Direct Action: An Ethnography

573 Pages·2009·10.789 MB·English

by  David Graeber

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<f)IREACCTT ION
AN ETHNOGRAPHY
BYD AVIGDR AEBER
PRESS
EDINBURGH· OAKLAND. BALTIMORE
DirAecctti AonEn t:h nography
byD avGirda eber
ISB9N7 189 04857996
Libroafr yC onNgurmebse2sr0 :0 7199389
©200D9a vGirda eber
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Cover DCehsrWiirgisng :(h wtw swe.ldomwright.com)
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CONTENTS
PeforceD:i rAeccttAi noE nt,oh gnra*p hvyi i
IntrodYuocBute igWoiinntR: ha gYeou,M ovoent oS iyFl alnt*a si1e s
Chap1tN:ee rwY o rk Diar2y0:0� 1 M a1r7c h
Chap2tA:eT rir tpo Qu ebCeic�t y
Chap3tF:e rroB mu rlointn Aogk twes�a 1s0n1e
Chap4t:Se urm moiftth A em eriQcueabsCe,ic �t y1 43
Chap5t:De irr AeccttiA onna,r cDhiirsDemec,mtc o ra�c 2y0 1
Chap6tS:eo rmN eo toen"s Ac tiCvuilstt�u 2r3e9"
Chap7tM:ee re t�i n2g8s7
Chap8tA:ec rt i�o 3n5s9
Chap9t:Re erp rese�n 4t3a7t ion
Chap1t0Ie:mr a ginn:. a5t0i9o n
Biblpiho�yg 5r3a9
Ind�e 5x5 5
PREFACE
DIRECT ACTION,A N ETHNO GRAPHY
t:fl bootkh siisiz usen usnuoawla .dI awtya scse rytn aoimtny il ntiipalla n.
l1 W heInf idrescti tdobe edg in writmiyne gx puepr oisfdeo inmrceee csot f
actfioroman ne thnogprearpshpiIea ccc ttyiuh vaaeld,l into twerniadft iaeerd l y
short btohmoeok r.Iwe r Bouttthem e,o rteht eo psiece mteog dr oIwr .e alized
Iw afsca ewdi tach o mmdoinl eomfem tah nogwrraiptphioinicgtn :hts aset e m
.s imapnlodeb vioaunsy wothnohoe a ssp eynetai rndssea ig ivceunl tuunriavle rse
reqaug irredeae ta iln tkooc f o ntvoes yo mewohnhoea sSno'mte.t shiimnigl ar
hahda ppetnome ewd h eInr etutor Cnheidc faorgmmo y d isserretsaetairocnh
inM adag,am sacnyayer aargsIor .e memfbrteetrio nvjgeu rhs otmw u cIhh ad
tos aIyf l.eIt haabtd et swtoo rt hrreeeai lnltye rpeosittnomit anskga e b otuhte
commu1n'ibdte yes nt udThyeinnt ghm.eo meIns tt awrrtietdIi r nega,l ized
thtaoet x palanoiynnoe tf h opsoeit nost osm ewohnoe nwoattsh eemlsvforems
ar urMaall acgoamsmyi utwnyo urledq useivrheeur naedldpr agBeyts h.te i me
Iw adso nwer itIia nlrgse,oa lizmeods tt hrwaeotau pdlredor bsfa ibtnlhdye
exposmiutciho inmn otreer aelislnat litlnh,gaw ,nh a tIeo vreirg itnhaolulghyt
watsh "ep oint."
Catlhlbi oso tkh,ea nt ,r itbcouhtceeo ntirneuleedov fae ntnchoeg raphic
writBiy"n egt.h nowgrriatpIihm niegca, n"k itnhdea itmhsa t to describe the
contoofus roasc a inacdlo nceupntiuvaielnarw saety h iaastto ncteh eoreti­
calilnoyfr mbeudn,to itni, t sseilmf,dp elsyi tgoand ecvdao ats ei nagrlgeu ment
ort heoTrhyew.ra east iwmhee tnhd ee tadielsecdro ifpp toail oiontrc i ecra­l
emonoirea xlc hsaynsgiteneA m fr iocrAa m azownaicsao nsiadv earleuda ble
contritbohu utmikaonnno wlienid tlg.sfThe ei iss lnoonr geeartl hcleay As ne .
anthroapcotluofoagrmliA lsrfyti o crAa m azoonrei vase,no mpea rotfEs u rope,
migshtti albltl ogeb e aetw awyi twhr itsiunac bgho oPkr.e sy,te hnaetc lademic
conveinAntm ieor(niw ichcaayh o usncgh wooluablreud wn itsioeg niotsrh ea)t
viii DIRECTA CTION
onmeu sptr etoenned' s deissrc eryaim lpeltaintotomn a kseo mlea rpgoeirn t.
Thisse eumnsof rtutnoam teeF. o orn teh iInt gh,i inltki maib tosos kp 'oetntial
toe nduorveet ri mCel.a sestihcn ograafpthaeilrcel as,bn, e r ienterprNeetwe d.
ones-howfseacvierng a-trianrperleyse ennotu mgaht etroia alllt ohwia sn;d
whatth eirtsee ntdobs e s triocrtglayna irzoeuadns dpc eifaircg umoerrn etl ated
seroifte hse m.
Theorrelefe,mt ew artnh ree adiemrm eidattehleyir:se pnaor tiacruglua­r
menttot hbioso kn-lueistts'h sat,ht me o vemdeenstc rwiibtehidwis en wl olr th
thinkaibnoguTh ti.sd oenso mte aindt o enso cto nttahieno raertgiucmaeln ts.
Ovetrh ceo urofsi etIm , a kaen nyu mboeftr h ewmh:e tahbeortu htie d eological
roolfel arge ohbejaetvchytpe so ,l iitmipclailc oaftt hiweoo nrs"d o pintihoen ,"
simriilotafwy r itnienwsgst oarniHedos m ereipcic co mposoirtt ihcoeon s,m o­
logircooalflet hpeo liinAc mee riccualnt Wuhraemt.a ketsha inse thnographic
woriknt hcel assesnioscfte h tee rimts h aatsF, r aBnoza osn cpeu itt t,hg ee n­
eriaisln t hsee rvoiftc hpeea rticulapre-rahfsaoripmdst e,hf, e i nal reflections.
Theoirisyn volkaerdg teoal iyid nt huel titmaastokefd escriApntairocnh.i sts
andd iraecctti coanm paidgon sne oxtit soat l lsoowm aec adetmomi ack ae
theorpeotiioncrpta r lo svoem rei vsta hle'owrryo n(ga nmyo rteh adnoB alinese
tranceo rrA intdueiaarlnrs i gtaetcihonno laongidsit et sr)im,kea e sos b noxious
.
tos uggest owtohuellrdiwt kioest eh.it nhIka ats, a trheiesn utletor,fte hsits
boomki gahltes nod unrooetn lfyor thmoostei vbayht iesd tocruiricitaowylsh, o
wisthou nderswthaaintwtd a asc tualtlohy a vbleei ekinent hmei ddolfte h ese
evenbtutstoa, s tkh sea mseo orfqt u esttihaoecn tsio nirwt se rrea isaibnogtu,ht e
natuorfde e mocraauctyo,n aonmpdyo, s sibilfiortt himaeatst -tdoeirrl ,e mmas,
lmiitatiosntsr-aotofeft g risaoefnrsm atpiovleia tcitciaoln .
SOMEW ORDS OFH ISTORICACLO NTEXT
Enoutgihmh eap sa ssseidnt chebe r eatdhalyoesf2s 0s0 a0n 2d0 0t1h aotne
cabne gin, tpoes retheha ahptiso s,rt imcoamle nitna littpleer sbpietc toifv e.
Thapte riioitdns ,o wd eamra,r kaec de rtwaaitne rfsorhg eldo nbeaoll iberalism.
Thewseer teh yee airnws h icthh" eW ashinCgotnosne nosftu hs1e"9 9w0a5s
shattIehtra epdp.ev neerqdyu icIknflc ayti.i t as t estyit moto hneeff etciveonfe ss
diraeccttti hoanitt t o ookn layb otuhtr yeeeao rfls a rgep-ospcuamlloaebr zi al­i
tioinnos r dteor sdoo.
Iti ss omethimaersdr etmoe mbneorw,a dajyussw,ht a tth dea yosft he
WashingCtoonns ewnesrulesi ke. Pmeirghbhaetbp ess ttois tt atrhtew ni tah
worodfc ontteoxh te,lu pn derswthayin wtda st hatthZ ea patriesbteali lni on
199s4e ravse ds cuactha falrot y hsgetl omboavle ment naegoaliinbstethr aatl ism
followaendwd,h y tmhoavte mceanmtte ot aktehf ero mi dti d.
PREAFCE ix
THEM OMENATRYS USPENSOIIlHO INS TORY
Thyee ajrusbs etof re Ztahpea triesbteali lnCi hoina apnanso unictestdeo l f
thweo rldp wreorbeat bhmleoy s dte pretsismtieon gabr ee vuotliroyn-aoerv en,
dedictaott heiedd eoaftl hsLe e fti�nl ivmienmgro yI.tw asnt'hcteo llapse of
thSet alriengiisimtnEe ass tern thEawutar sdo eppe resmsoisntg ;r waedriec als
glatdos eteh egmo W.h awta ds eprewsaswsih naght a ppeanfetder rdwWsai.t h
Stalidneiasmdmo, s Mta rxiesxtpse cttose edae r enaisosfma onrcheeu mane
fromosf M arxiSsomc.di eamlo cbreavlteistde h taht ehyafi dn lalwyo nt haer gu­
ment wirtehv otlhuetL ietofa nnaedrx yp ecttose hde phtehfrerod m esru bjects
oft hSevo ibelto icn ttoh efilorda ;r easoenxapbelcet saitniwcohene p,no lled,
most opfo ptuhleoa ftC ieonnta rnadl EaEsutreosrpaneti hdew ya ntteomd o del
thenierwe conoomniS ewdsee nI.n sttehaegdyo,s t h otchke raanpdy mtohse.t
savafrgoemo fu nrestcraipcitteaIdlna i lsmmoe.sv tew rayyt ,h weo rslede med
to hbeea dfiorn gna i ghtsmcaerneaT rhireoo .m anitmiacog fet hgeu eriinl­la
surrecyt,w ihoincahr capturiemda gsion iamnta ino1tyn9h s6e 0sc,a swcaasd ­
ing aik nitnoodf o b�snces e-lpfadryAo.lr eaidnyt h1e9 8t0hsRe,i ghwth,i ch
habde eanr gufirony ge atrhsag tu eriinlrslguae nicnip elsal cieVksiee r naomr,
Zibmabwoer, S Eall vwaedronero s tp ontabnuefitoe unsds icshhe cmreesa btye d
froeiigdne olobgeugetason, pthuetoi wrnt heoirnitpeors a cwtiicttehh, Ue S
anSdou tAhfr iciannt ellaiggeenncccrieee ast inga rgmuileeirtskih ecle ol nat ras
orR ENAMOt os iocnl etfirsetg iAmtet shs.ea mtei me, eMxairsxgtiuisent­g
rimlolvae mefnortmCs o lumbAinag ottloha ah ta d bfeulgolufhn i gh-minded
rhetoriincc rweearpseri ontngobel e yc opmuerb ea ndkiitno grns i,h ialrimsiteisc
withaonuyt cbaeuysotenh deo iwrnr ebel(ltihwoohnsi ehc ehl tdo otlhided eal
ofs octiraalon rsmfatliiotknhe,Se h inPiantighn P ersue,e mieafdn ytheivnegn
wor.sL ei)bermaotvieomne envtesrh yewrwee rter saofnrmiinngtv oi cieotuhs­
niwca rTsh.e cna mteh wea voefg enocoifwd hei,cR hwan da anfdro mtehre
Yugsolawveiroaen ltyhm eo sdtr amaatnvidic s ible.
Ona d oziennt erlroecgkiissnitgme urlsut saltnyhee,eom ergpiantgts eerenm ed
catastIrstoe pehmileciedi.k wt o uglods ometlhiitknhegi O sna: n i nternational
levcealp,i twaalsti rsamon rsmfingi nitato s reelvfo lfuortciAeob.na anrdyo ning
thwee alrfe-vsetrastoiefco anp ittahlahitas admc tuwaolnl yCt ohleWd ar t,h e
olCdo lWdar riaonrtdsh eciorr posrpaotnews eorrdese mandapi unrge , no-holds­
barrfeerde,- market vhearndse ivaoecnrt uteahxlailtsy at newdde ,rw ei lltion g
wrehaakv oonca lelx isitniisnttgu tsiooncaairlar la ngeimnoe rndtteosar c hieve
it. Ailnlv otalhk viiesndo d fw e iirndv erTshiseo tna.n dard lriinsgehi,tn- cwei ng
atl eatsht1e 7 90hasda,l wabyese n rtehvaotl utdiroenawamersryd e a ngerous
precibseeclatyuh seweye ruet optihaeniy:g notrherede caolm pleoxfsi otcyi al
leit,fr adiatuitohnoa,rn ihdtu ym,an na tuarnedd,r eaomfer de shatphwieonr gl d
accortdosi onmgae b rsatictd eBaylt .h1 e9 095t,h pel ahcaedbs e en completely
x DIRECT ACTION
reveedrTh.se L efhta lda rgaeblayn dounteodp ia(naintsdhmm eo riedt i sdo t,h e
morite s hrivelceodl laaanpndsed ev dea)ns,t hedyis do t,h e Rpiigchkiteut dp .
Free-marokremteo rev"srr"ne ifbgehgtda enc latrhienmgs reelvvoelsu tionaries­
thper obwlaesmt, h edyi sdo a s wtohress otr otfSs t aliensissetnstt,ei lallilnyg
thweo rlpdo'otsrh astc iehnacpder ovtehdew raeos n loynw ea yt og of orward
inh iosr,tyt hatth iwass u ndersbtyao s ocdi enttirfiaciaenlleliadytn edt, h at,
theorr,eet fhehya dt os huutpa nddo a st hey twoelbrdee c aeuvseetn,h ough
thepirre scrmiipgtchiatou nessne o rmsouueffisrn dge,a atnhdd,i sloicnatt hieo n
presaetsn otm,pe o iinntt h feut ur(et hweeyrn eo stu rqeu iwthee niw)to uladl l
leatdoa p araodfip seea cep raonsdtp yThe.er f icatt hatth" es cieintcsheea"ld f
shiffotrmeh di osrtical mattofee rer-ikmaealetric somn owmaiascf sia rmliyn or
detaaniylyw;,ia mta keietsa stioee xrp laifnor mheSortw a lifonrmiR sotmsa nia
toV ietnfauomn di sto e astyos impslwyi thcahta sn dde cltahreem sneelvoe­s
liberals. asMse tarnuwcahtdiujlrueas,ltp moelnistct ireisap wpaewydh astm all
socpiraolt echtaeidxo inssft oterh dpe o orienashbti toaftn htpesl anperto,p agan­
daa ndst atisticalh ambda enciopsmuoeel ff eacttiiovnem ostmtha aitn stream
Ameriwchaopn asi adt tenttosi uocmnha ttercso nwveirtnehc caeotdn diftori ons
thweo rlpdo'osr est were acatnuda ljnluoyst ta i rmeilpanirs Eko aevs Aitsn iga,
thahtam do strleuyfs etdoa donpeto lipboelriacli es.
Evepryr ogrevsiscitsvoeere ym teohd a vbee etnh reatoerrn eevde rIsne d.
SouAtfhcr aig,e neraotfsi tornushg agfdl ien aelllinyma itreadc aipaalr tah eid;
momeonfht a ppicneerstysa,b,i u antnl alimdoesntst yisctawelabm se icnrge ated
on gal obal scoanil nec,r ebamasisil�ernidgit lzbyeo dr daenrodsn a, l abmoirg ra­
tiorne giwmhee rferot ,h otsrea pipnpe odo r coruenstirdiieenrns ic,cle ha ,r gely
whictoeu ntwraidsee sp enodnep nots seosfis dieonnpt aipteayrn swd i llingness
tow oriknj otbhsre e sidtehnetmssw eelrveewnsi' ltlt iodn ogF. e minwiasbsme ­
inrge trenFcohremvdei.rc toovreisrew se atlsahbocophr i,ll adb or,c heavtteenl
salvewreyr,ae l l ebreoidnoegrdd o wnreirgahdti .c ated
Mucohf t he problepmr esctfieorsmmetm lheryedo uotf dtrheeao mfs ocial
.
reovlutainotdnh ,o usteo pfinaatna siehsaa dlt whaayts n ebceeestnsoi a nrsyp ire
peoptlote hp ea ssainosdne - lsfaiccrreie fqutiora ecdt uwaolrltkyot raonrsmtf he
worilntd h e diorfge rcetaifetroeendr o amng dr eater Iae mqr ueeafrlrihitenyrg.e
tog enuliinveui,tn ogp ianiisdmet-ahta rhtae d iaclatle rnaarpteoi sbvsleaiesn d
thatcoanbnee gtiocn r eate tthhpeer me sienno tp-paosts oew hda t mbieg ht
cal"lsecdi ieucnt toipfiatnhiiesd met"ah: at thr ee volutiitsoh anega ernyt of the
inevitabolfhe i tsom,raw yrhcihwc ahss oe alsyai,n cda tastrlyoa,pp hpircoaplri­
atebdy tRhiegh Tthme.u rdoefdr r eams ocnolluyel atddon ightemsIa.mtr a de
iatl moismtp ostsoif orbml eca e nftoremrw hicthofi ght itnhcuer osfti hoen s
(noswu per-crheavrogleudt,Ri iognhSator.cyD i)ea mlor catpiacr tiEeusr oipne ,
fore xampwlhei,wc ehr beo rnf orma r eofrmisrstatio nfM arxifisrmss,et e med
PREAFCE xi
ratphleera wsietdh c otlhleo aftp hseeri erv olutcioounsairnysh -atdh efyyi nall
wont haer gumenttit-lhu enrye altihzatethd e oiwrna ppealt,h weia nlngld­ i
nesosfc apittaoel nigsawtgiset t hh ewma,as l moesntt ibraesleydt hoeanibr i lity
top osition atsth heleme stsehslr veeasta elntienrgnB aeotfrilevo ent.gh ,se o cial
democrraetgiicm eesx pheardis euncachm e odr aanlpd o lictoilclatalhp atsthe e
fews tiinlp lo wewre rree dutcoeb de comtihnaegg enftrots h dei smanotfl ing
thwee lfsatraett heehsya odr igicnraelalTtyhe aedc .t iLvetifi snit n dustrialized
countwraibsee sc omiinncgr earseiancgtl,icy oa npaaorbfyl em obilizing passions
onltyod eefntdh ings theaxtei dsa-tltrohezeao dlnyae y aeffirr,mt aiavcet ion
programs, itnrcerienesga-ilsanynee dcff tiEvlesley:w hietsre ee,mi ennd e ar­
totcaoll lapse.
Thenfi,n laltyh,e wraes "globalization."
AsA nnTasi n(g2 00h2a)rs e cernetmliy nudset,dh eraec 'usr ihoiusst ory
herTeh.en otiroenab lelgyaa snap rogreosnseIi.tv eaw s atsr ovnegresri on of
internattihosene annlsoieots n mlt:yh aatlm le na rber otbhuettrh swa eta rteh e
commocnu stoodfias a innsgf lrea,gp illaen eti-daeenan capsbuylp ahtoetdo ­
grapohfts he ea rttahk feornm o utsepra bcyae s troinnta hu1et9 s6 T0hse1. 9 908
rhetoofgr liocb alhiazndao tnieot nho iEfss .s eny,tih itaa tdlw llo egosnw:ea tsh at
telecommunicpaatritoinlcsytu- hIlaenan trde -rnweetraen nihidliasttianngc e
anmda kiinngs tcaonnttp aoscsitbb leet waenepyna ortft hpel antehotet; h wears
thtahtfe la olft hIer oCnu rtaaniodnt hbearr rtiote rrasd ea wtte hsreae m,te i me,
creaats iinnggu lnei,fi ed mgalrokwbehatol,sfi en ancmieaclh anciosumtlshd e n
operate tthhesrsaoemui egn hs tantealneecotmuresoa nnMisac.i l nyi,wt a s just
abotuhtpe o woefr fincaanpciBetu attlh .e rhweatusos ruiaaclc lcyo mpbayna i ed
seroifve esrb yr oad generanloiotzn altyi omnosnp:er yot dhbuaucttt sa,n d ideas,
peowpelre"e f lowaibnogau"snt e ver nbaetfioeorcneoa,nl o cmoiuenlsodl onger
dreamb eoiafnu gt onuosm;o noaltdi onalisitn diedneeadot,li booognriadeles r,s ,
werbee comiinncgrn egalisyri relevsaono tnA,.l la tnhodwif as sp reseanst ed
happeanlialnfi gto sw na ccoTredcn.ho loagdiveasn pceeodwp,el eri en creasingly
in cownittoahnc aetn otthheoern :lp yo ssliabnlggeeuf roat hetmod ewailt h one
anotwhaesr trade-sinwcaesa ,fc taaelprrlio ,to atilenhid us mman na ture.
Foarn yownheow arse aplalyyia ntgt ention,t hroeef a lwciaotsu yr vseer,y
dieffreBnotr.d weerrse bneoietnffa gc ebdu,rt e iorncfPeodo.pr o pulawteiroen s-
stpielnln iendtt oh eir coofou rnit(griiiwnneh si cehx isstoicnbigea nle fits were
beirnagp iwdhlhydw rna.)" Gloibzaaltmieorne"rl eeyfr rteotd h aeb iloiffit ­y
nanccaep ittosa klia pr ouansd w iits haendtd a kaed vanotfta hgaefcat t M.o st
of haolwle,v tehrpe,e rioof"d g lobaliznaetoiloinb"e-arosiar tcl ma iest mo,
be knjouwasnbt o euvte rywehxecreAepm te rai-csatwh cer eaotfit ohfiner st
genuipnlealnyeb tuarreya uscyrsatitenhim cu mahni syt.o r
Inr etroIsv peercyt ,im muacght ihnateth i ihsso wt hlea yseta orfts h tew en-