The New Anarchist Cookbook - work in progress
remarks, suggestions for additions and other improvements are welcome
What anarchists do, should do (and what should not to do) to bring about the libertarian
communist movement.
Based on old knowledge and taste, anarchists and previous rebels did lot of divergent
activities to bring about the revolution that will put end to the capitalist system. Along
the years activists applied or suggested measures related to the capitalist system (the
ones that materialized and the ones that would have materialized). The following text will
try to point on the effects of the most common activities on the system of opinions of
people (mostly from the point of view of pro organization Libertarian/anarchist
communists.)
I. Summing present civilization
1) Promoting the opinions in support of libertarian communism
2) Organizing
3) Power and coercion
4) The revolution
5) Violence
6) The destruction of property
7) Human nature
8) Modesty
9) "National Liberation"
10) Revenge and punishment
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11) Social Anarchism or Lifestyle Anarchism: An Unbridgeable Chasm?
12) Anarchist "philosopy"
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a) Graffiti
b) Leaflets
c) Placards
d) Journals, bulletins, zines, books, web pages, forums, commenting, etc.
e) Demonstrations and Vigils
f) Education by the did....
g) Education by example
h) Part spectrum anarchists
i) Using the legal system
j) Workplace class war
k) Anarchists and election
l) Freedom and equality are not compatible with any kind of coercion...
m) Emotional variables
n) Freedom
o) Equality
p) Solidarity
q) Self organization
v) Struggling for "reforms", unions, syndicates, mass struggles, and coalitions
u) Decision making and the tyranny of structurelessness.
w) World commune of grass root communities
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x) Organizing of formal meetings
y) Veganism
z) The communist principle of "From each according to ability - To each according to needs".
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I.Summing present civilization
Human beings evolved for many generations. The present system is characterized by a huge
amount of accumulated knowledge, and a social order that prevent the application of that
knowledge to the best of all. The main aspect of the present system is that a relatively
small section of the population - the capitalist class, monopolise the means of production
and service providing. This monopolizing enable them to organize it in a way that maximize
their sare of what prodused in the past ("capital") and what is prodused at the present
("surpluss valews, profits"). The continuation of the social order that is not in accord
with the interests of most of the people is enabled by the accepted of the social order by
the majority.
The acceptance of the social order is a result of ideological brain washing called
"upbringing", "socialization", "education", "religious" and "culture", that creat in
nearly each of the people a system of oppinion that is dominated by oppinions of
compliance to the system and its decrees. The social order is managed mainly by the
authoritarian state(s) based on top to down chain of control, and state forces that
prevent significant rebelion.
The system twist the way the accumulated knowledge is applied, and the way the
accommodated fruits of work of previous generation is used.
Beside the management of the system in a way that is not the best for the majority of
people, it is also causing dangerous harm to the ecology and unnecessary sufferings to
other creatures.
1) Promoting the opinions in support of libertarian communism
People are educated and shaped by the society they grew within. However, it is not done by
a simple teaching or programing a rigid collections of instructions.
It is done by building opinions about what the world is and what the person can do in
order to improve what one get in order to satisfy the urges and needs.
As there is lot of disorder, contradictions and even inconsistencies in the world and its
experience, and even personal condition and emotions fluctuate/change a lot, the opinions
formed in the mind of the individual resemble more a wild party with lot of mood changers
than congregation meeting in a deity worshiping ceremony.
The present social system can exist only because the majority of the dominant opinions of
the people of society accept it as the only option or just do not have positive opinion on
alternative. The dominant of opinions of the people though not regarding the present
social order as the best, reject direct confrontation with its regulations for fear of
punishment.
To promote the change of the social order into libertarian communism those who so wish can
invest efforts to change the system of opinions people have.
The system of opinions is most complicated and have many kinds of opinions in it. In
generalization, to promote change the main road is to build in people minds doubts about
the opinions that support the present social order and sew the seeds for alternative
opinions - as non dominant opinions at the beginning.
These secondary opinions and the doubts in the dominant opinions will become dominant in
the masses of the working people when the revolutionary crisis will start to develop.
2) Organizing
Like the strength of the family/tribe and fist in comparison of that of the individuals
and the five fingers, so is the strength of the organized libertarian communist activists.
The collective wisdom is usually better than that of the individual members, and more so
on the long run... if not dominated by the most charismatic members.
Anarchism is not equal to the common "anarchism"=disorder=lack of organization.
Anarchism is NOT less organized social order than modern capitalist - it is even more
organized. It is just organized without rulers and from the bottom-up instead of the
capitalist hierarchal order from the top-down.
The principles of Equality & Freedom are not applied mechanically but moderated by the
Solidarity principle.
When anarchist organize (and we do organize ourselves - not organizing others) we pay
special attention to handicaps resulted from the upbringing of comrades within the unequal
capitalist society.
Our solidarity with Women, ethnics, and other minorities, and the young, is by providing
them with more "protected" space in meetings and actions. We help these comrades to become
really equal in the space they take.
3) Power and coercion
Because of strength of emotion or flaw in awareness... or even disregard for the well
being of others individuals (mostly) and even groups (mostly in class society) infringe on
the freedom and well being of others.
In friendly environment and even in less friendly but class less society, social verbal
pressure is enough. Threat of excommunication or expulsion are the harder means that may
be needed, and excommunication or expulsion might be the harshest needed in class less
society and among nearly like minded people.
In class society applying force against Nazi and other bigots may be needed for activists.
Using state forces in class society may be needed when intensity of power needed is
monopolized by state.
In Libertarian communist society offenders will not have viable alternatives of survival
out of the grass communities system. The expulsion will be so harsh danger that only very
seldom one will infringe so much on the well being of others.
Small infringements and conflicts will be dealt by community relation net. People with
less than sane behaviors will be dealt with health system including power when needed. The
rare cases of criminal behaviors will be dealt by the people mandated to deal with
security as a social task - not as a work mandate.
4) The revolution will not come as the result of gradual increase of organized working
class unions or political organizations. Nor will it start by the general strike declared
by the one big syndicate. It will start in a similar situation in the past that did not
result in revolution but due to the changes developed in people system of opinions, this
time the time may be already ripe.
The revolution will start by an uprising of wage slaves in a capitalist crisis that will
get out of possible management. It will probably be on its way for a while before people
will be aware it is the revolution.
5) Violence and damage to property
Violence is kind of applying power in a aggressive/belligerent/injurious/destructive way.
Anarchist are not pacifists and apply counter violence in order to protect ourselves or
achieve success in class war... when appropriate. We are not pacifists who prefer to be
injured when the alternative involve inflicting injury to others.
The key word is appropriate. Injuring others is infringing on the solidarity principle,
but even medical treatment may involve the injury/pain to the others.
In regular time, the capitalist system regard us as principle enemies. The various
agencies would have us in jail or worse if they were not restricted by their own sham
claim that they are for freedom of speech and dissent if done within their rules.
As long as they are stronger than us, we better compromise with the rules like we
compromise with gravitation. Thus we better not injure state forces personnel in a way
that will give the state excuse to restrict our freedom to promote our cause.
In addition, public opinions of most wage slaves are not so sympathetic with state forces
and more so in relation to the police. However, another public opinion is against shooting
and serious physical harm to others if not justified by self defense. Thus, "personal
terror" will back fire as it did in the following:
"Standing outside the Polytechnic University in Exarhia last month, anti-authoritarian
comrades explained to us the negative effects of the shooting of a police officer by an
armed revolutionary group just a few blocks away at the Cultural Ministry. It was the
second shooting targeting police at the tail-end of the uprising. Our friends explained
the problem, "the whole society was against the cops. We resisted the police with our bare
hands and nobody said a word while people even came out to support us and participate. As
soon as someone shot the cop society saw us negatively, and the police portrayed
themselves as the victims and, by a single bullet, the tables were suddenly turned in
their favor."
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Or another:
So, for example, the fire bombing of three porn stores that
distributed pornography that eroticized violence against women by the
Vancouver 5 didn’t result in the collapse of the feminist movement in
Vancouver, or of the campaign that existed to shut these outlets down. In
fact, these actions were an effective contribution to the campaign, and
were widely supported by large numbers of activists . However, and I
realize this is obvious, but bear with me, if there hadn’t already been a
mass feminist movement and a significant campaign specifically targeting
the chain, then the response likely would have been entirely different.
Passive disobedience is very often the appropriate "violence" and rule braking that is in
accord of our strategy - mostly in mass actions and open to the eyes of observers.
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Some impulsive and insurrectionist anarchists do not understand the erroneous of their
theory/strategy/tactics/urges and its self defeating in the protracted struggle of
influencing the systems of opinions of the people of the working class.
6) The destruction of property
Property is usually the result of work of people. We do not regard fruits of work of
people as lightly as the capitalist who respect capital but do not respect the work that
create it.
However, we respect the needs of the working people who need the end of capitalism more
than this or that result of previous work. Thus, we use graffiti that damage walls. We
damage barriers that obstruct our way in a demo. We may cause other property damages when
appropriate, but not regard it lightly as the context where it is done do the difference.
(The dangers of law enforcement punishment and reservations of working people about the
waste and collateral damages must be taken into consideration when the pro and con are
balanced. Often, the spraying of paint on a display window may be more effective than
breaking it.)
Sometimes, initiating confrontation with the state forces, even when involving much
violence and loss of life as in Chiapas 1-1-94 and not so appreciated damage to property
like in the battle to block the WTO in Seattle 30-11-1999, the long time results
contributed to an upsurge in the class war all over the world.
7) Human nature
Along the human prehistory and history people tried to understand what it is all about and
to change things to suits themselves. Anarchists accepted the old wisdom that Freedom &
Equality & Solidarity are the root of human society and deviations from it are better
ameliorated.
The promoting of people opinions in support of the adherence to these principle is done
both in the drawing attention to the general sad picture and in the struggle against every
expression of such deviation.
The "art" of revolutionary struggle is both in the development of information shearing, in
the choice of the specific instances of such deviations to target, and the developing of
the various means for promoting such struggles.
8) Modesty
Anarchist communist do not pretend that they invented the history or the struggle to
improve it. Nor do we nourish the omnipotent illusion that it is our task and ability to
do it ourselves or with a bit of help of others that we will lead.
We just think that we can function as the modern "prophets" and can be catalysts in the
movement of humanity to a better way of life.
Some people who self label themselves as "anarchists" have omnipotent illusions that they
can ignite the revolution by organizing the working class into a one big union.
Some think that by doing "heroic" confrontations with the capitalist system they will be
able to ignite such eruption.
Anarchist communists think that they cannot initiate the revolution and lead it to
victory... but sure that organized activists can do a lot help it come. It can be done by
promotion the pro revolutionary opinions in working class people, so, when the
contradiction of the capitalist system will be high enough - due to the class war and the
mismanage of it by the capitalist system, a revolutionary option will be developed and the
transition to class less libertarian communist society will be enabled.
9) "National Liberation"
"Nationalism" is a way to categorize which are the people in the world you affiliate with
more than others - based on superficial characteristics of language, culture, geographic
area (or origin).
This affiliation is covering lot of contradiction of interests and often used by elites to
cause working people to follow and support that elite and its interests.
When people with characteristics of certain Nationality are segregated, exploited or
persecuted - by any entity which is external to that National category, people who
struggle against it tend to use the label "National Liberation". That label was coined in
the past when an external statist system ruled and exploited a community with a certain
"National" characteristic. The call and struggle for emancipation of that "Nation"
camouflaged the contradictions and different interests of the people within this category
and instead of calling the liberation of the people in called for the liberation of the
fictional national entity.
Though there may be similar interests of people of the same "nation" when external power
exploit and suppress them, the "Liberation" of such "National" entity from the external
power, is mostly (or usually only) in service to the national elite.
Thus, when anarchist communists join the struggle against exploitation and persecution of
people who has specific national characteristic - or because of this characteristic, we
struggle against the against exploitation and persecution according to the national
characteristic, but not for the bogus "National Liberation" of the fictional entity.
(And of course not for a separate and "free" ["liberated"] state ruled and exploited by
their own national elite. The Israeli Anarchists Against the Wall do not struggle to
"liberate" Palestine... we join the Palestinian activists struggle to the end of the
Israeli Zionist occupation and transfer efforts of the Palestinians living in the west
bank, but do not join or nourish illusions about the present and future
rilling/nationalist elite of theirs.)
10) Revenge and punishment
The solidarity principle of anarchists derived from human basic emotion of caring for
others contradict any causing of any unnecessary suffering to any other being. Thus, we do
not support the revenge or punishment.
When people who are members of our organizations or scene infringe on the freedom,
equality, and solidarity of others or abuse our direct democracy, it depends on the
measure of the offense, whether there is the will and ability to adjust, and the damage
done to the future trust in the offender.
Some times serious communication may be all that is needed, Sometimes the restriction of
the association with the offender will be needed, and in extreme cases excommunication.
After the revolution, every one will be part of the communities regardless of previous
class or part in the suppressing of others.
The people will not be helpless when confronted with people who refuse to integrate into
the new mode of life or due to yielding to urges that contradict the mode of life of the
new libertarian communist order.
When such individuals will not repent after daily social pressure or will not be able to
or will be found too dangerous for the well beings of others - their freedom will be
restricted. (Not a punishment of past behavior, and not as revenge for wrong doing but as
protection of the communities.)
The ultimate measure will be expulsion - temporary or permanent, from the grass root
community. As no one will be able to survive out of grass root community, the expelled
will have either to be accepted by another community on its special conditions, or apply
(or forced) to enroll to specific arrangements for people the society need protection from.
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11) Social Anarchism or Lifestyle Anarchism: An Unbridgeable Chasm?
A bitter polemics developed in the anarchist movement about the casm between Lifestyle Anarchism and Social Anarchism. M. Bookchin composed a clasic text with the label "Social Anarchism or Lifestyle Anarchism: An Unbridgeable Chasm". It seemed to many that the big wave of new and older commers to the anarchist spectum are stuck with a kind on "navel grizing" that keep them in a kind of a geto and away from real classwar. It seems this was over shooting pesimism. Some times, a mainly Lifestyle anarchist scene is analog to over saturated solution that only need a catalist to pass a qualitative transformation. The Israeli example is an eye oppener. The anarchist scene in Israel was developing since 1975 with an overwhelming Lifestyle characters: Punk bands, small circulation Funzines, Animal Liberation & environmental.... However, around the milennia change, influenced by the new world wave of the struggle against capitalist globalization, the anarchists here involved with the international days - both in Seattle, Prague, etc. and with local actions. Following the first expansion of the political horizons, came the struggle against the separation fence and the previously Lifestyle Anarchists became the leading power in the whole Israeli radical left, significant catalist for the Palestinian popular non violent struggle, and the reference to all the more realists in the Israeli public arena...
The theoretical chasm between Lifestyle Anarchism and Social Anarchism is really unbridgeable, but the chasm is not unbridgeable for activists.
In the world as a whole, it became expected that no international capitalist leadership meeting is immune todisruption.
12) "Philosopy" is a reified way to label what some one who is revered as a prominent cultural idol (authority) say on things in general. In the long past such sayings were only second in importance to rligioud dogmas. In more resent times it gained prominence... and only gradually loosing its prominence to the scientific sphere.
Anarchist - even the most famous of them shun the idea that they are an authoritarian figures - even when they are regarded as the most versed in a/the topic.
Thus, anarchism is not and cannot be a "philosophy" as it is a self contradiction. What we really have is the sum of experiance and knowledge about the wish and struggle of an anti authoritarian anti capitalistsociety, and various people composing texts about it. Suming up the knowledge about human nature; the present capitalist system - including its history and prognosis; the lessons of previous struggles, and the prediction/recomendation of future struggles. If you feel uncomfortable because of the use of simple words you can label claims and opinions about the struggle of anarchists for a future libertarian communist society as: "an emotional loaded applied social sciance promoting the main human urges for Freedom & Equality & solidarity.
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a) Graffiti
The content of Graffiti can vary widely: from the circled A and other more specific
symbols to the more elaborated texts and artistic drawings.
The basic effect of a graffiti is the exclamation: "we are rebels, we were here, and we
want you to know that".
The specific content may be expanded to call for the end of specific aspect of the system
or to the whole system.
The minimal effect of a graffiti is that onlookers register the fact you were there and
said the specific content... and pay at least a second long attention to it.
Like the "Art"/"science" of advertisement findings on such messages, you can have
positive, no effect or even a negative one. Be clear for yourself what emotions you want
to involve/arouse in these who view it or hear about it.
When you do a graffiti beware of the environment (and state repression). (When doing one
remember also the Palestinian saying: "A stone in its place is like a mountain... but a
mountain in the wrong place is just like a stone".
Add Busting is like a graffiti - using resources of others and giving them a specific twist.
Small exaggeration like joining of neo-Nazis and other extreme racists with the swastika
may be of value, but not joining the swastika to the common and mild ethnically derogatory
opinion.
A case of "walls decoration" in Israel was about the first high school senior political
war resister of Israel of the libertarian communist Matspen Giora Noyman.
It followed the first seniors before recruitment public letter of Israel - about 5 years
after the 1967 war.
Walls all over the country got the "free Giora Noyman" with a broken arrow in a circle.
It helped to keep his prolonged arrest in the public attention. After 9 months he was
released to civilian service in state hospital with out uniform.
Some of the said walls decorations were still in sight when the next wave of refusnics
occur years later.
b) Leaflets
Leafleting can be entirely anonymous - a printed "graffiti" distributed without personal
contact and my even be without mentioning the real origin. In an opposite mode it can be
given in person or by few people holding signs, to passers by or to participants of a
gathering in the name of an anarchist collective. It can be with various aspects within
this multi-dimensional spectrum. Beware what specific leafleting you choose, what are the
various dimensions and what are the pro and con for each. (Serious thinking on all aspects
before the action can diminish the "cost" and increase the positive results. Follow up on
the results can contribute to the improving of the future ones.)
When state repression is not high and content of leaflets is appropriate, giving the
leaflets personally increase the probability people will read the content and register it
one way or another. This personal contact have additional added values as it enable short
communications with passers by.
It can even be an opportunity to be joined by sympathizers with restricted commitments.
Like the "Art"/"science" of advertisement leafleting can be regarded one expression of,
the the subject of leafleting have many aspects and consideration. Learning from yours
experience and more so from that of others can improve results and diminish dangers.
c) Placards
Placards are a kind of cross between graffiti drawing and leafleting. When you stick them
on walls and similar objects they are like improved graffiti. When held in vigils or
demonstrations they are more like leafleting.
Placards joined to sticks can be a subtle way to bring with you batons substitutes that
can be very useful in specific situations. (Most effective when attacked by rightists. May
deter a bit other belligerent opponents...)
d) Journals, web pages bulletins, zines, books, web pages, forums, commenting, etc.
Non formal face to face communication is the oldest way of influencing the opinions of
others and oneself. Speeches, lectures, and discussions are fine too. In addition to the
leaflets, and placards that are of limited scope by their nature, other means can expand
the arena of communication. Seldom the dominant opinions are changed in one face to face
encounter, but non face to face encounters do not confront the pride and self esteem. In
addition, the less intense encounter with out the emotional face to face load, can more
easily access the less dominant opinion one have, and/or build new recessive opinion that
are not in accord with the dominant ones.
Another aspect of the non face to face communication of printed material is the
variability of the emotional climate of a person it can access. The face to face
communication - and more so if it is a one time encounter occur in a specific emotional
climate. Even the same content can have a better effect when the exposer to it occur in a
different emotional climate or divergent ones.
It is well known that in a conversation about strong held opinions, it is very seldom that
any side admit that opinion was changed. However, when the communication was not too
unpleasant, the content is absorbed and subtle effects occur like ripples started in a
pond a stone was thrown in.
e) Demonstrations and Vigils
1) In wide spectrum demonstrations - whether permitted or not, anarchists usually
participated in a discernible block. It enable the promotion of what the anarchist have to
say on the specific subject and in the anarchism as general.
The anarchist block is very important when the message of the activity is not expressing
in full our opinions and more so when the organizers are hostile.
Often, the state forces do not allow free way to the demonstration - and more so to the
anarchist contingent. Often, part of the anarchist contingent are prepared to be more
militant and enter in more intense confrontation with the state forces. In such cases
black clothes and some times masking can minimize the hazards of identifying by state forces.
2) Black Block
When evading or confronting state forces participants may do lot of actions not allowed by
law... It is important to take into considerations the effects on people witnessing such
actions or hearing about them. Damaging the environment and hurting people should be
carefully thought beforehand as they need common people justification to be of value and
not damaging our reputation.
For instance, shattering glass front of a worthy targeted building/business can contribute
- collateral damage to adjacent places or to wrong choices can damage a lot.
Confrontation with state forces or rightist opponents involve often physical injuries.
Beware of unnecessary damage to both the involved and the uninvolved. Not only pacifists
are sensitive to unnecessary injuries.
f) Education by the did....
Physical punishment of specific persons can be of educational value, but can also be very
damaging. There is big difference between the pieing of a person who symbolize the subject
of a specific wrong doing which is the subject of an on going struggle, and the killing of
a prominent figure of the ruling elite.
"You cannot demolish social class system with explosive".
An "heroic" act of an individual or a small group can not substitute mass uprising. It can
easily be regarded (even if not intended to) as an expression of vanguardist elitist
megalomania.
Fire, explosives, sabotage...
The day to day struggle against the legitimacy of the capitalist system involves wide
spectrum of means. During generations of struggles means were used according to the
resources available, understanding (or erroneous assumptions) of the outcome, and
creativity. Anarchists who exaggerated the role of leading individuals in the capitalist
system and the effects of heroic/daring acts of individual activists or small teams of
them used such means.
As the effects of such actions are often dangerous to other than the targets, and
perceived by the masses of the people just as they are, their results is the discredit of
the anarchists as a whole (including the social class struggle anarchists who oppose such
actions).
g) Education by example
Anarchists suggest/promote a new social order. As the imagination of people is limited and
need motivation to make the efforts, an example people can see is more attention drawing.
The capitalist ideology try to "sell" the people that the present egoistic, competition
infested, and hierarchical social order is the most suitable to the human nature.
Like many other claims about the "nature" of human beings, one example that is not
according to the "rule" discredit that claim. (or at least contribute to its discrediting).
By organizing a non authoritarian organizations, we prove that the capitalist ideology has
a serious flaw. By demonstration of the superiority of such organization we give a
significant credit to our other claims.
Thus, the applying of direct democracy to our internal relations and making efforts to
apply it to coalitions and initiatives we join have lot of added value.
u) Decision making, Direct democracy, and the tyranny of structurelessness.
Consensus is a nice and friendly way to arrive at decisions. It is best for cases when the
friendliness is the aim and the decisions are just a mean for it.
When the action is more important then the promoting of friendship, 100% agreement among
members of a group or organization can still be appropriate when it is about the common
basic principles of them.
When the involved anarchists are in agreement about the future social order: libertarian
communism. When they support the application of world scale direct democracy; and the
communist principle of give "according to ability" - receive "according to needs; When
they agree about the principle of social class struggle - differences of opinions that are
expected about strategies and tactics are in the practical domain only.
Though wisdom is not distributed equally among the people, and often individuals and
minorities may have better ideas than the majority, keeping the decision mode as optimal
striving for maximal agreement, and majority decision when it is time to decide, promote -
on the long run, the Liberty & equality & Solidarity.
As example, following is description of decision making of an anarchist federation
quote
Direct Democracy Applied
How it really works? NEFAC* practicing of Direct democracy Delegates do not make decision
FOR the membership, they bring the decisions MADE BY the membership to the delegate
councils. It isn't representative democracy, it is a way to communicate the votes by the
membership. I think you've been reading too many anti-organizationalist strawman arguments
about NEFAC.
This is an accurate example of how NEFAC's delegation works. The delegates collect the
votes on issues from the membership. They way it typically works is someone makes a
proposal to NEFAC, typically through the email list which every local group has at least
one person on (and in practice a super majority of the membership is on the email list).
Local groups discuss the proposal locally, either at their next regular meeting... or if
it's a quick issue a delegate might contact each member individually and get their vote on
the proposal. Then there is a delegate council meeting, which is held over
skype/conference call. All the membership is welcome to participate, but delegates have a
responsibility to participate. Calls generally last about an hour and happen once a month
(though they can be called sooner in the event of an issue that needs immediate
attention). Notes are taken from the conference call, including the proposals, any
proposed amendments (which then have to be taken back to individual members for votes),
and those notes are posted back to the email list. Also, we have a regular discussion
bulletin where notes from the delegate council calls, proposals, and interesting
discussions from the email list are compiled into a document and sent back to the list.
The discussion bulletin is in an easy to print format and is intended for local
circulation for folks who don't want to actively follow the chatter of the email list.
Major decisions are made at our conferences twice a year which have a requirement of a
majority of the membership to be in attendance for quorum. Something as politically
involved as a position paper might actually be debated over several conferences. One other
detail is NEFAC also elects individuals to certain positions such as the national
secretary (in charge of being the first point of contact for folks who contact NEFAC...
basically they read and reply to the mail and they compile the internal discussion
bulletin) and a treasurer. We also have a delegate to the Anarkismo editorial board. In
the past editing Northeastern Anarchist was rotated between collectives, but these days
it's a self-selected committee of volunteers. The website is run as an adhocracy
(self-selected volunteers). Major funding decisions for publications go to the
conferences. Minor funding issues might go through the delegate council. We also maintain
a separate treasury as a legal war-chest for helping comrades who need bail or lawyers
with a specific set of rules that were agreed to at conference in terms of dispersing the
funds.
Short of actually having everyone meet in the same room every time we need to reach a
decision, the process is as directly democratic and transparent as we can make it. Local
groups have their own autonomy of action, often maintain their own treasuries and publish
their own publications.
end quote
Many anarchist groups and initiatives do not have the same/above principals as common and
in the center of their motivation, and are more "affiliation" leaning. The internal
personal relations and common life style may be much more important than the results that
can be achieved in a result leaning organization.
Such groups and initiatives have a limited ability to educate by the example of their
internal relations... but still can do lot of education.
Anarchists which promote antiauthoritarian anticapitalist principles while promoting
various autonomous way of life like communes, squats, musical bands, TAZ, street theater,
etc. give example to a way of life that contradict the capitalist ideology. Though it does
not contribute much to the systematic ongoing social class struggle, never the less it
promote in a way the rebellion against the capitalist system and specific aspects of it.
(Many anarchists started their rebellion against the system when they rebelled against the
pressure to behave according to the order of authority figures in significant aspect of
their lives. They often followed it with the internal cry: "no one will tell me what to
do". As long as they are fixated on it, when they have a different opinion than that of
another person or group, they refuse to "obey" the decisions of the others (even when they
participated in the discussions and the negotiating preceding it). For many, the need to
act in contradiction or even just different way than their inclination is the utmost
offense. Such over inflated individualism/ego prevent such people and groups of them to
get the most from the combined wisdom of the group/organization, and get the most from a
collective that is more than the summing of the individuals in it.)
h) Part spectrum anarchists
Some anarchists, like many other people who question or oppose a specific aspect of the
capitalist system concentrate their rebellion in one field of struggle.
Ecology/environment, cruel treatment of non-human beings, gender, immigrants,
exploitation, human rights, third world, wars, refusnics, etc., are incomplete list off.
When they do it in accord with the "common spectrum" of rebellion, they can challenge the
capitalist system, promote the awareness to their aims, get credit for the anarchism, and
sometimes even obtain concrete gains.
However, when exaggerations occur in some specific spectrum subjects like the arsonists or
the primitivists trend of the environmentalists; the pro-animals bombers; and the non
selective street damage of some black blocks - instead of recruiting sympathy they arouse
antagonism in the masses of working people we do wish to influence.
i) Using the legal system
We do not like the capitalist system. One of our main objectives is to discredit each of
them. However, as the fish in the water we are immersed in the capitalist system. When
fighting it we must take into considerations the limited degrees of freedom we have. Most
often, it is more pleasant and effective to struggle out of the prison than within it.
Thus, in addition to being careful not to be caught by the state forces it is most often
useful to participate in the legal struggle in court. There, and in the other part of the
public arena, we can use contradiction within the system and between trends in the public
arena. Lot of pro capitalist liberals will make efforts to enable us to struggle more
freely than the tendency of the authorities. Taking these into consideration when planing
our activities is not opportunism... it is common sense.
For example, by adherence to the nonviolence mode of action, the Israeli anarchists
against the wall succeeded to gain the support of the liberals, and the reformist left
too, in the efforts to limit the state violence against us when we enter into
confrontation with state force. This resulted in lowering of state violence both against
us and our Palestinian partners, and lot of space in the media when the state belligerence
is higher.
(Within the general nonviolence mode of action, limited damage to the separation fence and
its construction were accepted by them as legitimate, and so was regarded resisting pushes
by state forces with counter push, or efforts to dearest comrades.)
j) Workplace class war
Every wage slave is in a protracted confrontation with the employer. The employers strive
to extract more work for less in return and the wage slaves strive to get more in return
to less work.
When wage slave confront the bosses openly - they change the whole of their way of
thinking and their systems of opinion. When a specific struggle defeated the psychological
gains may be small ("at least we gave a fight") or even turn int loss.
When the the struggle is long, even when the results are not clear, the experience of
revolt by it self increase the feelings of freedom.
One of the workplace struggles impressed me the most was in the industrial zone of Haifa's
bay in th50s. The industrial concern belonging at the time to the Zionist-national-
socialist syndicate, tried to change the employment rules. Till that time the rule was:
"the last one in (recruited) - the first out (fired)", into "efficient firing". Few tens
of the batteries production factory were fired according to the new mode. High amount of
compensation appeased most of the. Few of the fired (men) refused, and started a sit in
strike. At first simple one and then a hunger strike with wives accompanying - located in
the space the workers passed in and out of work.
For few days, in spite of hard words of wives to the passing workers did nothing. After
few days of hunger strike, one of the workers was so moved by insults of striker wives
went to the main electricity switch of the electricity supply and turned it down.
Immediately the workers of the whole factory and the workers of the near by factories of
the concern started a general strike that lasted few hours till the management yielded and
the "efficiency firing" mode canceled.
It took may years till the "efficiency firing" mode was applied (in restricted way only)
in any union organized work place (most of the Israeli work places).
--------------
In all work places (and within the system of opinion of every wage slave) there are pent
up grudges and resentment. A proper catalyst can release it into the open and some time
with an explosive bang.
Anarchist in the work place and more so a group of them can influence the accumulation of
the pent up grudges and resentment, and even facilitate their surfacing/expression in the
open when circumstances ripen.
Anarchists out of the struggling work place can contribute in many ways. For instance:
leafleting, solidarity actions, joining pickets and other activities of the wage slaves of
a working place in struggle, and even contributing to work place unionization.
v) Struggling for "reforms"
The capitalist system change during the long years of development. There are inbuilt
factors responsible for it. The unequal development of firms, the striving to survive, to
maximize profits, the concentration of capital and its expanding to non capitalist section
of the world, and the continuous class war with the wage slaves on the allocation of
values created by work to wages or profits.
Though the daily class war struggles can not gradually reform the social system from
capitalism to class less society, wage slaves can force many times the state and their
direct employers to compromise and improve a bit the lot of the wage slaves.
Though some may nourish the illusion that the capitalist system may be reformed, the
opposite claim that the worse it become the better are the prospects for revolution is
wrong as well. The on going struggles and more so the small gains promote the moral
decrease the strength of opinions that accept the capitalist system and increase the
weight of opinions in support of struggle.
k) Anarchists and election
Anarchists object to the delegation of unrestricted power to decide for other on
principle. People must decide themselves in their assemblies what will be with them and
not delegating it to others in an unlimited measure for a period of time.
(Assemblies can vote and elect people to positions to act autonomously within specific
mandates, but these elected are constantly accountable and subject to immediate recall.
Their mandates are not for deciding on policies but to implement decisions already decided
by assemblies of communities.)
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In demonstrations, direct actions, and other cases both before and after the revolution people may be even mandated to tell others what to do. Usually people will follow instructions when are within that mandat. In cases people feel the one who tell them what to do step seriously out of the mandate, or an unexpected dangr must be overcome - no blind following orders is expected. Such occurances will be
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Anarchists - "An-archists", oppose the capitalist authoritarian system in which
individuals - "archons", are ruling others. Election allocate persons and group of them
the power and legitimacy to rule the whole state or part of it for an allocated period of
time. Some "practical" anarchists think that the voting for the lesser evil candidates
worth the efforts. The more principled anarchists regard the damage done by expressing a
kind of confidence in the system by willful participation in the election ("vote of
confidence"), much bigger than any gain that can obtain from the election of "the lesser
evil".
The abstaining from the voting of election can be promoted to a significant campaign, as
most people are paying more attention to the subject in election period.
Some places where voting is mandatory subject to fine for absenting, or when specific
conditions are developing, a bogus candidate or a list or voting with blank note is a
second best.
l) Freedom and equality are not compatible with any kind of coercion...
This is the fundamental root of the antiauthoritarian stand. Violence, aggression, and
similar measures are used to force other to comply. However, for anarchists this is not a
stand alone principle. Anarchists are not pacifists or the "religious" nonviolent kind who
prefer to yield to the one who is applying power.
Anarchists apply power to defend their freedom from coercion of others, for defending
their bodies. When responsible for others who are not in the capacity of manging
themselves - like still not mature young, or intoxicated, or insane, the
nonviolence/non-coercion principle give way to a more important one******************* - the solidarity*******************.
In confrontation with state forces in "peaceful-times" the violence/application of power
is moderated by the political situation. Resisting arrest, dearesting of comrades, pushing
and "passive" use of body weight do not include intended infliction of injuries to the
opponents... but it is not always the same when confronting Nazis.
(returning a tear gas canister to the state forces that threw it on you is a marginal case.)
m) Emotional variables
People remember more what they paid attention to, and more so to what happened when they
were in a specific emotional mood when they are in such mood again. When afraid we
remember more what was related to fear, when happy we remember more vividly happy
experiences... etc. As our most prominent emotional pole is pleasure, connecting our
messages with pleasure increase their effect. Using humor, caricatures, music, (street)
theater is preferred when appropriate. Aesthetics are part of it and nice appearance of
printed material, banners, placards, etc, increase their affinity and their ability to
attract attention.
n) Freedom
The freedom anarchist communist fight for does not mean that every one is free to do what
just enter hir had. The space we live in is shared with others. Thus, when the freedom of
one is in conflict with that of others, the limited amount of available freedom need to be
allocated equally.
"Your freedom to be noisy need to be compromised by my freedom to have quite environment".
Freedom of expressing of ones opinion is not unlimited too. Forcing other people to listen
to you is often abusing of the freedom to express opinions.
There must be a free way one can express hir opinion with out the conflict with others
freedom not to here.
Freedom of people include the option to organize their private space. "Every one is free
to give a speech in the town square... as long as it is not disturbing the sleep of the
neighbors, or an autonomous happening organized there by other people.
Pseudo anarchists complained in the name of freedom of speech about the authoritarian
actions of the ainfos project as we refuse to distribute texts that are out of the
spectrum of the ainfos project decided by its collective.
In the name of their freedom, they denied the freedom of the ainfos collective members to
contribute time and other resources according to their free will.
We offered them to invest efforts in creating their own project and distribute their texts
there.
**************
In class less society every one will have the mean to express ones opinions so these will be avilable to all.
In the grass roots communities meetings of members every one will have the space to express ones oppinons as long as one do not abuse the freedom of the assembly to continue according to the direct democracy principles.
**************
o) Equality
Equality do not mean identity... Every one is a unique person. The equality is thus
qualitative - not quantitative. Equality means that every one contribute to society
according to ones ability - not according to a specific norm equal to all.
Equality means that the society means equal happiness and satisfaction to all - this is
why people will get according to their different needs when discernible an equally
regarding luxuries when no different needs can be discerned.
Equality means that when the resources are limited i.e. there is conflict between the
freedom of one person to do as on hir mind because it infringe on that of another person,
there must be an equal sharing of limiting the freedom involved.
(The freedom of one person to do noise may be in conflict with the freedom of the others
around not to be disturbed by that noise.
p) Solidarity
Our second important basic emotion after the basic emotion of pleasure versus distress is
the caring for others. This is the root of our solidarity with other human beings and in a
lesser measure with other being. We care and help others and try to minimize their
suffering to satisfy our emotional needs (and not because of a dubious "altruism").
This is the main reason the future society we want will not use or kill other beings that
do not endanger us.
q) Self organization
Human are a social being. Beside its need for rest and quite there is the need for the
company of others. Joining other for specific acts or a prolonged periods are common. When
entering any organization of people one "sacrifice" part of ones freedom as one needs to
coordinate there with others.
In the best organization, the "sacrifice" of "individuality" and urges is equal for all
participants.
Anarchists stress the freedom to federate with like minded people. The freedom to federate
or not to federate after the revolution is not simple. People will be free to federate
with other for any reason the wish... and not to federate with others... but the human
society as a whole will not have the option for groups to be entirely independent from the
rest of humanity as every one is partner for the one world we have.
The independence of individuals and groups will be in a way similar in principle to the
independence of Siamese twins from each other.
v) Struggling for "reforms""reforms", unions, syndicates, mass struggles, and coalitions
The capitalist system change during the long years of development. There are inbuilt
factors responsible for it. The unequal development of firms, the striving to survive, to
maximize profits, the concentration of capital and its expanding to non capitalist section
of the world, and the continuous class war with the wage slaves on the allocation of
values created by work to wages or profits.
Though the daily class war struggles can not gradually reform the social system from
capitalism to class less society, wage slaves can force many times the state and their
direct employers to compromise and improve a bit the lot of the wage slaves.
Though some may nourish the illusion that the capitalist system may be reformed, the
opposite claim that the worse it become the better are the prospects for revolution is
wrong as well. The on going struggles and more so the small gains promote the moral
decrease the strength of opinions that accept the capitalist system and increase the
weight of opinions in support of struggle.
The class struggle take many shapes, and is expressed in many ways. Sometimes, the fact
that a struggle to which many join is part of the class war is not easy to discern. For
instance, when activity is done under the banner of human "rights" and liberalism, or the
"liberal" capitalist ideology.
Such struggle is often taken to restrict the capitalist state options to repress
dissent... and is relevant to the space of class war.
Sometimes, people converge to struggle against various aspects of the capitalist system
like ecology, gender, animals, education, foreign workers and refugees, and even build
unions/syndicates to fight for work place and wage slaves related interests.
Anarchist communist activists join such initiatives and organizations when they are not in
sharp contradiction to our opinions and enable us to promote our ideas within the specific
struggle.
There is big difference between joining the struggle with or without taking part in the
organization top or lower levels of organization, or just join the struggle as
group/block... or just as individuals.
For example, the spectrum can be from taking part in a coalition of the radical left
(finding in the 40 years for Israeli 1967 occupation activities that we were nearly the
only ones active in the long logistics operation).
It can be for example in a reformist trade unions when comrades participate in various
levels of shop floor or even low level organization posts as long as they are subject to
direct democracy of recall and not part of management.
It may be a hard question to decide when organizations and parties of the authoritarian
left are involved.
For instance, when these red fascists organized the only demonstration on 1st of May or
other important subject, refusing to join the organization meeting but joining as our own
block with our flags and banners may be the best choice.
The core of the conflicts when deciding if to join or not (when the subject is
appropriate) is whether we have enough freedom to present our opinions and not seen by all
as if we were co-opted.
*************
When we join mass actions and coallitions we need to adjust our strategies and tactics to the wider spectrum of activists. In such cases, entering into more militant activities than our partners we need to be carefull not to involve them in confrontations they did not choose to join. The worst step will be to throw objects behind the back of nonviolent line of people who do not want to be involved with. The often taken tactic of braking a way as a more militant contingent from the main mass of people seems to be a good alternative.
*************
w) World commune of grass root communities
The community of few hundreds people will be the base of future class less society. The
size is restricted so all the members can meet regularly in a weekly or so meeting to
manage their daily life and discuss and decide on subjects relevant to larger parts of
society.
These assemblies will also delegate people to work places and higher regional councils to
coordinate the regions and implement decisions taken in grass roots assemblies.
Delegates to internal communities comities and to higher level councils will do their
tasks after working hours, with no remuneration for the task, will be delegated to year or
maximum two for the task, will be accountable all the time and subject to recall
immediately by the assembly that delegated them.
Thus, there will be the local grass root communities (assemblies), neighborhood ones (of
delegates), sections or regions, city, country, continent, and world commune too.
Though higher level assemblies of delegate will have some decisions to do, most of these
will be just for implementing decisions already taken by the relevant grass root
assemblies, or within the specific mandate delegated to them or in preparation for
decision making by the relevant grass root communities.
The higher levels of direct democracy will have to coordinate the contribution according
to ability and supply according to needs at the world wide scale.
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x) Organizing of formal meetings
The expression of equqlity and freedom and solidarity in formal meetings of collectives, organizations, and assemblies is not expressed only in "one person one vote" but also in the access to the public. Usually, meetings have a "habts" about frequncy and time of meeting. Facilitating and moderation the discussions and speaches of participants. The agenda is often anounced in advance, and so is the allocation of time of speach for each participant. (Alocating turn of speach according to the flow of discussion, order of applying, first timers priority, special short interventions, etc.) However, in the beginning of each forum there must be an option for people to a "call for order" which take time off from any process going on, to decide/vote on addition of subjects of items/subjects to schedule (or substracting ones).
The same option of call to order is reserved also during the discussion of agenda in order to over ride moderator(s)/facilitator(s) management - including the shortening of speaches or ending discussion and/or making formal decision(s).
Usually, the meetings will streave to reach decisions with maximum of agreement (within reasonable allocated time). Decisions according to majority over rule any minority objection but the solidarity principle will cause the softening of such decisions or even defering them by the majority for further deliberations.
Usually, participation in such procedures is followed by accepting the tasks decided on (or leaving the body which decide on them).
For sure the majority is not always right, but refusing to follow collective decisions is even worse.
As long as the disagreements are not too much, one can represent both opinnions.
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Anarchist Accountability http://www.anarkismo.net/article/16133
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y) Veganism
Most anarchists are vegatarians or even vegans. But, it is not a kind of religious. It is just the expression of solidarity ("humanism") expanded beyond the human sphere. As mamals, we are sensitive the expression of distress of other creatures - and more so we are when we clearly perceive their calls of distress. Thus, we do not like the consumption of boby and products of animals. The more obvious is their meat but also other products of their bodies.
The work extracted from them and amusement, as well as diery and eags are fruits of gross restriction of their freedom and other forms of suffering. The industry of meat, diary and eags are the most horandous. In theory and extreme cases, diary and eags can be produced with out causing suffering and restriction of freedom of animals but it is not so in the capitalist industry.
However, as the competition between the plethora of spacious and humans continue, we may have to kill bacteria and insects, and rodents, and restrict freedom, reproduction or even kill other mamals and birds. Even when killing them, it can be in the most humanist way - like puting to the eternal sleep the terminal suffering of loved one or pet.
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z) The communist principle of "From each according to ability - To each according to needs".
In the future society people will still have to contribute part of their time for keep the society functioning.
Part of the time will be given by fulfiling formal and nonformal social tasks on entirely voluntary mode - mainly in the network of the various interpersonal relation of the grass root community and society at large - including bein g delegated to lot of tasks not within the strictly maintenance of production and services.
Part of the time will be given in a quota of working hours as decided by the society as a whole (hours and days a year). Within the allocated hours each person will be mandated according to ability and inclinations to specific tasks. Each able body will be expected to do the tasks according to mental, emotional, and physical ability. Part of the social esteem for a person will result from the way one do the mandated work.
For instance, peoople who will clearly contribute less than their ability will be subject to social presure to improve - people who will exel in their contributions will get lot of social esteem.
The fruits of the work of all the people will be distribute on an equal base to the various social and infrastructure community needs and for covering people needs and urges.
The receiving according to needs will be free and according to persons choice and decisions (including basic food, health, education, child rising, and caring for the old and disabled). The rest of supply for private consumption will be distributed equally to every one in a quota of values to choos from it. For instance fancy clothes and foods, specific furnichures, hobbies, traveling, etc.
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E-Mail: ilan@shalif.com