Facing the Enemy. A History of Anarchist Organisation from Proudhon to May 1968

301 Pages·2002·19.69 MB·English

by  Alexandre Skirda

Facingthe
Enemy
A HistoorfAny a rchiOsrtg anization
from ProudhtoonM ay1 968
ByA lexanSdkrier da
TranslabtyPe adu Slh arkey
AK
© 200i2n t hifso rmbaytAK Press.
© 200T2r ansiloanPt:a uSlh arkey.
Alrl ighrtess erved
Facintgh eE nemy:
A HitsoroyfA nacrhiOsrtg anizafrtoimo Pnr oudhtoonM ay1 968
ISBN19 02591397
libraorfyC ongreCsast alogni-nPgu-bilicDaattia on
A catalroegc ofrodtr h itsi tilsae va ilafrbolmet heli braryo fC ongress.
Britilisbhr arCya talogu-iPnugb-liincDaattiao n
A catalogrueec ordth ifsto irt ilsae v aliabfrloem t heB ritilisbhr ar.y
The Englitrsanhs latoifoA nu tonoimniddeiu veieltlfe o rccoel lective
(Leasn acrhisettLe 'gsoa rnaistidoePn ro udhaon no jso uPrsa)r i1s9,8 A7 Skirda.
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TranslbayPt aeuSdlh arkey.
Degsnia ndl aywoourtdk o nabtyFe rde dBdaieer.
Thep roductoifto hnbi oso wka ms adpeo ssiinbp laerb tya g eneroduosn ation
from thAen acrhiAsrtci hvPero jeFcotmr.o rien fmoatriopnl,e acsoen tact:
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TABLE OF CONTENT S
ITh.e BanpktrcouyfS oicaliasnthmde Se tbacokfAs n archism 1
............
II. SFtrrionme Irn'vdsii dutaoPl r oudhPorno'dsu cers 5
.............................
III. Bakunin: oThfRe e vloPurtioognAranaramyrs c hi.sm . 9
..... ......... ..........
IV.B akuniOnrgiasnti zati.on .. .. 15
..... ............ ... ................. ...............................
V. The Allnicaet,hIWMA e anthde Clwiaths Mha rx . . 23
........ .... ...............
VITh.e FeedralIWMAi:s tA pogaeneDd e mis.e. ... . . ..32
.. ... .... ....... .... ...... ... ..
VIIP.r opadgaba ynD eeadn "dA narocnht yhP ea yroll." 42
......... .................
VIIAIn.ti -OrgiaonniizasanttBdso mbe.r.s. .. ... 52
......... .. ..... ..............................
IX.F rothme F reCeo ntrtaotc ht"e A narcWhoriksetr s'
Par(tCyG 1)" 60
...................... .............................. ........................................
X.Th e Indiavildiu,s ttsRhues sRieavnlo utoifo1 n95 0a nd the
CongroefAs msi e(n1s9 0.6.). .............................7...1. . ...............................
XITh.e InetrntiaonAanla rcChoinsgtr ienAsm ss ter(d91a0m7 .). ......... 80
XIILi.be rtairinta hCneGs T a nd Ithlel eg(aBloinsantnosdt
Comapnyi)nA c tio.n. ...................................................9 ...4.. .......................
XIIThIe. S acrUendi oann 'd'Th eWar toE ndA lWarls " . 150
................... .......
XIV. The "MiraogfSe o vietainsAndma "r chiisnCm r is..i..s. ....1.1.6. ............
XV. The OrganizaPtiltfoaonraomlf t h Dey eTlrou dGar ou.p. .....1..2..6. ......
XVI.Th e Controvearbsotyuh tPe la tfor.m. ......................1.36
. . . .. . . ........ .. .. .. .
XVIITh.e CNT-AIF i nS paiinn1 93-6193.9. ..............................1....5....0... ....... .
XVIII. TheB aOnPtdh FeC L (LibaerriCtaonm munFiesdtae trio.n.). 1.6.3. ....
XIX. Lighattth eE ndo f Tthuen nMealy:1 96.8. .....................1...7. .3.. ............
XX. MatchEinndgs and .M.e.a.n..s.. ..................183
........ . ... .. ... ... . ............ . .. .. ..
Textansd Documents 186
................. ............................ ...........................................
Introduction 186
................. ...................... .............................................
DocumeNnot. 1 :T heP robloefmO rganizaatnidto hneN o tion
ofS ynthesis 188
........... ......................... ......................... .........................
DocumeNnot.2 :T heG rouopfR ussiAanna rchiAsbtrso ad
TheO rganizatPiloantafloo rftm h eG eneraUln ioonfA narchists
(Draftj)u,n 2e0 ,1 926 192
................................ ...................................
DocumeNnot.3 :S upplemteotn hteO rganizatPiloantaflo rm
(QuestainodnA sn swerNso)v,e mb2e,r1 926 215
...............................
DocumeNnot.4 :T heG rouopf R ussiAanna rchiAsbtrso ad
RepltyoA narchism's ConPfaursiiAsou,ng iuss1tt9s 2,7 225
..............
DocumeNnot. 5:P iotr Ars-hTihneoO vl da ndt heN ewi n
Anarchi(sRme ptloyC omradMea latesta) 238
....................................
DocumeNnot. 6:T he" NabaOtr"g anizaitnti hoenU k raine,
1919-1920 245
..................... ............................... ..................................
DocumeNnot. 7:M ariIas idi-nOer ganizaatnidPo anr ty 248
........
DocumeNnot8. :P iotArr shin-oEvl emenOtlsda ndN ew
inA narchi(sAmR epltyoM ariIas idine) 257
.....................................
DocumeNnot. 9:G eorgFeosn tenoints h eO PE 261
............................
DocumeNnot. 1 0:T heG rouPKer onstaPdatr.i s
DraftL ibertaCroimamnu nisOtr ganizatPiroinnacli ples 268
............
DocumeNnot.1 1R:e volutiAonnaarrcyh Oirsgta znaiti(oOnRA ) 272
...
Listo fB ibliogrNaapmheisc . 281
................................................................... .........
''Tloa thye foundatfiootrnhs e l iberotyfi ndividbuyao lrsg anizing
thei nitiaotfthi ev mea sses."
-P. J.Pr oudhoCno,n fessoifao Rnesv olutio1n8a4r9y ,
"Ih avteh isst aunbcehl itehfat th eti mef othre oretical diisnc ourse,
prinotrth rougthhe spokewno rdh,a sp asseOdv.e rt hep asnti ne
yearwisth,i nt heI nternatmioorneia dle atsh awne rnee edetdo r es­
cueth e worldw ered evisedi,fi deawse rea ltlh awte ren eedetdo
saviet a,n d1 c hallenagney onteoc omeu pw itahn ewo ne.
The timef oird eaissp asti,ti sn ow tifmoedr e edasn da ction.
Whatc ountasb ovael ell steo daiysth e organizaotifto hnef orcoefs
the proletaBruitsa utc.oh r ganizamtuisotbn et he dooifthn eg p role­
tariiatts elf."
- MikhaBiaklu ninL,e ttteort heC omradoefts h Jeu rFae deration,
1873
"What weh avteo g eti ntoou rn oggiinst hawte c ane xpecntos up­
portO.n loyu rb icecpasn s euts fr ee."
- EmilPeo ugeLte,P erPee inarOdc,t ob1e8r9 4
"Anarchiisns omts omeb eautifudlr eams,o mep hilosopahbisctraalc ­
tionb,u ta s ocimaolv emenotfth e toilmiansgs eFso.r t havte yr rea­
soni,ht a st og arneirtf so rcienst oon eb roaodr ganizactoinosnt antly
actinags r ealaintydth e stratoefgt yhse o cial sctlrausgsrg elqeu ire."
- The OrganizatPiloant/aolro mft heG roup
ofR ussiAanna rchiAsbtrso a1d9,2 6
"Iwitll ber eadialpyp recitahtaeItdc annorte maiinn dfiefretnott he
nonchalaanncdne e gligecnucrer enotbltayi niinnog u rc irclOensth .e
one haintpd r,e venthtes c reatoifoa nc oherelnitb ertacroilalne ctive
that wouldan arecnhaibsltteso tak e thepirro peprl acienth e revolu­
tioann,d o nth e otheri,tp ermiat msak ing-dwioth finep hrasaensd
granndo tiownhsi,ls eh yinagw ayw hena ctiioscn a llfeord. .R.e.s pon­
sibilanidty c ollecdtiivsec ipslhionueln do tc ausael artmh:e ayr et he
felltroawv eleorfths e practoifcs eo ciaanlar chism."
- NestoMra khnoO,n R evolutiDoinsacriyp l1i9n2e6,
"Ar evolutioonragrayn izaitsfii rosnat n df oremosmte aan osf e f­
fectivaec tiboyn t hep roletairnii tapstr oceosfsl iberatainodn ,
cannoetv erre presaenne tn di ni tseIltif sa. c atyasltr adicalizing
thes truggwlaegse da,l ivilnagb oratoofer xyp erienacnedas n aly­
sesa, f orufmo cro mparisionnfso,r matliioani,sa onndc oordina­
tioInt.es s sentrioalilest oe choc,e ntraalnidzm ea kee xemplary
allth e militwaonrtka chievedi tmsbe ym bers."
- The GroupKer onstaPdatr,i1 s9,7 1
I.T HE BANKRUPTCY OF SOCIALISM AND
THE SETBACKS OF ANARCHISM
The ageo fm oderrne volutwiaosun ssh erienbd y the FrReenvclohu tion.
Itc asatl onsgh adow otvheewr h olnei neteecnethn tur.Thy us,o therB astilles
weres tormaendd g,r adaullbyy,d inotfm aster-straonkdie nss urrecctuilo­ns,
minatiinntg h ee xtarordineafrefyr vesceonf1c 8e4 a8n dt her isionftg h eP aris
Communien 1 87t1h,er e volutiovniasrityoo no skh apSei.n cteh eni,ts su pport­
ersh aveb eenc easselslyep reoccupwiitethhd e prospeocfti str se alizatino.
Now,l otosfd ifficulhtaiveecs o met ol igohvte thre a ttempatnsdth e experi­
mentcso nductoenid t bse hlafTh.e se reseiqdueal liynd evisinpgr eacsia s e
definitaispo nos sibolfei tosb jcetivaensdi nt hep lottionfag s tratteogb yr ing
thesea bout.
Thus,w hilthei sc entuirsdy r awintgo ciotnsc luasnidoo nu ghatc,c ording
tot hep redictoifso onmseo ft hesseo cia"lpirsotp hettohs a,v"we i ntesstehde
attianmentt hoe"f e mancipaotifho unm ankinwde,a "r ei n pao stiions ttaot e,
witohufte aro fc ontradiacltaitsoh,na t,th ep romistheastt hicse ntuirnys pired
ati tbse ginnhianvgne o tb eehno nodr.eI np articuiltia srb ,ec ominmgo rea nd
morea ppartehnattt h eex rtaordintaercyh noloangdi sccaile ntifidce velopment
that mhaarsk eodu rti mesh as brought odnilsya pbpiottienrtm oertrn atgsi c
disislilounmetnotht o sew hos taktehde ihro pes for liberatiaodn­ upon such
vanceIsnt. h ef acoeft heo bstinaocyff actHsi,s tohraysm arked tiamnedg one
intaos pin otnosl kyii dne verdyi rectiWhoenn.e veirt msa skh asf allaewany i,t
hasb een notithcaetat bhlege r and pretloru edveoslo unht aivbe eefno llowed
byp aloer,d inadrayws n.
Inv ieowf s ucdha wnsfar, fr omr adiaanntdc horaarlw,ee t oc oncluthdaet
thev ernyo tioonfs ocirale voluhtaisbo enc omoeb soleAbtseo?l utneoltSy.p eak­
ingf oor urselwveea sr,ec onvinctehda ittr emainisn,s tethaed s,o lper ospect
foarg enunielhyu manseo cieAtyn.dth isr egarsdslo efth e nitpickers, obscu­
rantisatnds b rainwasohfee rvse rtyyp e:i ns piotfe hfiaosnasn df adtsh,e s o­
cialist disMguairsxseits- Leannidcn riismtse ;d espithteer enedgeasfro mt heir
clasthse, i ndfefirenatn dth e apolitikcnaolw -nothiwnhgois magitnhea thte y
cane scaupnes catbhyeh do ldianlgo froofm s ociwaalr fa.r e
But haorwew et oe xplaaiwna yt hed eviatiaonndr epeated sestubf­acks
feredb yth e revolutioindaerayil tfal,s l i ntdoi sgraancedt he" glaolblnye ga­
tiv"ve erdipcats saegda inistt a bl ya rgsee gmentt hoeef a rtph'osp ulatiThoen ?
I .HTE BANKRUPTCY OF SOCIALISM
corraencstw teort hawto ulrde quaip rreo traacntdme idn ustcer utoifan y
wholsee rioeffs a ctaonrddsi spairnafltuee nWceeh so.pu el timattoce olnyd uct
sucahn i nqu,bi urftyo nro ww,e s hamlalk deo w itohf feringv eyarc ofne­w,
densceodm ments.
Firosfat l tlh,e wraes a c ertcaoinnfu ssiuornr ountdhivene ygrn otioofn
revoluStioocni.ai ldeioslto tgouoiekats s s ynonymsooumse timetsh "ewr iitghh t
tow ork("14 88,)s ometiwimtehts h weo rkerri'gsth ott hfuel plr oduocfh ti s
lab,ot rhewni tmhe rrea tioorngaaln izoafat s ioocni oefpt ryo ducoerer vse,n ,
firsatn df oremporsitco,or n quoefts htpe o weorfth es taThtee .o bjebceti tnog
setth tei lolfse orc ifeoatrc y o urssuei tteotd h ien teroefts ht"esm onsutm erous
anlda rgcelsat-s"ts h per olet-abruiitanf t a ecnttr ustiittnot g hc ea roefth ose
chargweidtr he preseint"tshi insgt coarlilciTh nigst. r"e fnods tetrheeedm er­
gencoefa n ew" socialitshtCe"a pciltaalosifEss x:tp ste riosreb rain-workers.
Whenevoenrel ooaktst hree suolftt h idse ep-seiantfeadt uwaitthii no­n
dustrgiraolwt ohn,fie n dtsh aitht a bsr ougthhtwe o rkeornts h ger ouonndl y
crumbrse,n dertihnelgio rct e,tr ainmloyr,be e aratbhlaebn e fobrueet,v eyr
whiatsp recaraiswo eut so,d caayn reaapdpirleycTh iiasat sep.i rtaotmi eorne
"adminisotftr haitnibgoysng " o o"dg overnoafmn ecneh" a bse edne pendent
int hmei ndosfs ociaalnidts htesai cro lyutpeoasn" catastraonpahliyossfti "s
theev olutitorneaonrfdty h cea pitsaylsitsThetem .l atbteeirnd ge stibnye d,
therierc nkionfgo,ar ne arglrya vaest, h vei ctoifim tc so untcloenstsr adictions,
altlh awta sn eedweadsp atieanncdte h abte catmhece a rdivniarltuo ef" scien­
tific"s ociaIlotiu sgmth.ot b es tataendsd t restsheadt ctrheiwesad ss h ariend ,
ad iffefroernbmty,a narchainhsdot nse rsetv olutiowneallra isbe yas g ,o oadsl y
numbeorfp roletaHreinacbneys,c. o ntrast,i mtphaetiiaren ndthc eei sro me­
whanta ibveel iinae s fp ontaneroeuvso luatinodinm meditartaen storomfa tion
sociraell ationThsehyiw pesr.ee n couraignte hdic so urbsyeth osweh od e­
clinteo"d l egifsoltrah tfueetu reTh.a"t w asa na stuatnedp rofitpalbolfyeo r
disguitshiamenb gi tioofan n ewn dincgl aansds f odro dgitnhgie s soufet he
reabla laonffc oer ces ebxeitswtetiehnrnege volutiaonntdah rediieerss i gnated
orp otential Thiesns eampipeiosnfv.g i gillaenmdca en pyr oletatrohi uarnls
themselovfteersne, c kleisnstilony s,u rrecvtieonntiusArtne dsth .i sw ithout
thebieri nsgu fficiceonntvleyr wsiatnohtrc ritoiftc haoelr ientoaftht eiiorn
efforotrts h ree cuperoaftt higeoa ni ancsh ietvherdo utghhes itrru ggblye s
thnee we nemiweisth iwnh,oh adbe eunn duulnyd erestiumpat tothe adtp oint.
Thisc oubleds eeantt htei moeft hger ewaotr kebrlso'o dleitnJt uin1ne48g 8 ,
thPea rCiosm munReu,s sainatd h Uek raiinn1e 9 17-a1n9ld2a 1t tienSr playi n
in1 936-1939.
Wes houalldsn oo tteh aact o ncenturpaotenic oonn ocmoincd ittihoensse,
beinrge garudletidm ataestl hyke e ystoofan neyo verhauolfsi oncgi heatys,
gonhea nidng lowviet ahs cendoafnt chgyer egareiloeumseo nvtet rh ien di­
vidutahle,r ebbayn isahm ionrgce o mprehesnusibvvee,ra spipvree cioaft ion
three latoifdo onmsi naAntairocnh.i aslmo hnaes b een etxhcee pttoito hni s,
sinichtea isn stteakaedthn e c ircumstoaftn hicene dsi vaisdi utralse voluyt ionar
2 FAC I N GT HE ENEMY
projecpto'isno tfd epartaunrdea rrivAaclc.o rditnotg h ea narchviisetw point,
the indiviidsmu oarle t hajnu satp roducaenrda c onsumeheri :sal soa h uman
beinegn dowewdi tha c ritiacwaalr eneansds a spirtiosn ogc ihalar monyth rough
thei nterploafiy n diviaduutaoln omies.
The lacokfp recisiinto hnei deoloogfith ees n ineteenth hcaesnb teuerny
mirrorientd h e" dancoefl abeltusr"n:a n dt uranb oueta,c h fahcatisos nty led
its"eClofl lect"iRveivsotl,u"tir oy-Snoacial"iCsotm,m"u niasntd"" SociDaelm o­
cratiucn"t tihlep roceosfds e canthianslg e ufts wi thth ee xponeonftas s uppos­
edl"ys cientifisct"a te socainadtl hiefs emd eraaluitsotn omiwshtosw ,e not nt o
becomthee anarchiosrlt isb ertacroimamunn isThtuss.,t hef ormer wleorneg
convinthcaetdc apitalcioslml'aswp assei n evitgaibvletenh se imprliep ening of
objectciovned itiaonndts h,a tth imse relnye eded speuepda il nigtb tlyet aking
controlt hoesf t amtaec hienr.yI ti sa sp laaisnd ayth att hes ystehma sp roved
itsellifv elthiaenra nticipaantdte hda itth ase vemna nagetdor ecuperaaltle
thisf eignceodn testaitinao nni ntellmiagnennetAr s.f otrh ec onqueosfst t ate
powe,ir th asm erellye ds ocialoifes vtesr hyu et op erpetdueanli ablysd ,i notf
hugec oncessicoonmsp,r omiasnedsq uitsei mpslhya mefuclo mpacwtist thh e
virtueanle my- thec apitabloiusrtg eo-iswihei lpeu rportsianygt,,o r un
capitalismt hbaetnth tece arp italAiltslot t sh!e detrimoefthn eti url timaaitmes ,
whicahr ee ndlespsolsytp onetdoa m ore disatnadin ntd efinfuittuer dea te.
Int hev ieow fo nes egmenotft hesset atseo cialaisst thses, y stehma s
refusetdop erisihth, a sb ecomaem attoefru rgennetc esstihtaytt h es ubjec­
tivceo nditiooftn hsep roleta"rPiraonm etheubset" a keinnh anda ndh ise n­
deavors oveSrosi etwe ans.t hathte Blanquciosntc eopftt her evolutionary
minoriotyv,e rhaualneddd o neu pi n" sauce tabrytLe anriens",p awneadno r­
ganizatioofan n ewt ypet:h eB olshepvairkt Rye.g ardiintgs ealstf h es olree ­
positoofrth ye historical oifnt theeir nedsutsstp rrioalle taarnidta hte,r efore
awardiintgs theelf ri ghtto a cotn i tbse haalnfdi ni tpsl acteh,ip sa tyr imposed
itsseixtyl fo ddy earasg oe,x ercisapi rnegf ereonptitailoo vne trh ew holweo rld
revolutyi moonvaermenWti.th the disastrous orefis tuhsle tgse monwye a re
alfla mileivaerrw:yh erteh aitst u cceedehda,sf ,ai frrto me radicaetcionngo mic
ands ociianle quality,a dmdeetrdoea lnyde ntrencihtWe.ed a ka nda ginagu to­
crathsa vbee ens upplanbtyer du thlaensdsa ll-pofwupelar try-craItnss .h ort,
thec lassstr uggwlhei csht artleidfw ei tahn e yet ol iberahtiaosna,,m ongt he
stastoec ialriesftosr,m iasntdts o talitaalriikatenu,sr neidn taoc ommonplace
"competiftoiorof nfi ceA. p"l easbiuntgv ertye llfionrgm ula.
Asr egarthdes s econfda ctionor u ra lterna-ttihvese u bjeocftht i sb ook
- whicihst os ayt hea narchiosrlt isb ertcaorimmaunn isttsh,e hya vael ways
callfeodtr h ed ireacsts umptiboynth e exploiotfce odn trooftl h efiart eqsu,i te
independeonfatl nyyp artoyrs tatuttee laAlgoen.g wi thth e abolitoifpo rni vate
ands tactaep itaalliiskmae sw, e lalse liminaotfai loflno rmosfp olitdiocmailn a­
tions,o th atth esem ayb er eplacbeyad n e conomaincd s ociaarlr angement
wherethien p roductoifco onn sumer gaonodhd usm arn elationswhoiuplsbd e
direcrtleyl atteotd h ree anle edasn dwi sheosf m enan d womenb,a ndetdo gether
I.THE BANKRUPTCY O F SOCILAISM 3