need to organise to enforce our rights and the other benefits of organising in your workplace. get in touch: b. ‘How we Organise’ was led by the London Industrial Workers of 07 932 241 737 the World and focused on the nuts and bolts of organising, look- ing at different ways and models of working collectively and at londoncoalitionagainstpoverty their strengths and weaknesses. @gmail.com The feedback was pretty positive and LCAP intend to do more training in different parts of London, including more in-depth sessions focus- lcap_news-subscribe ing on particular issues. @riseup.net

9 Direct Action www.direct-action.org.uk Spring 2008 comment / organising Exposed: Social Landlord Education Workers Breaches Tenant Privacy Network new housing association media power to back the trans- olFed members in education in Lambeth, Community fer against opposition to it from Srecently held the 4th EWN ATrust Housing, provided the Defend Council Housing national conference in Liverpool personal details of over a thou- campaign group. considering among other things: sand tenants and leaseholders in a serious breach of the Data CTH took possession proceed- new publicity material – stickers, Protection Act. ings in the Lambeth County intro leaflet and poster to adver- Court against the five properties tise Education Worker Community Trust Housing that were occupied by unknown solidarity messages, including (CTH) gave a 30 page spread- persons. On Friday 25th January disputes at Keele University and sheet containing over a thou- 2008 they were awarded posses- Leicester Adult Education College sand names, addresses, phone sion of the properties. It was in numbers, dates of birth, and attempting to prove the legal tips for workplace activists on dates of tenancies and leases to determination of previous ten- working within and outside offi- ‘persons unknown’ as part of a ancies that the document was cial union structures court action to gain possession submitted to the court. the following statement on the of five houses. These documents However the document also con- current dispute over the pay bar- were filed with the court and tained the details of over a thou- gaining in Higher Education attached to the outside front sand other tenants and lease- door of each of the properties, holders. There was no attempt to EWN Statement on where anyone walking past erase or block out the details of could have read them. Given the other properties not affected ‘single table bargaining’ recent incidents with organisa- in the court proceedings. “EWN has a 2-pronged approach - tions being casual with personal on one hand we favour all Higher data, there was certainly enough These proceedings are public Education workers combining there for identity theft. and the court documents form their industrial muscle; on the part of the public record. Any other hand we oppose national CTH was set up in 2007 after a person can inspect the court bargaining ‘at any price’, especial- transfer of over 1000 homes on record and access these private ly an employer-dictated time-table the Stockwell Park Estate from details. It is a serious breach of designed to avoid industrial Lambeth Council. It is promoted the Data Protection Act and action by lecturers interfering as a tenant-led housing associa- shows that it is not just govern- with student exams. tion whereby seven of the ment that is cavalier with peo- twelve member board are ple’s data. Given the state of the unions appointed by tenants, four are there’s a danger of national pay independently selected and one SolFed fights for the rights of bargaining ending up as a glori- is a Lambeth councillor. At the workers at work and where they fied works council (a bureaucratic time of the tenant ballot on the live. We support community body dominated by a management transfer, it briefly became head- involvement in managing hous- agenda, with employers consult- line news after New Labour ing but will continue to keep ing union leaders in a manner acolyte Polly Toynbee used her watching the management. totally detached from the needs of ordinary members). There’s a crying need in Higher Education for more contact between activists in workplaces to promote greater militancy and greater solidarity between differ- ent groups of workers across union divisions. This is a key aim of EWN and ultimately we wish to see a single, militant, fighting union for all education workers.” 10 Direct Action www.solfed.org.uk Spring 2008 class No such thing as class?

After winning the 1959 election, Harold Macmillan a Tory Prime Minister announced that "the class war is over" - and promptly formed a cabinet boasting four lords. Forty years later, Tony Blair, Labour Prime Minister declared that "We are all middle-class now" and politicians, academ- ics and social commentators continue to tell us there is no longer such a thing as class in mod- ern Britain. Notions of belonging to the working class are, we are told, outdated and belong to era of flat caps, factories, steel works and going down the pit. However no matter how many times we are told this we seem determined not to believe it. In a Guardian/ICM poll in October 2007 most British people still feel bound by class; with a massive majority - 89 per cent - of those surveyed feeling their social standing determines the way they are judged by the rest of society. Poverty in the UK: a denial of human rights

report by the to eradicate poverty. Judged tudes can become embed- Joseph Rowntree ded as 'povertyism' - a AFoundationhas Discrimination against Those who are discrimi- phenomenon akin to concluded that many people on the grounds of nated against can feel racism or sexism people in the United their poverty is a com- that they are being Kingdom are being sub- mon but relatively unac- judged and found want- There are deeply held jected to discrimination knowledged feature of ing as individuals, that views amongst the public on the grounds of pover- life in the UK. This dis- their right to belong in about the 'deserving' and ty. The refusal of succes- crimination can range society is under question the 'undeserving' poor. sive governments to from subtle differences and that they are des- This is reflected in gov- incorporate the in treatment by service tined to be excluded from ernments’ resistance to International Covenant providers and the gener- the benefits of increas- highlighting wealth re- of Economic, Social and al public to the failure to ing prosperity experi- distribution as a means Cultural Rights into UK provide basic necessi- enced by the majority. of combating poverty. law has compounded ties, such as adequate common social attitudes incomes and shelter; Such discrimination is Equality and Human that denigrate people things that are regarded sometimes based on Rights who experience poverty as fundamental human views that people living and that undermine pop- rights by the world com- in poverty are inferior or The new Equality and ular support for policies munity. of lesser value. Such atti- Human Rights 11 Direct Action www.direct-action.org.uk Spring 2008 class

Commission is required to priori- tion sector has "emerged pre-emi- class to public schools, with the tise the rights protected by the nent in the British education sys- Church and philanthropists wield- UK's Human Rights Act, which tem" and was "perpetuating the ing significant influence over the generally excludes economic, apartheid which has so dogged system. The same situation is re- social and cultural rights, in its education and national life in asserting itself now: community human rights work. Moreover UK Britain since the Second World schools for the working class, faith equality law does not specifically War". schools for the middle-class and pri- cover poverty, which means the vate and public schools for the top Commission cannot take anti-dis- For Seldon, the independent edu- echelons of British society. crimination cases on poverty, as it cation sector, which accounts for can where discrimination is based 7% of British children, Advantages on sex, race, disability, religion or belief, age or sexual orientation. "cream[s] off the best pupils, the Of course the middle classes start best teachers, the best facilities, the with a huge advantage. We have Of course the Commission would best results and the best university always had an educational system have its work cut out if it included places. If you throw in the 166 that is socially selective. The richer poverty and class within its remit. remaining grammar schools, you are, the better the school to After all the economic system we which are predominantly middle which you send your children, live under, capitalism, is based on class and private schools in all but whether private or state, specialist inequality, it could not function name, the stranglehold is almost or non-specialist. Even the govern- without it. To try and eradicate total." ment's own research, and ministers, poverty would need a revolution- acknowledge the use of 'covert ary overhaul of society, something Britain's current education struc- selection' by the leading state the Equality and Human Rights ture is increasingly coming to schools to produce "socially segre- Commission or indeed the Joseph resemble that of the Victorian era. gated intakes". Rowntree Foundation really don't Then, the working class went to ele- want to see. mentary schools, the middle class to The increase in educational grammar schools and the upper inequality along class lines hasn't Education inequality widening

t has been reported that 85% of white boys from poor back- Igrounds leave school without attaining five good GCSE's. It seems that white boys in disadvan- taged areas are the lowest per- forming group of pupils in schools after the small population of Traveller children, unsurprising- ly though nearly half of their wealthier classmates in England hit the government's target of five GCSE's at grades A* to C, includ- ing English and Maths.

This follows some recent remarks made by Dr Anthony Seldon, mas- ter of Wellington College in Berkshire and a biographer of Tony Blair, that the private educa-

12 Direct Action www.solfed.org.uk Spring 2008 class happened in isolation: it is a reflection of how this country has changed Health - better not be poor over the last thirty years. Back in 2000 Ofsted, the t has always been the Office for Standards in case that the rich live Education reported on Ilonger than the poor. educational inequality Now the government's and noted the “strong own figures have con- direct association firmed that health between social class inequality as measured background and success by life expectancy and in education” to put it infant mortality has got simply, the higher a worse since Labour came child's social class, the to power. greater are their attain- ments on average. It also Babies born to poor fam- saw evidence that “the ilies now have a 17% inequality of attainment higher than average between social classes chance of dying, com- has grown since the late pared to a 13% higher 1980s", than average chance 10 Aged, said that the fig- commitment that no one years ago and the life ures represented a "stag- should be disadvantaged This a reversal of the expectancy of people liv- gering failure" on behalf by where they live, the first three-quarters of ing in poverty has fallen of the government. reality is that people who the 20th century with the further behind the aver- are poor, or who live in levels of inequality back age, particularly for "The starkest demonstra- poor communities, die to where they were fifty women, than it was tion of the gap between earlier." years ago and, much around the time of Tony rich and poor can be seen more worryingly, there Blair's election. in the gulf in life Poor communities are are no signs that this is expectancy between dif- become poorly served going to be reversed in David Sinclair, the head ferent social groups. communities and are dis- the near future. of policy at Help the Despite the government's proportionably affected by gaps in NHS provision and cut- backs leading to a cycle of disadvan- tage and poor health.

Given that cutting health inequalities was supposedly one of the Labour Government's pri- orities the figures are a bit of an embarrassment for them but more importantly it shows that when it comes to the distri- bution of resources the working class is left at the end of the line picking up what's left. 13 Direct Action www.direct-action.org.uk Spring 2008 war commentary War is Murder Iraq, Afghanistan and the

s hard as the expense. It is no coinci- A few months after the Council. Meanwhile, as mass media and dence that the richest invasion of Iraq the US figures for conflict-relat- Apoliticians try to state in the world, the corporation, Hallibur- ed deaths peak at over a convince us otherwise, US, is endowed with suf- ton, secured $7 billion million (and growing the mounting death toll ficient weaponry to dollars worth of busi- daily), many Iraqis are and carnage in Iraq enable it to intimidate ness to ‘rebuild’ the still without clean water, serves as a daily and outgun weaker ones, country with contracts electricity and sanita- reminder of the violent furthering its global eco- in its oil and gas infra- tion. nature of both capitalism and Far from being the state forces anarchy, the which preserve chaos which it. reigns today is the direct result A world econo- of imperialist my under- and insurgent pinned by the factions’ bloody unending pur- battle to assume suit of profits, control of Iraq’s new markets resources and and control of people for their scarce own selfish ends. resources like The ordinary oil, inevitably Iraqi has become creates nations justifiable ‘col- constantly at lateral damage’ odds with each in their power- other. This in crazed megalo- turn generates mania. militarism, conflict and nomic interests in the structure. Other corpo- war as rival elites seek process. Economic and rations such as Bechtel The fabled ’war on ter- to preserve and expand military power go hand benefited similarly with ror’ was merely a con- their empires at our in hand. contracts worth $34 mil- venient smokescreen lion. Both organisations used by Bush and Blair maintain close links to justify the pre-emp- As much as oil is the lifeblood for the with the US Senate. Vice tive invasions of both entire world economy, control over oil President Dick Cheney Iraq and Afghanistan. serves the profit and power interests of was a former CEO of Far from making the small elites among governments and Halliburton, and Bech- world a safer, more tel’s Chief Executive, secure place, the grue- corporations. Riley P. Bechtel, was some exploits of the (Michael Renner in Fuelling Conflict) appointed to the Bush allied military forces administration’s Export has functioned only to 14 Direct Action www.solfed.org.uk Spring 2008 war commentary for Profit War on Terror

stimulate an upsurge in plus the US has spent tanks bought from the With the ‘war on terror’ reactionary Islamic fun- waging the war in Iraq UK government. (or more accurately ‘war damentalism and terror- could provide clean for oil’) having further ism. It is also of sickly water, food, sanitation the health of the state destabilised an already irony that the ‘war on and education for every- conflict-ridden world, terror’ has generated a one on the planet. The Wars will always be the potential for a grave climate of fear which arms trade helps to keep fought as long as we military catastrophe is those in power have rich countries rich and allow a tiny minority to exaggerated in a post- used to strengthen their poor countries poor. In manipulate us, dictate to cold war era which has position by systematical- 2004 wealthy nations us and rule over us. The seen the modernisation ly eroding our basic lib- sold $22 billion worth of politicians, corporations and proliferation of erties. weapons to less devel- and their puppet media nuclear and biological oped countries and US are all in cahoots. Like weaponry. the profits of doom sales alone accounted monarchs of old, they for $18.6 million worth of initiate wars under false Nevertheless, the corpo- The profit motive acts exports. pretenses, but rarely die rate media machine still without conscience or Arms are sold without in them. The use of the peddles the eternal myth regard poor as that thousands of years to cannon of human evolution has human fodder finally perfected an eco- cost. and the nomic system to benefit War and promo- mankind as a whole. the tion of Likewise, the authorities insidi- national, project a perpetual aura ous religious of legitimacy, responsi- trade in and bility and control. The arms racial reality behind these lies repre- divisions is a brutal, chaotic sys- sent cap- to further tem which impoverishes italism the greed millions and executes a at its of the highly self-destructive most minority battle for resources that abhor- is the threatens us all with rent and perennial eventual annihilation. destructive. Money spent regard to consequence. legacy of governments Only with the complete on weapons and war is For instance, between throughout history. The and total superceding of money not spent on the 1970s and their even- squaddies and civilians these systems and struc- meeting basic needs. tual withdrawal, the sacrificed in tures, along with the ide- There are 24,000 people Indonesian state’s brutal Afghanistan and Iraq ological apparatus starving to death in the imperialist genocide in represent only the tip of which supports them, world every day, yet the East Timor was waged the iceberg in a cam- will the war machine UN has calculated that using weapons such as paign without, it seems, become a distant memo- half of the $87 billion Hawk jets and Scorpion any end in sight. ry. 15 Direct Action www.direct-action.org.uk Spring 2008 war commentary The First Casualty of War Harry, the Media and Afghanistan

gainst the backdrop of a Of course, this overblown cover- ly grasped and manipulated in resurgent Taliban, mount- age amounted to nothing more much the same way as the swish Aing casualties and a con- than cheap propaganda. Royals army recruitment ads which con- summate failure to win the hearts and minds of the popu- lation, the powers that be needed something pretty radi- cal to bolster support for their flagging military occupation of Afghanistan. Enter stage left, Prince Harry!

In a tour which publicist Max Clifford described as “a very calculated public relations exercise”, the Prince, much maligned by the tabloids in his hard partying and Nazi uniform wearing days, was spectacularly catapulted to hero status. The stirring cov- Harry’s ‘action’ involved calling in air strikes on Taliban positions using ‘Kill TV’ erage of the third in line to the throne’s Afghan posting com- apparently willing to risk one of veniently sidestep the gory truth manded 11 pages each in the their own, allowing Harry to be of war. They lie, we die. Daily Mail and Daily Express, cast as one of ‘our boys’, and the and 6 of the Daily Telegraph’s accompanying jingoism all The servicemen and women precious broadsheets. The Sun, evoked a tired old nationalist fan- killed and maimed on active serv- notorious for its warmongering tasy of the mythical good old days ice at the time the Harry story “Gotcha!” headlines during the of Empire when Britannia ruled broke, warranted barely a men- Falklands conflict, demonstrated the waves – when Britannia tion. On his return to Brize uncharacteristic restraint, dedi- raped, plundered and enslaved Norton air base, the plane trans- cating a mere 6 pages to the story. huge portions of the globe. porting Harry also carried two injured squaddies, one of whom they lie, we die had lost two limbs. Neither was there any mention that many The phrase “truth is the first members of the armed forces will casualty of war” has never be faced with scrabbling for prop- been more apt. Tony Blair, er care, support, employment or when challenged on the benefits on their return home unlikely prospect of sending from duty. his own offspring to war, once baulked “I would love to send We will not be fooled. Without the my children to Iraq”. This was wholesale backing of the propa- as patently ridiculous as the ganda machine of the mass idea of Harry being exposed media, nationalism and the greed to any real danger. But as a of the ruling class, along with the propaganda coup, Harry’s wars they cause, would be seen The Sun’s take on the uniform exploits were opportunistical- for the obscenities they really are.

16 Direct Action www.solfed.org.uk Spring 2008 international

Colombia Poland In the Face of Violent Threats Solidarity Appeal

n March a number of in conjunction with the he following information comes via organisations in Leeds Friends of the IWA in our comrades in the ZSP (Union of Ipresented a day event on Colombia and in attempting TSyndicalists Poland). human rights in Colombia. to launch anarcho-syndical- Amnesty Internation-al and ist unions there and in other In February Lionbridge Poland sacked the Yorkshire and Humber- Latin American states. To Jakub G., an elected representative of the side TUC provided speakers this end, West Yorkshire SF Krakow Workers Federation (KFP), a new and there was a large dele- distributed its own interpre- union founded last December based on gation of Colombian trade tation of the conflict and direct democratic principles. Lionbridge, unionists from the CUT some routes towards solu- a U.S. multinational, offering translation union. Why Colombia and tions (contact W Yorks SF and ‘localisation’ services, was far from why the emphasis on trade for a copy). We feel the solu- happy at this development. unions and human rights? tion, which in the case of Colombia is suffering a low Colombia will be not fast in Before Jakub’s dismissal another rep was level civil war on several coming, does not rely on approached by management seeking fronts – between the state, petitioning ministers and union approval to sack Jakub for suppos- paramilitary groups (many the like (the Foreign Office edly leaking ‘company secrets’, transfer- of them sponsored by the Minister, Kim Howells, was ring confidential data and damaging the army), the army itself, drug pictured recently smiling in company’s image in an internet article. barons and the ‘leftist’ guer- a photograph with KFP, of course, reminded bosses of rillas of the FARC and ELN. Colombian army battalions Jakub’s status as a protected union rep Some 4,000 trade unionists responsible for murdering but they responded only by going ahead have been murdered, often trade unionists) but in with the sacking, based on no evidence by paramilitaries, who are fomenting grass roots whatsoever, and despite someone else opposed to any workers’ organisation of women, admitting to writing the article. organisations that act trade unionists and others. against their interests. Jakub is seeking reinstatement in the One heartening story told at Polish labour court. Sackings like this are The conference highlighted the conference was that of fairly common in Poland, especially when the situation of trade union- some fifty women in a small a new union is set up. ‘Leaking condiden- ists, women, lesbians and town who, in the face of vio- tial information’ or ‘acting to the detri- gays and others who do not lent threats made from vari- ment of the company’ is the usual story, fit the state’s or the ‘armed ous sides, marched against while workers are usually reinstated by actors’’ view of society. The violence against women. the courts. However, it means that these IWA has been prominent in Such acts are truly heroic people’s workplace organising skills, espe- campaigning on Colombia and deserve our support. cially crucial for new unions, are absent for months on end.

The court case against Lionbridge will cost about US$3,000 and will almost cer- tainly be won, but it might take more than a year. All donations are very welcome and can be returned upon winning the case. Please contact [email protected] for details about how to send bank transfers and for more information about KFP. A full list of Lionbridge offices around the world with their addresses can be found on www.lionbridge.com. Howells posing with the High Mountain Battalion of the Colombian Army, which is accused of killing trade unionists; also pictured is General Mario Montoya for more international articles (behind and left of Howells) who is linked to right wing death squads see pages 22-25 17 Direct Action Spring 2008 The ‘May Days’ in May marks the anniversary of one of the most infamous events in the h

he ‘May Days’ in Barcelona del Trabajo – National Confedera- thus faced repression from death 1937 was the turning point of tion of Labour) playing a major role squads recruited by the authorities Tthe Spanish Civil War and in organising workers and leading and funded by the Church. Spanish Revolution, when counter- armed opposition to the fascist mili- revolutionary forces moved against tary uprising. The dictatorship fell in 1931 and the anarchists, imposing greater Spain returned to a republican sys- control over the Spanish working Spain had been in a state of social tem with the election of a Socialist/ class and reintroducing capitalist and political flux for much of the Liberal alliance. The alliance didn’t modes of production. 20th century, laying the basis for last long, however, with attacks civil war. Being neutral during coming from insurrectionists on the Mainstream historians often World War 1 Spain traded with both left and military unrest on the remember the Spanish Civil War as sides leading to the industrialisa- right. Right wing parties won the a fight between a democratically tion of some regions like Catalonia. 1933 elections and Spain entered elected government of Socialists This economic boom saw the another period of repression. At and Liberals and the combined growth of the two main labour this time the Socialist Party began forces of fascist army generals and organisations, the UGT (historically to move to the left with talk of the Catholic clergy. What is often for- linked with the Spanish Socialist need for ‘proletarian revolution’ gotten, however, is the social revolu- Party) and the CNT. and ‘a workers’ government’. tion that shook capitalism and the Meanwhile, at their Zaragoza con- Spanish state to its very foundation. general strikes gress, the CNT also looked ahead to The Spanish Revolution marked a the kind of world they wanted to high point, not only in the workers’ From 1917 there was a wave of revo- create, a system they called ‘liber- movement with the anarcho-syndi- lutionary unrest, with a nationwide tarian communism’. calist CNT (Confederación Nacional general strike in 1917 seeing unified action between the two big labour the looming conflict unions, with the UGT much more willing to deal with the government In February 1936 the Socialists were and to return to work. A CNT-led once again in power with the elec- general strike also broke out in 1919 tion of a Popular Front government in Barcelona, with 100,000 workers of Socialists, Liberals and other left walking off the job forcing the wing and regional nationalist par- Spanish government to pass the ties. The Communist Party at this world’s first eight hour day law. By time was a small fringe group with 1919 CNT membership had swelled little significance either in state pol- to about 755,000, roughly 10% of the itics or among the working class. active adult population, putting it The CNT, who had previously dis- far ahead of its Socialist rival. couraged members from voting in elections, took only a nominal posi- This revolutionary activity gave tion on abstaining in return for the way in 1923 to the military dictator- release of political prisoners and to ship of General Primo de Rivera. prepare for the looming conflict. ‘Free Unions’, originally set up by right-wing Catholics, were intro- On July 17th 1936 fascist military duced and the UGT and CNT were generals launched their coup. While suppressed. The UGT came to terms a swift takeover was intended the with the dictatorship and continued nationalist forces met much resist- to operate, being promoted as a ance. The workers in Barcelona ‘responsible’ alternative to the CNT were well prepared and well armed which refused to capitulate and after raids on army barracks, forc-

18 www.solfed.org.uk our history n Barcelona 1937 history of anarcho-syndicalism and the wider working class movement

The essential ing over the means of production point of the sys- and the militias were marching to tem was social Aragon to liberate it from the fas- equality between cists, the apparatus of the state, officers and men. however, was not challenged. There Everyone from was set up instead a Central Anti- general to private Fascist Militias Committee drew the same (CAMC), which had representatives pay, ate the same not only from the CNT but also food, wore the from the POUM and bourgeois same clothes, and Catalan political parties. Within a mingled on terms few months the CAMC was dis- of complete solved, the ‘Generalitat’ (the equality...In theo- Catalan government) was reconsti- ry at any rate tuted and the CNT entered the each militia was Generalitat on September 28th, 1936, a democracy and taking over the Department of Food not a hierar- Supplies. Thus concessions by the chy...They had CNT leadership towards the state attempted to pro- had started already. Whilst workers duce within the were instituting libertarian com- militias a sort of munism the CNT’s leading lights temporary work- were rubbing shoulders with ing model of the Catalan nationalists and the classless society. Communist Party.

Away from the communist influence front classless models of socie- Political manoeuvrings within the ty were also con- government also became apparent structed. The and the dictatorial aims of the CNT, as the Communists soon manifested them- barricade in Barcelona, 19th July 1936 largest union, selves in the new order. The now held de facto Communists had always been an ing the fascists to surrender after power in Catalonia and other areas. unimportant minority in Catalonia two days of fighting. Popular resist- The hated Civil Guard was replaced and the rest of Spain but, by a ance spread quickly to Spain’s other by Workers’ Patrols; industries series of clever manoeuvres, major cities and anti-fascist mili- came under workers control; hotels including uniting with the Socialist tias were organised by each major like the Ritz, once playgrounds of Party of Catalonia (PSUC), their political party and union. CNT mili- the rich and famous, were now open influence increased. To the tias fought alongside ones formed to all with affordable meals (free for Communists the POUM, due to its by the likes of the POUM (a small families of militia fighters); big Trotskyite tendency, signified a Marxist party to the left of the estates were collectivised by rural rival party that had to be eliminat- Socialist Party), the Communists workers; churches were gutted and ed. The Soviet Union strongly sup- and the UGT. The CNT militias their contents burnt in the streets ported these manoeuvres. Arms were organised on a non-hierarchi- as a show of defiance against the and shipments of food arrived from cal basis. In Homage to Catalonia, powerful clergy. the USSR and the Communist prop- George Orwell, who fought in a aganda machine started using this POUM militia, described the set up: Whilst the working class were tak- support for their political purposes. 19 Direct Action www.direct-action.org.uk Spring 2008 our history

Conflicts between the CNT and Monday May 3rd the Communists UGT arose. The Workers’ Patrols made their decisive move. Truck- for more on the Spanish who had smashed the fascists in loads of assault guards drew up Revolution see units 15 to July acted were dominated by to the telephone exchange which, 18 of A History of Anarcho- th anarchists and syndicalists. The since July 19 the exchange had Syndicalism, downloadable Communists of the UGT now been controlled by the CNT, caus- demanded equal representation, ing clashes with the Generalitat from www.selfed.org.uk something they were in no way since the CNT controlled tele- entitled to due to their insignifi- phone links, border controls and workers were spreading the barri- cant number. The UGT members the control patrols. The assault cades further into the suburbs. left the patrols and devoted their guards stormed the exchange tak- attention to winning over the ing the CNT militants on the increasing tension police to their side. Friction arose lower floors by surprise and dis- between the police and the arming them. On the upper In the face of increasing tension Workers’ Patrols which, in some floors, however, they met dogged the CNT Regional Committee sent places resulted in fighting with a resistance thanks to a strategical- representatives to the govern- number of dead and wounded. ly placed machine gun. ment to negotiate an end to the conflict. Premier, Tarradellas, and The following is an example of News of the attack spread like Minister of the Interior, Aiguade, preparations being made for a wildfire, workers threw up barri- were asked to remove the police conflict against the anarchists: cades all over the city and angry in order to pacify the population. Tarradellas and Aiguade assured On Friday March 5th 1937, a few denied knowledge of the incident individuals presented an order, at the telephone exchange. But it signed by Vallejo, director of the was proved later that Aiguade arms factories, to the arsenal in had himself ordered the occupa- Barcelona, to hand over to them tion. The Regional Committee ten armoured cars. The director asked workers to remain calm of the arsenal found the docu- and everything would be done to ment in order and delivered the compel the police to leave. But cars. At the last moment doubts workers remained on guard, mis- arose as to the authenticity of the trustful of the apparent peace. In order, and the director telephoned the solidly anarchist working to Vallejo for verification. The class suburbs of Barcelona the document proved to be forged, police were disarmed by workers but in the meantime the armour- without resistance. ed cars had been driven away. They were followed and observed In the early hours of May 4th the to go into the Voroschilov shooting started. The police occu- Barracks, belonging to the pied the Palace of Justice and PSUC, that is, the communists. militants demanding weapons seized a number of CNT head- besieged union offices. The quarters. In the face of such The purpose of stealing these defence committees of the CNT, provocation the CNT officially armoured cars would become which had existed since the dark called for calm in an address to tragically clear in May. days of dictatorship, mobilised the people of Barcelona: themselves. The POUM, also the may days begin under fire from Communist Workers of the CNT! Workers of attacks, took up arms at their the UGT! Don’t be deceived by May Day 1937, the traditional day own barricades. Orwell wrote these manoeuvres. Above all else, of the workers’ movement, was that ‘the POUM leaders were furi- Unity! Put down your arms. Only not celebrated in the most revolu- ous at being dragged into this one slogan: We must work to beat tionary city in the world. The affair, but felt that they had got to fascism! Down with fascism! Generalitat announced that May stand by the CNT’. In other areas 1st was to be a day of work for the of Catalonia civil Guards were Despite the CNT’s ‘responsibility’, sake of war production. However, disarmed and PSUC offices were PSUC agents provocateurs didn’t it was the ongoing conflicts seized as a ‘preventive measure’. stop their attacks. Late in the between labour organisations There was no firing on the first afternoon, an exceptionally cruel that lay behind their decision. On night and by the second day the and bloody incident occurred, not 20 Direct Action www.direct-action.org.uk Spring 2008 our history far from Casa CNT, headquarters Political killings continued after major Republican offensive, Com- of the Regional Committee. Two the May events. For instance, on munist death squads wandered cars were approaching the Casa May 5th, Communists murdered over the battlefields executing but were ordered to stop and sur- the Italian anarchist Camillo wounded anarcho-syndicalists. render weapons at a barricade of Berneri, a philosophy professor Catalan city guards and PSUC and exile from Italian fascism. On No appeal was made on a class members. As the occupants were May 11th, the mutilated bodies of basis to workers in other coun- getting out of the car they were twelve young anarchists were tries because the Popular Front shot down in the street. dumped at a cemetery. Andreu strategy did not portray the fight Nin, the POUM leader, was arrest- as essentially a struggle for work- provocation continues ed, tortured and finally assassi- ing class power. As Orwell wrote: nated by Communist agents and As the days wore on provocation his party was outlawed. Once the war had been narrowed by the counter-revolutionary down to a ‘war for democracy’ it PSUC continued despite calls for Political manoeuvrings also con- became impossible to make any calm from the anarchist leaders. tinued. Caballero, the Socialist large-scale appeal for working Juan García Oliver and Federica leader, was ousted and replaced class aid abroad…The way in Montseny, both well-known anar- with Juan Negrín who was more which the working class in the chists, and controversially minis- sympathetic to the Communists. democratic countries could really ters in the national government, The CNT were also banished from have helped Spanish comrades called for the workers to leave the both the national and Catalan was by industrial action - strikes barricades and lay down their governments. The Communists and boycotts. No such thing ever arms to preserve anti-fascist were victorious and the counter- began to happen. unity. A member of the POUM revolution had set in. Spain was described what happened at a bar- soon riddled with Soviet secret Whilst victory for the revolution ricade in reaction to Montseny’s agents. Appeals were made to was never a certainty, its doom radio speech: was made certain in May 1937. The inability of the workers to The CNT mili- take the offensive against count- tants were so er-revolutionary forces damned furious they their efforts entirely. They were pulled out not helped by their so-called lead- their pistols ers, anarcho-politicians like and shot the Montseny and García Oliver, who radio. It made concession after concession sounds incred- and continually called for calm ible but it hap- whilst revolutionary workers pened in front were butchered in the street. of my eyes. They were provocation continues absolutely furious, and However, May 1937 offers impor- yet they barricade in Barcelona, May 1937 tant lessons to anarcho-syndical- obeyed. They ists and all revolutionaries. The might be anarchists, but when it Stalin for weapons that often actions of the Communists show came to their own organisation never came. The war was now to them for what they truly are, they had tremendous discipline. be presented as merely a conflict another ruling class in waiting. between democracy and fascism The actions of the anarchist min- On May 6th workers began to dis- in a vain hope for international isters also serve as proof that the mantle the barricades. The PSUC support. The revolutionary mili- politics of the state are a dead immediately took advantage and tias were absorbed into a regular end for the working class. The seized the telephone exchange. army and their democratic, non- state is corrupt in itself and can- The government, now in Valencia hierarchical practices lost. Land not be used to bring revolution after fleeing fascist bombardment was returned to the landlords and just as a thorn bush cannot pro- in Madrid, sent assault guards to factories handed back to the bour- duce figs. Only the actions of the maintain order in Barcelona. The geoisie. The CNT were now offi- workers themselves can bring revolution was now well and truly cially enemies of the state. Even about revolution and a truly liber- lost. at the Battle of the Ebro, the last tarian communist society. 21 Direct Action www.direct-action.org.uk Spring 2008 international

Mexico Iran Sexual and Bad Hijab Day Reproductive Health for Modesty Coppers

ince their 1994 reproductive health is veryday in uprising, the prioritised by ongoing Tehran the SZapatistas in the community based edu- E‘modesty Chiapas region of cation on sexually police’ grab Mexico have shown that transmitted diseases, young women for their revolution hasn’t cervical cancer, family ‘immodest’ dress, just satisfied itself with planning and preventive issue warnings liberation from bullying health care before, dur- or whisk them off landowners. They have ing and after birth. for detention and also made considerable interrogation. gains in transforming a Adriana, an unmarried But on one occa- previously macho Zapatista woman, states sion in February indigenous culture with ‘In the past we were matters took a different present defiance is high- high rates of maternal only good to look after turn. This time one est among younger mid- mortality into one the family and the young woman fought dle class women. where women and their house and they sold us back, and a crowd gath- Although some flouting sexual and reproductive like animals’. She con- ered to defend her. of the code does go on rights are now actively tinues ‘our parents have Video footage from a in working class sub- promoted. now started to learn mobile phone is on urbs and rural areas, it that we have the same YouTube at: is unclear if this They operate a health rights as men’. Mirella, http://de.youtube. reflects differences in system autonomous another Zapatista com:80/watch? attitude, or a tougher from the Mexican gov- women, comments ‘we v=ByUqnnx1Wfs. police crackdown ernment which includes also give freedom to our among the poorer sec- community educators, children because chil- Facing a full-blown riot, tions of Iranian society. trained midwives, com- dren, like adults, also the police fled leaving munity clinics and a have rights’. one of their number to Recent months have hospital. In short, a be beaten up. Later, riot also seen riots and social transformation The Zapatistas’ revolu- cop reinforcements demonstrations against that, although starved of tion shows how the fight moved in to gain con- the Ahmadinejad/ resources, is actively for personal and eco- trol, firing warning Khameini leadership, promoting women’s nomic freedom goes shots, threatening to especially by students. health and reproductive hand in hand. Ya fire on the crowd and In many cases accusa- rights. Sexual and basta!!! arresting 15 people. tions have been levelled that these are orches- For the last year mod- trated by reformist ele- esty police have been ments within the increasingly strict in regime aligned with for- enforcing ‘Islamic dress mer presidents Khatami code’. An opinion poll and Rafsanjani. by the Fars News Whether or not the Agency last year said growing resistance most Iranians support- among Iranian women ed the police’s treat- to the Islamic dress ment of women wearing code is open to such ‘bad hijab’. Not much manipulation, it is nev- sign of approval on this ertheless a welcome occasion though! At development.

22 Direct Action www.solfed.org.uk Spring 2008 international

Interview with Italian anarcho-syndicalist

or part of the last year, South London Local of SolFed has had Cesare, Ffrom Unione Sindacale Italiana (USI), the Italian section of our International, as our com- rade and guest. As he is returning to Italy, we took the opportunity to interview him about USI, and the situation for workers organising in Italy.

SLSF: What is the size of USI and how is it broken down by region and industry?

Cesare: We have about 1000 dues paying members and about 500 more who are in arrears. We are General Strike in Milan November 2007 concentrated in the north of Italy, particularly Lombardy and zione dei Comitati di Base - Con- to organise in the private sector. Emilia. At our last Congress we federation of Rank and File There is a strong co-operative sec- had new sections join from Genoa, Committees) because we offer tor and we also organise there. Fiat workers from Portense and autonomy for every section and The co-ops often employ workers health workers in Tuscany. are not a centralised organisation. who are not co-op members so they are like a normal employer. We have a problem in the south, Our biggest national union is in only having sections in Portense health; we also have national SLSF: How has the USI grown over and Naples and scattered individ- unions in the post office, local the last 20 years? ual members. The north is where councils, education and engineer- most of the work is, while the ing. In addition, there is a small Cesare: In 1991, USI called a strike south is very poor with high national union which groups against the first Gulf War with unemployment. together workers on the land with two of the Cobas. This was the retail workers, such as some in an first time there had been a strike The attraction of USI is that we organic food shop in Milan. that wasn't called by one of the big are federalist - this is what attracts reformist unions. It proved that new sections. Sometimes they Most of our membership is in the we were a union and not just a have split from Cobas (Confedera- public sector as it is very difficult propaganda group. It was from 23 Direct Action www.direct-action.org.uk Spring 2008 international this strike that the Milan Milan airport, where Alitalia is Healthworkers union joined. My about to be sold, the bosses talk to section joined in 1994, because USI the big unions but the majority of was the only union that was feder- workers are in the alternative alist. The difference between USI unions. and the other unions is the inter- nal organisation - we stress feder- There are seven or eight Cobas; alism and autonomy. each has a different political posi- tion, usually related to which left Since the split in 1994, we have group set it up. The biggest alter- grown because people see us as the native union is the CUB real USI. We were left with only (Confederazione Unitaria di Base - Genoa November 2007 one national union, in the Post Unitary Rank and File Office, after the split. We have had Confederation), but it is close to Cesare: When the split happened to rebuild credibility by our activ- Rifondazione Comunista, the in 1994, Rome had many national ities in the workplace. For exam- reformed Communist Party. There mandates in the unions for ple, the section in San Rafaele hos- is not much difference between schools engineering, and councils. pital in Milan has a majority of the various Cobas, but the politi- They decided to make an agree- workers, but was only set up 2-3 cal differences make it difficult for ment with another union to get years ago. them to take action together. union rights. This other union was in a different international. The anarchist movement has USI is in a similar position to the Their approach to this alliance decided in the last two or three Cobas, but is the only union that was authoritarian. They claimed years that we are the real USI, for stresses its federalism, and its sec- thousands of members but it was example in Genoa and Parma, FAI tions’ autonomy and has a very all just a fake. The same few peo- (Federazione Anarchica Italiana) distinct internal organisation. It ple held lots of positions. For members have joined. can be very difficult to change the example the person who was National Secretary of the Cobas - national secretary of the educa- At our next congress we will dis- one of them has had the same guy tion union was also deputy nation- cuss pushing the union in places for 20 years - even though they are al secretary of the engineering where we don't already have a libertarian. USI has difficulty in union. This goes against all of our presence, learning from the expe- rotating tasks at times, but at least practice. The Rome people also riences of the Spanish CNT. we try to change mandates regu- had a strong relationship with larly. Rifondazione. They have a big SLSF: How do you relate to the office in Rome, but it was not clear other unions? Workers, not bureaucrats, should who had paid for it. Now, they only run the union. have 2 sections, in Rome and a Cesare: There are four big very small one in Milan. The sta- reformist unions who decide SLSF: Can you tell us about the tistics branch they had, which was everything. The bosses prefer to split with the USI-Roma? What quite strong, has joined CUB for deal with them. For example in caused it? the negotiating rights

SLSF: How do they operate and how is it different to USI?

Cesare: The Rome people are bet- ter at press releases, the internet and so on. They use the name USI- AIT to confuse foreign readers that they are part of the International Workers’ Association, even though its ini- tials in Italian are AIL. There have been times when we have called a strike and they have written to the government saying that the USI is not striking. This happened in education where the headmaster 24 Direct Action www.solfed.org.uk Spring 2008 international came and talked to our members get in the RSU elections. We are structure doesn't reflect this. and tried to undermine their the only union that has any cri- There is not much reflection on action with it. Sometimes Cobas tique of them. the unions in the anarchist move- use the USI-Roma to undermine us ment and no differentiation as well. We have a proposal at our SLSF: Has the USI done propagan- between unions. This has recently congress to change our name in da against the RSUs? begun to change, as USI shows the the light of these activities, but difference with federalism and our history is important to us and Cesare: Not that I know of. The autonomy. As well, younger work- I don't think it will pass. We have smaller sections who are only ers are becoming interested. also considered taking this to propaganda groups may do so, but There is a group of young workers court, but it would have to be in generally we find it difficult to do in my town who may affiliate at Rome, where we don't have a sec- propaganda. some point, because we have tion. USI-Roma want the name for approached them on practical the historical credibility, but their SLSF: What are your relations issues and shown principles. I am actions undermine this claim. For with anarchist organisations? the only anarchist in my section example they claim to be anar- where I work. chists but recommend a vote for Cesare: Most Italian anarchists Rifondazione. take Malatesta's view that all SLSF: What issues are coming up unions are reformist, so are for you? SLSF: What is USI's attitude to the spread across all unions. For Italian state’s industrial relations example the Federazione di Cesare: Our next congress will machinery? Comunisti Anarchici (FdCA) have debate the law on strikes, which is members in CGIL (Confedera- becoming more difficult, especial- Cesare: The RSUs (Rapprese- zione Generale Italiana del Lavoro ly in the public sector. For exam- tanze Sindacali Unitarie - unitary - Italian General Confederation of ple, bus drivers in Milan recently trade union representation bod- Labour, one of the big four) and went on strike, but their alterna- ies) are against the interests of Cobas. The National Secretary of tive union stitched them up by workers. They are about media- Education in CUB is in the FAI; denying they had called it and the tion. The RSU gives union rights, the National Secretary of drivers were fined. We are also dis- which include facility time for Unicobas is an anarchist. cussing our identity as a union, reps, meetings in work time and Unicobas has a magazine called rather than being a propaganda the ability to call meetings with Socialismo Libertario but its group. the boss. We don't have this, so have to strike to get it. In the pri- vate sector, the reformist unions are guaranteed one third of all seats on the RSUs, regardless of whether they have any members in that industry.

Our approach was to leave the atti- tude to the RSUs up to our sec- tions, because of our federalism. Most of our sections have now left the RSU and I think those few still using it will leave in the next cycle. It is only a buraucracy - in the Post Office in my town there has been one meeting of the RSU in three years. The benefit of this approach is that the workers decide for themselves, rather than a national congress.

The Healthworkers union were in the RSU before they affiliated. The alternative unions measure their Founding Congress of the USI 1912 size by the number of votes they 25 Direct Action www.direct-action.org.uk Spring 2008 reviews Beyond Bullets: the suppression of dissent in the United States by Jules Boycoff AK Press 2007 – 460 pages – £16.00 – ISBN: 978-1904859593

he saying: ‘Tyranny is Ridge reservation Theory and Practice always better organised in early 1976 of (1964) or Frank Tthan freedom’ is a lesson American Indian Kitson’s influential some anarchists and libertarians Movement activist, 1971 manual Low have yet to learn, but for most of Anna May Aquash, Intensity Operations. us government repression and occurred in less Admittedly, these suppression is an obvious corol- critical times. works are taken to lary of revolutionary activism. focus mainly on This book by American academic, There is some very external armed Jules Boycoff, underlines that pre- useful information threats, and Galula’s cept in its study of the govern- on the House work in particular ment suppression of dissident Committee on Un- has influenced the groups and individuals in the US American US approach in Iraq, from the early twentieth century Activities (HUAC) but they have also to the present. from its inception had a bearing on in 1938 and the tar- internal activities ‘Suppression’, Boycoff argues, is geting of socialists, communists, and circumstances. a more accurate term for the way and trade unionists as well as liberal democratic regimes like other ‘dissident citizens’, as Despite these quibbles, Boycoff ’s the US tackle their political oppo- Boycoff calls them, which com- book is an excellent one-stop nents, whereas ‘repression’ or plement his discussion on the guide to the state suppression of open coercion is more readily the censorious PATRIOT Act of 2001. a wide variety of ‘dissenters’ and form taken in non-democratic In addition, the central role of the revolutionaries. That he discusses regimes. The line, however, is FBI and, between 1956 and 1971, the more recent and ongoing post- thinly drawn here and as Boycoff its Counter-Intelligence Program 9/11 attacks on oppositional takes us on a historical and con- (COINTELPRO), are given good groups sets state action in its temporary survey of government coverage. COINTELPRO mounted proper context. Moreover, his ‘suppression’, they certainly covert operations utilising an analysis in the second half of the appear to converge in places. array of techniques ‘to disrupt book of the mass media’s com- and neutralize plicity with state suppression of The shooting dead of individuals dissent, its manipulation of infor- Kent State University stu- deemed to be mation and techniques of demon- dents by National threats to isation, deprecation, under-esti- Guardsmen in May 1970 domestic securi- mation, false balance and disre- and the murders of Black ty’. Despite its gard makes this book thoroughly Panther militants, Fred limited exis- unique and a useful tool for Hampton (right) and tence, this pro- understanding the nature of Mark Clark by Chicago gram laid the state-media relations. policemen in December groundwork for 1969 all fit more clearly future state All in all, Boycoff has written a into a repressive model. strategy towards powerful and penetrating study of They were an overt assault by the its internal critics. This is a point the US government and media’s state on particularly dynamic not fully developed by Boycoff, combined onslaught on dissent, movements and individuals at the nor does he incorporate the writ- which through past and present height of the civil rights and anti- ings of state strategists them- analogy demonstrates a continu- war campaigns, though other selves, such as David Galula’s um of suppression as enlighten- state killings such as on the Pine Counterinsurgency Warfare: ing as it is unsurprising. 26 Direct Action www.solfed.org.uk Spring 2008 reviews Making a Killing: the political economy of animal rights by Bob Torres AK Press 2007 – 171 pages – £11.00 – ISBN: 978-1904859673

oes animal rights have a also drawn into criticisms of mis- standing of nature and ecology place within anarchism or anthropy, fanatical single issue entirely on a capitalist and there- Dindeed within the libera- campaigning, violence and profes- fore an irrational level. For exam- tion of the working class? Bob sional politicking – or what ple racism, sexism and even class Torres’ Making a Killing... is Torres refers to as the ‘Animal have a pre-capitalist basis, but not the first to take up the tenu- Rights Industry’. find their oppressive height with- ous issue of animal rights philos- in capitalism’s existence. These ophy and anarchism but he cer- Where the book picks up is by factors can make oppressive tainly tries to cover a lot of fleshing out an understanding of forms appear ‘natural’ but, on the ground. By primarily drawing contrary, they are upon a critique model of capital- mere perversions ist economy through Marx and of nature. The drawing upon issues of social accumulation of ecology via Bookchin he weaves wealth at the together a sound argument that is expense of the an impassioned plea for the left few, regardless of and libertarians to consider the its origins, is in plight of animals. fact a distortion of our ‘organic The hallmarks of this tradition nature’. This is can in large part be traced back to entirely where developments within anarcho- Bookchin is tied punk during the eighties. While a in – by exploring number of appeals about the mis- how the exploita- treatment of animals raised tion of classes important questions and kick- results in various started a number of campaigns, constituted hier- the issue of class and a philoso- archies of the phy based around a lifestyle sexes, races and eschewing animal abuse was even of animals. never fully resolved. What’s interest- Readers might be familiar with ing is that it isn’t the contemporary beginnings of left there. The this debate with the likes of ALF and main- Beast of Burden and Animal stream animal Liberation: Devastate to rights groups are Liberate? Or Devastatingly rounded on and Liberal. As the animal rights deconstructed movement progressed from its with a class and infancy and hit a zenith in the anarchist analy- mass appeal of vegetarianism, it the status of animals. By taking sis and Torres argues for the pos- saw the beginnings of numerous issue with moralisers like Peter sibilities of a new form of campaigns against the fur trade, Singer, it argues that animals are activism that challenges the sta- blood sports, battery and inten- reduced to the effective position tus of animals. The question is: sive farming, testing on animals of commodities and our main- will the people who would benefit and vivisection and so on. It was taining of this keeps our under- from reading this book read it? 27 Direct Action www.direct-action.org.uk Spring 2008 reviews The Anarchist Past and Other Essays by Nicholas Walter (edited by David Goodway) Five Leaves Publications 2007 – 254 pages – £9.99 – ISBN: 978-1905512163

icolas Walter, anarchism, not least the Godwin, Tom Paine and clopaedic knowledge of who died in 1999, late Albert Meltzer, an even the Marquis de 19th and early 20th centu- Nwas a long-time anarcho-syndicalist stal- Sade. ry British anarchist pub- contributor to the anar- wart, with whom Walter lications. The review is chist movement in held lengthy polemics Nicolas Walter was not peppered with little Britain. He had been a over many issues and dismissive of class gems, like identifying member of the Labour several decades. Meltzer struggle or the idea of the long-forgotten Party as an Oxford stu- said of Walter that revolutionary unions, British anarchist, dent, but the Suez crisis but saw them as just one Leonard Motler as being He seemed to have the and the Soviet invasion tactic open to the anar- among the first to con- idea that he was the offi- of Hungary in 1956 chist movement, calling demn the Bolshevik cial spokesperson of the pushed him leftwards it “an anarchism for the seizure of power in anarchist movement...he and thence to anar- most class-conscious ele- Russia. In December had carried on a seem- chism. He was active in ments in a strong labour 1917 Motler had written ingly endless feud with CND, the Committee of movement”. This leaves in his own paper, Satire, me…I suppose it was 100 and the ‘Spies for some of his writing on that because I refuted his revi- Peace’ group which in organisation, revolution sions of our history and The Russian Revolution 1963 exposed govern- and creating a new econ- distortions of our ideas. is running agley. These ment plans for the after- omy open to charges of little things happen when math of a nuclear war. After Meltzer’s death in vagueness. the people permit new He first contributed to 1996, Walter recalled rulers to pose as their Freedom in 1959, and that “He subjected me to Yet this collection is still saviours, instead of sav- was a mainstay of the a stream of abuse for worth reading, not least ing themselves by run- paper for the rest of his over thirty years. But it for his knowledge of the ning the country on their life. He also wrote for takes all sorts to make a early history of British own. the influential Anarchy revolution.” anarchism. Amongst the magazine. A working reviews, Motler’s paper was shut journalist, Walter com- Indeed, essays and down by the government bined a stream of anar- that senti- even obitu- a few months afterwards chist propaganda with ment aries includ- for its persistent opposi- writing for a variety of sums up ed are price- tion to the war. publications, including Walter’s less details the Times Literary approach on activists Indeed, the book reviews Supplement and the to anar- like in the collection are Good Food Guide. chism. Charlotte among its best features, His view Wilson, whether you’ve read the Walter never called him- of the Joseph books or not. While dis- self an anarcho-syndical- movement Lane, agreeing with some of ist and had a wide per- as a broad Edward his conclusions, it is still spective on what consti- church is Carpenter interesting to read tuted anarchism. He reflected in this collec- and Dan Chatterton. Walter’s interpretations wrote for Freedom in tion. Besides discussing of such anarchist stan- the years that it was recognisably anarchist His 1978 review of John dards as Woodcock’s accused by class struggle figures like Michael Quail’s The Slow Anarchism: A History anarchists of being ‘qui- Bakunin and Peter Burning Fuse was of Libertarian Ideas etist’, ‘philosophical’, Kropotkin, it includes another opportunity to and Movements, Ward’s ‘pacifist’ and ‘evolution- observations on libertar- hold forth on this sub- treatise on anarchism ary’. He often argued ian elements in the ject. His association and education, Talking against those who took a thought of Gerrard with Freedom Press cer- Schools, Bookchin’s more class-based view of Winstanley, William tainly gave him an ency- seminal Post-Scarcity 28 Direct Action www.solfed.org.uk Spring 2008 reviews My Revolutionary Life Juan García Oliver interviewed by Freddy Gomez Kate Sharpley Library 2008 - 37 pages - £3.00 ISBN: 978-1873605721 ere you’ll find a pamphlet to prison and his being asked by the the usual high standard of FAI (Federación Anarquista Ibérica) HKSL. Although I found the to set up a group with others (includ- cover a bit lacking compared to the ing Durruti). None of them were recent re-issue of The Assassina- actually FAI members (there never Anarchism and tion Attempt on Franco from the was official membership) but this Avrich’s The Russian Air the actual content more than isn’t fleshed out enough for me. Anarchists. makes up. It’s a series of investiga- tive and probing questions. With a A brief mention is made of the actu- In fact, the role of anar- lack of publications by or about al uprising on the 19th July 1936 and chists in the Russian Juan García Oliver in English, I was the infamous 23rd July CNT Plenum Revolution and its after- more than happy to pick this up. where he and a member/delegate of math is particularly one of the Barcelona locals stood well covered. Walter was The interview takes up from JGO’s against the vote for putting the a fluent Russian speaker early militant days just after the brakes on implementing Libertarian and his pieces on Peter strike at La Canadiense in 1919 just Communism. Finally there is discus- Kropotkin, the Russian prior to him joining the CNT (Con- sion of JGO joining the Government anarchist movement, federación Nacional de Trabajo) at 17 as Minister for Justice, and his role the events of 1905 and years of age. It continues with his in helping to broker the ceasefire 1917, the Kronstadt membership of Los Solidarios (an during the ‘May Days’ of 1937. revolt and Emma anarchist action group formed of/by Goldman’s disenchant- CNT members) during the brutal age There’s a lot I’ve missed out and ment with the course of of pistolerismo, as working class mil- what I have mentioned has at best the revolution are all itants (primarily CNT members) and just been touched upon. However detailed and informa- the bosses’ stooges fought gun bat- there’s a lot more there and a lot of tive. His observations on tles and committed assassinations on different answers to previously the role of Russian the streets of Spain. posed questions about the CNT and anarcho-syndicalists that period of Spanish history. It’s show the increasing The pamphlet brings us through the led me to different conclusions and, influence they were hav- melding of anarchism and revolu- all in all, I found it extremely inter- ing in the Russian tionary syndicalism into, as he saw esting. I recently got round to read- labour movement before it, a more recognisable form known ing the KSL pamphlet The Wrong they, and all non- as anarcho-syndical- Steps which is a Bolshevik currents, ism that we would piece/chapter translat- were drowned in blood also recognise today, ed to English and taken by Lenin and Trotsky. up to his member- from JGO’s book El Eco ship of the Nosotros de Los Pasos almost Nicolas Walter may not anarchist group, entirely dedicated to the have been on the same maybe one of the 23rd July plenum. I wavelength as ourselves, most infamous would recommend read- but The Anarchist Past groups of the 1930s ing My Revolutionary is still a valuable read, period including Life prior to reading bearing in mind Albert Francisco Ascaso The Wrong Steps, as Meltzer’s barbed warn- and Buenaventura this fleshes out the ing that what we are Durruti. working class militant dealing with here is a and the route that led liberal and an academic, There is a quick ref- him to joining the gov- albeit one who wrote erence to his time in ernment. about anarchism. 29 Direct Action www.direct-action.org.uk Spring 2008 reviews Red Mutiny: mutiny, revolution and revenge on the battleship Potemkin by Neal Bascombe Phoenix 2008 – 392 pages – £8.99 – ISBN: 978-0753823713

eal Bascomb has written The stupidly racist and adventur- others as was the captain, the an engaging history of the ous war with Japan, in which the arrogant Golikov, who had threat- NPotemkin revolt, an event Russian Navy and military failed ened the crew with the yardarm. that has become iconic in annals ignominiously, cost tens of thou- At times it seemed that the revolt of the revolution- would spread through the Black ary struggle as one Sea Fleet but even on the of the harbingers of Potemkin there were just some the 1917 revolution. fifty dedicated to the struggle The Eisenstein film with two hundred other ‘fellow did much to spread travellers’ out of a complement of its fame. Who can 763. After steaming around the forget the massacre Black Sea for some time and con- on the steps at fronting the rest of the fleet Odessa, the rolling (which did not attack as many of pram and the the sailors regarded the Potemkin cracked spectacles? crew as heroes and were therefore ‘unreliable’) the ship made its The Russian Navy way to Romania where the crew of the time was a were free to go where they chose bastion of reaction, and the Potemkin was partly scut- aping the autocratic tled before being handed over to antics of the inef- the Russian authorities. fectual Tsar, who liked nothing more Matyushenko continued the than parading struggle, never joining any of the about in uniform, ‘revolutionary’ parties, being tem- the military being peramentally closer to anarchism his pride and joy. than authoritarianism. He later went back to Russia to work as an For eleven days in agitator but was captured, tried June 1905 the war- and hanged. Defiant to the end ship defied and bringing to mind the words of attempts by the the Haymarket martyrs he said, hierarchy to “Hang me, you cowards! But remove this “embarrassment”, sands of lives. The rotting meat know, the time will come when the underlying incompetence of that acted as the catalyst for the it’ll be you hanging from the the authorities adding to the con- revolt was bought by supplies offi- lampposts!” fusion. The revolt was not entire- cer Makarov from Odessa rather ly spontaneous, the activists than Tender Island where the There are errors in the work Yakhnovsy, Vakulenchuk and boat was moored. It is not clear according to the historian Simon Matyushenko had worked secretly why, maybe a private deal. Sebag Montefiore (his Stalin is a to bring it about in the hope that good read) in a review in the the rest of the fleet would rise The sailors seized the armoury Telegraph but these are to do against the military tyranny and and Vakulenchuk was mortally with career positions and minor this would ignite the flames of wounded by the loathsome First events. Overall this is a timely revolution across the Empire, Officer, Gilyarovsky, who was and useful addition to the litera- which seethed with discontent. then shot by Matyushenko and ture. 30 Direct Action www.solfed.org.uk Spring 2008 closer look Anarchism, sex and freedom The fight against capitalism, patriarchy and repressive religious morality f there is one sub- and how we express our regimes (of both left and Constructing and ject that radicals sexuality. The estab- right), the nuclear fami- enforcing and revolutionaries lished religions still ly, education, media, psy- 'normality' Ialike evade, mouth propagate the idea of sex chiatry and various platitudes over, or casu- other than for procre- other institutions have The choice of friend or ally brush aside, it is that ation and outside of mar- all distinguished them- partner(s) is a fundamen- of sexual politics. Issues riage as sinful. Little sur- selves in reinforcing tal right which many of like strikes, global prise then, that for many authoritarian morality us take for granted. warming and poverty the idea of sex has where personal relation- Relationships open the are far less intimate, per- become synonymous ships are concerned. In door to intimacy, com- sonal and controversial. with repression and so doing they have collec- panionship, love, affec- Yet in spite of our contin- guilt. But the religious tively exercised a pro- tion, self-esteem, emo- ued economic and politi- establishment isn't the found form of social con- tional fulfilment and cal disempowerment, only culprit. Political trol. belonging. Having a wide our sexuality remains range of relationships the one area of our lives provides opportunities over which we still exer- for personal and social cise a high degree of per- enrichment. sonal expression and Nevertheless, the society control. It is also one of we live in judges some the few subjects of uni- types of consensual rela- versal interest, affecting tionship as preferable to literally all of us. others.

Part of the reason that Under capitalism, rela- sex and sexuality are so tionships are founded rarely discussed, even in upon inequalities of political forums, is social, economic and because we have been political power; main- socially conditioned by tained and enforced by those in power to sup- the institutions of the press this most basic, but state. These inequalities often complex facet of and the values which our identities. Over the underpin them infest all course of history, the areas of social life, from state as guardian of our the bedroom to the work- morality has consistent- place. We are systemati- ly dictated where, when cally conditioned, (often 31 Direct Action www.direct-action.org.uk Spring 2008 closer look

interests. The authoritarian fami- within the education system. The ly, Reich concluded, in repressing fact that gay villages exist in some our natural sexual development, UK cities reflects that gays have creates a subconscious dependen- felt it necessary to create safety in cy on powerful figures within the numbers in an often hostile socie- adult psyche. ty: a society in which only recent- ly same-sex partnerships have The family's rigidly defined gen- been legally recognised and sanc- der roles, which are further rein- tified. forced by the education system and other mediums, serve the Conventional psychiatry, which economy by providing a clear cut traditionally has served as a pow- division of labour between the erful agent of social control, up sexes. From an early age we are until quite recently employed conditioned to adopt distinct aggressive and unpleasant aver- Wilhelm Reich behavioural attributes according sion techniques to 'treat' homosex- to our gender. But cross-cultural uality and other 'deviations' in the unconsciously) from an early age studies show that far from being UK. Further, there are still women to conform to an artificially con- genetically determined, these in health and social care services structed reality designed to serve roles are socially ascribed. today who were admitted to psy- the interests of the ruling classes, Although we culturally bear wit- chiatric facilities years ago for rather than our own. ness to an increasing blurring of such heinous acts as sexual the traditional stereotypes, they promiscuity and having a child Constructing and upholding a par- are still very much with us. Single- outside of marriage. ticular view of 'normality' has parent families, same sex relation- always been a primary control tac- ships, and other departures from The bizarre ambivalence of capi- tic of ruling elites. This contrived the perceived norm are all subject talist morality is epitomised by 'normality' exists to encourage to social stigma- both social conformity and to sell tisation to a products on the premise of aes- greater or less- thetic perfection: a perverse form er degree. of body fascism is reflected throughout the modern mass Homosexuality, media because of the latter. despite being 'Normality' is further represented prevalent and reproduced in the nuclear throughout the family: husband, wife and 2.4 kids, animal king- the perfect social unit of produc- dom, is por- tion and consumption. trayed by politi- cal and reli- The ideal of the nuclear family gious control operates as a powerful curtailer of freaks as being sexual expression according to contrary to the radical psychoanalysts. As an 'laws of nature'. institution, it supports capitalist Being gay is society by reproducing power rela- also still rou- tionships following the perceived tinely punished norm. Wilhelm Reich articulated by death in how the internalised repression of some parts of our childhood and adolescent sex- the world. It uality by our parents generates a was not so long kind of mass intellectual prison. ago that the In the 1930s Reich used this analo- Tory govern- gy to explain how workers became ment passed receptive to ideologies such as fas- Clause 28, pro- cism, even though rationality hibiting the would suggest strongly that this 'promotion' of acted contrary to their economic homosexuality 32 Direct Action www.solfed.org.uk Spring 2008 closer look

continue to this day, wherein females are The bizarre ambivalence of murdered by their own families for supposedly capitalist morality is epitomised bringing shame by the by the corporate gutter press perceived misuse of their sexuality. Even in which on the one hand delights more 'liberated' western cultures, women fare lit- in exposing the infidelity and tle better. The sex indus- aberrations of its subjects: On try is characterised by the trafficking of women the other, its pages abound and girl children into lives of virtual sex slav- with adverts and imagery ery. (The figure for girls designed to titillate and sell sex. and women trafficked into Western Europe alone is estimated at consider the sexual on abuse is increasing, it 120,000 a year). Most abuse of children by is not routinely taught as pornography in western adults. Paedophilia, the part of the school cur- society reduces sex to a sexualised exercise of riculum. To make mat- mechanical act devoid of adult power over chil- ters worse, systematic feeling, rendering dren is understandably a child abuse has been cov- women's role to that of highly charged and emo- ered up by institutions the corporate gutter subservient sex objects: tive subject. Abuse is such as the Catholic press which on the one commodities to be usually committed by an church in Ireland, hand delights in expos- bought and sold for adult that the victim exposed for operating an ing the infidelity and men's pleasure. The femi- knows, and often trusts, unwritten policy of relo- aberrations of its sub- nist argument that porn rather than a total cating rather than jects: On the other, its = theory and rape = prac- stranger. Although reporting paedophile pages abound with tice has some conviction. recognition and action priests. Money also plays adverts and imagery But this viewpoint must designed to titillate and also be interpreted with- sell sex. in the context of a socie- ty where institutional Sexism, sexual sexism and exploitive abuse and class relationships are ingrained. Women are The atrocious repression more likely than their and exploitation of male counterparts to be female sexuality still victims of rape and reigns supreme across domestic abuse. They are the world. A recent case harangued outside abor- was highlighted in tion clinics by religious Islamic Saudi Arabia zealots for having the where a woman was sen- temerity to exercise con- tenced to 200 lashes after trol over their own bod- being gang-raped by ies. They are statistical- seven men. In some ly paid less than men, African and Asian coun- less likely to be promoted tries, women are still and tend to work in subject to routine genital industries which are tra- mutilation. Amnesty ditionally devalued International estimate financially and socially. that some 2 million girls and women a year suffer In looking at oppressive this vile and barbaric (economic and sexual) act. Honour killings also relationships, we need to 33 Direct Action www.direct-action.org.uk Spring 2008 closer look a big part in abuse. rities and selling sex, According to the United Whilst pushing to rid the world capitalism distorts and Nations, there are esti- alienates our desires mated to be 100 million of the ruling elites, we must beyond all recognition. children worldwide liv- ing or working on the never neglect to challenge the But capitalism has not streets, with 1.2 million policemen, patriarchs and been seriously threat- girls under 18 trafficked ened by allowing gays into prostitution each priests inside our own heads. and women to populate year. Sex tourism has its positions of power; become big business, ever guard against the legislation now prohibits liberalised capitalism with rich western males tyranny of imposed discrimination on the cares little if the boss is travelling to countries 'norms'. grounds of age, gender male, female, gay or such as Thailand, Sri and sexual orientation, straight as long as they Lanka and the A mature, informed, no such legal frame- keep the rich, rich and Philippines to systemati- approach combined with works exist to deter mal- the poor subservient. cally abuse children. improved access to clin- treatment on the basis of ics, contraception and social class. The reason Che Guevara's adage that Freeing ourselves healthcare resources, for this is obvious. Class the revolutionary is and our sexuality will lead to more healthy provides the overriding motivated by great feel- and rounded adults, bet- abusive power relation- ings of love may sound Although our sexual ter able to exercise real ship in capitalist society; sentimental, but is essen- tastes may be distorted choice and control. One though it is over simplis- tially correct. Whilst by the dominant power of the reasons that the tic to argue that all humankind continues to relationships we are all UK has one of the high- power relationships are be enslaved by capital- exposed to, they still est rates of teenage preg- subsumed by economic ism, patriarchy, authori- reflect our uniqueness nancy in Europe is ones (patriarchy and reli- tarian morality and and individuality. Some because it fails so miser- gion predated capital- other forms of oppres- choose monogamy, oth- ably on this score. And ism, after all), economic sion, we can never be ers polygamy, some rather than pontificating and political hierarchies truly free. Recognition of bisexuality, some S&M about some far-off revo- sustain all others. The our common humanity, and so on. Our tastes, lution, we can all recog- whole sex industry is suffering, and the forces identity and orientation nise, act and respond to underpinned by market which inflict this, pro- can change over time, the ways in which we forces. Sex workers, vides the seed of lasting and most of us will have been manipulated, whether child or adult, revolutionary change. choose to experiment at conditioned and con- rarely choose their pro- Meaningful and fulfilling some point in our lives. trolled in the here and fession: many work the relationships are found- Some will have many now. Whilst pushing to streets, bars, brothels ed upon us realising our partners, others only rid the world of the rul- and massage parlours to common needs, wants one. For some experi- ing elites, we must never escape poverty, or simply and desires voluntarily mentation is a lifelong neglect to challenge the just to get by. For some, as equals, without inter- experience. It would be policemen, patriarchs there is simply no other ference. We must assume wrong to suggest that we and priests inside our option. Businesses which control not only of our should advocate mass own heads. sell sex, and the traffick- workplaces and commu- orgiastic indulgences ing rackets which supply nities but our hearts, any more than we should The economic, them, are motivated in bodies and minds too. advocate the monogamy social and sexual the of heterosexual married revolution final life. Even some of the analy- most fervent champions As we have seen, a hier- sis by of free love (such as the archical society main- profit. anarcha-feminist Emma tains itself by manipulat- Sex is Goldman) have confessed ing and controlling our big to pangs of jealousy and morals and sexuality. busi- possessiveness on occa- Economically capitalism ness. In sions. What suits one exploits men, women and exploit- person does not suit children on the basis of ing our another, and we must for- social class. Although insecu- 34 Direct Action www.solfed.org.uk Spring 2008 contacts SolFed-IWA contacts SF National contact point: South London SolFed:PO Box 17773, London, SE8 4WX; PO Box 29, South West D.O., Manchester, M15 5HW; 07 956 446 162; [email protected]; 07 984 675 281; [email protected]; southlondonsf.org.uk. www.solfed.org.uk. South West SolFed: c/o SF National contact point; International Workers’ Association: [email protected]. IWA-AIT Secretariat, Poštanski Pretinac 6, 11077 West Yorkshire SolFed: PO Box 75, Hebden Bridge, HX7 Beograd, Serbia; +38 (0)1 63 26 37 75; secretaria- 8WB; [email protected]. [email protected]; www.iwa-ait.org. |other |locals Catalyst (freesheet): c/o Preston SolFed, cata- Bolton: c/o Manchester SolFed. [email protected]. Brighton SolFed: c/o SF National contact point. Education Workers Network: c/o News From Nowhere, Coventry & West Midlands: c/o Northampton SolFed. 96 Bold St, Liverpool, L1 4HY; [email protected]; Edinburgh SolFed: c/o 17 West Montgomery Place, www.ewn.org.uk; email list: [email protected]. Edinburgh, EH7 5HA; 07 896 621 313; edin- Health & Care Workers Initiative: c/o Northampton [email protected]. SolFed. Ipswich: c/o N&E London SolFed. Kowtowtonone: local freesheet from W Yorks SF. Manchester SolFed: PO Box 29, SW PDO, Manchester, SelfEd Collective: c/o Preston; [email protected]; M15 5HW; 07 984 675 281; [email protected]; www.selfed.org.uk. mail list: [email protected]. ‘A History of Anarcho-syndicalism’ – 24 pamphlets, Merseyside SolFed: c/o News From Nowhere, 96 Bold downloadable FREE from www.selfed.org.uk. Street, Liverpool, L1 4HY. SolFed Industrial Strategy - Leaflet: c/o SF National Northampton SolFed: c/o The Blackcurrent Centre, 24 contact point St Michael Avenue, Northampton, NN1 4JQ; The Stuff Your Boss does not want you to know - [email protected]. Leaflet: know your rights at work; available online at N & E London SolFed: PO Box 1681, London, N8 7LE; www.solfed.org.uk – bundles from the SF contact point [email protected]. (see above) for free/donation. Preston SolFed: PO Box 469, Preston, PR1 8XF; Manchester SF public meetings: 07 707 256 682; [email protected]; 7.30pm, Town Hall Tavern, Tib Lane, off Cross Street, prestonsolfed.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk. Manchester – May 13th, The Housing Crisis in Britain; Scarborough: c/o West Yorkshire SolFed. June 10th, Against Racism and Fascism; July 8th, Sheffield: c/o West Yorkshire SolFed. Anarchy, Sex and Freedom. South Herts SolFed: PO Box 493, St Albans, AL1 5TW. Friends & neighbours 56a Infoshop www.libcom.org. Bookshop, records, library, archive, social/meeting London Coalition Against Poverty space; 56a Crampton St, London, SE17 3AE; open Thur 07 932 241 737; londoncoalitionagainstpoverty 2-8, Fri 3-7, Sat 2-6. @gmail.com; [email protected]. AK Press National Shop Stewards Network Anarchist publisher/distributor; PO Box 12766, http://www.shopstewards.net/. Edinburgh, EH8 9YE; 0131 555 265; Organise! [email protected]; www.akuk.com. Working Class Resistance freesheet/info; PO Box 505, Freedom Belfast, BT12 6BQ. Anarchist fortnightly; 84b Whitechapel High St, London, Radical Healthcare Workers E1 7QX; www.freedompress.org.uk. http://radicalhealthcareworkers.wordpress.com/. Hobnail Review Resistance Guide to small press/alternative publishing from anti- Anarchist Federation freesheet; c/o 84b Whitechapel authoritarian/libertarian left perspectives; regular High Street, London, E1 7QX; www.afed.org.uk. reviews and listings; send 2 1st class stamps - Hobnail ToxCat Press, Box 208, 235 Earls Court Rd, London, SW5 9FE. Exposing polluters, pollution and cover-ups; £2 from PO Kate Sharpley Library Box 29, Ellesmere Port, CH66 3TX. full catalogue: BM Hurricane, London, WC1N 3XX; www.katesharpleylibrary.net. |contact us to get listed here 35