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20 I YMERSEYSIDE CLASS S TH UGGIE ANAHCHIS T NETWUFIK ONE DAY NATIONAL DAYSCHOOL SATURDAY, 8TH JUNE, 1991. NEWSLETTER 20p 10AM 6PM JUNE '91 AT THE MUTUAL AID CENTRE 45 SEEL s'r LIVERPOOL -.-...I I " I 0 THE MAIN FOCUS OF THIS MEETING wu.|. BE ow PHACTICALITIES - ow WHAT PEOPLE ARE QQINQ TO BUILD THE MOVEMENT NOW - RATHER THAN AB- STRACT THEORISING. Y L rvifiw‘-;‘;9Pl}o:l City councn THE DESPATCH IN DUSTFIY WORK- of "10 th "de5PI'£e {fir -. -. 0 gflf [he W0‘-::;g3jP 51-like . _ _ “ . EFIS umow, THE NORTH WEST EDU- ..».~ I-we sw- yrmw A mm It I :::.":.f:."“.€'°"°‘ .. M‘!"""'!t UIQ gum “"‘\¢l ‘he '|' mm CATION NETWORK, AND HACKNEY ' _.;$§Q§'§,‘N r mHm.“t' llifgfy Ir; __,," BLANKET "hug" SOLIDAHITYGROUPHAVE BEEN |~- ~ <5 Muuqmm union act! "Uh; VITED TO LEAD OFF DISCUSSIONS. rial slgflwd coun¢1‘\_°B ’ t%zwnomr “::g- :.*1t..‘=‘%_‘°'~»m-=-I BRING YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES at: AND PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS. 1: L/II: I "-:,~: _ M Mi 8:.=--vnow “IL \."' S I is’I5 if$52-5‘ ‘7 as ...,,, ¢,,f\2_§n$H 1|; Q 17!/1I1$'1,',;E:I| II»\\'1I‘°‘ L’ _\ é \\\ A“ lEl. 8.=‘§g sss mu iii F 7°’I.‘____§.|~¢_r_“, 5E3 E 0900]” 4I;.; THERE ,1 :7‘ ._,__ _; Z$Q5I‘iiz;iié“ M-laMrllcd‘Inr LEECE OF‘. l A m:2i‘ “ no-In ‘" - 1* 3' ‘_ L“qw“* i:;PI I Qflgmgvfl UII. MW“ ?e;‘I-""'~ ""80IeI CBUKR MUTUAL ::::':..,. A I-='r/M,-'5. " '74‘-‘s/; AIC) <I€rflflZ€E <§ "\fH{I$_5,,_ a'v"E""""' -‘-5"-;.,'#“’ " "~nu¢PL;3§’“'Ql. LIVERPOOL I0 A E _ B IF YOU NE 0 ACCOMMODATION GSA" MEETING C R ISI S L?§T‘$'§II§§$ZI§’M;€'$f°~E OR WOULD LIKE TO ORGANISE A 110 WORKSHOP, WHITE TO: LIVERPOOL L69 3[)P {gm lg; M NI C ,|u~=\3 :5:{§w% - I I Q " "lint; I "uni ' §.,T¢ wk2?-3 T E.‘ °:.O|‘I" IdbeI’ 0I0'52. " IBIE." “°' lo 2 L altlI‘ 1 §Iag§ d“"“ i=s4‘; ' AGITATE . EDUCATE . ORGANISE ll .C O il ‘ I 3.‘! is=.ii -nlfl éfigls . MERSEYSIDE ANARCHIST NEWSLETTER P.0.BOX 110 I LIVERPOOL L69 BDP Anarchism is revolutionary enti- I state socialise. In practical Hello folks, terns. anarchists sin for the destruction oi the.power otathe This issue has something of a ruling class apd of all relat- theme, with articles on the ionships based on domination interrelated topics of 'work' and submission. This neens and anarchist economics. S §g§iQg_g!g§ our industries and communities and changing than We also have a letter in reply to meet the needs of all, as to the article on agricultural well as the ecological needs or anarchism which appeared in the the environeent. without this April edition of the newsletter. takeover we can struggle within Both the letter and the article capitalise but never replace it. stirred up some controversy in the Anarchist Group, as one or two comrades felt they bore no Anarchism will be created by relation to class struggle millions or people. not a dict- anarchism. We eventually atorial elite (we are not oars- decided to print the letter ist-Leninistsl, and all will with a short reply. have their part to play in shap- ing it. Power will lie with-the This apart, there's a good organisations thrown up by and A range of topics this month, with tor the revolution. not with contributions on the state of the political parties who will_ Liverpool City Council, the ' try to dominate and destroy then. Cult war, and more ' S The new society will not be born through abstract ideas. but will Read on...... cone out of the realities or struggle and the need for work- THE EDITORS. - a I - -. '5 --I ----- --- --- | ---"u" l'e'e'i'e'I’II'I‘l'.'I"- inq =1!!! P1091! to unite. Such while any anarchist can - and should struggle doesn't just involve There are reputedly a further twenty support the struggle of Liverpool City resistance to ruling class power or so Labour councillors who can more or Council's workforce against the policy of (strikes. mass protests and other less be relied upon not to support counc- compulsory redundancies currently being forms or direct action). but also il leader Harry Rimmer over the redunda- pursued by the council's Labour leader- construction - the building or ncies. According to the popular wisdon, ship,some questions have to be raised AS EVER» THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS new. locally based federal organ- if these councillors vote with the other about the solution which is'being pushed NEWSLETTER ARE THOSE OP TH! INDIVIDUAL 34, there will be a small majority on the isations examples of which qo at the workers as being the only way out AUTHOR AND NOT NBCBSSARILY OP LIVER- from the original soviets ot the council in favour of rescinding the redun- for them. dancies. Even if Rimmer resorts to horse POOL ANARCHIST GROUP AS A WHOLE. Russian Revolution to the Hinaris trading with the Liberals to get his way, Support Groups or the 1984/5 Recently in the May localelections, which is what he did to get the redundan- strikel. plus the forging of . six independent Labour candidates stood cies lhrough in the first place, he would solidarity and the willingness to against the official Labour candidates. not be able to muster enough votes for his SUB CRIB £3.00 for 10 1SSU&S go further. - lhey campaigned on a platform of no red- purposes. - A Payable to: nndancies and opposition to rent rises "Mutual Aid Centre" there is no truce in the class war. and the poll tax. Five of them were ele- lhe council workforce might very well at the address above. The answer to ruling class power ls ctcd. If you add them to the 29 Labour believe that, if this scenario falls out, continual and ever-widening councillors suspended from the labour then all their problems are over. All struggle -.for social revolution group for refusing to vote for rent rises they have to do is to get the right counc- D.§£\_D_I._I_bI§_ JULY/AUGUST ISSUE and anarchism. and for opposing the implementation of illors in and it will all be done for them LIVERPOOL anancaxsr ceous. the poll tax, that gives a block of 3b Monday June 24th Y Broad left councillors (although they may lhere is a little hole in the bag as wish to trade under another name). far as this reason.i.ng is concerned. Come i lp 5 *F$?_ I -I4-ii;-uI$_'-_-’-I’--" . i / l . 4 _e ‘- til-\' i - on ' _ . ‘ ‘ ~w—~wm“wAmlla;lLw##*"’—_p 6L w8arcP‘stfl€ U i M L7 0”’ . . e-) i s i .-~"""‘°“l"§§? -.»n," 83.90 rt" 1"’ ’ l 2| Ia’ v 4-7' 6 p F I 1425-Q LIVE p i i * I l p , mas Mil’, l [lufl Ref: A I10"-lzolds-ban-p_~,g"*L,, in Liv | i b9'"I *5"? war 1-;"gq|s it discusgergogn l:ol‘(l'?til'alschub"aM |°fl““""I¢r8% l "lull ' ' I i i "M i /'77 /T A10!!! =1= .*'9= -is ?" L i i ‘E i $1’ Chi‘ {Q ha __§"'.i|—n- I L S1 gt;-5_g¢.‘L-_ri,:§;_‘a““?ii°?l.':-l-"li:' 1'-iii; 1"’-3 latgzcl ' ‘ ,2 tuvnrui, Itp ti"=_"’°° . .- , l the fly: L 1 U301!” " _:-rm“ ilf~ ;i..o .i " FOiaft i. =55! T59‘!!! l Q B010 2"E the marina?" “ l,g"', i 2'/mi war r olliiidllfl "ah". ceiling:-_ _ s-5-1: l l .3‘! 1'9’e.-5 M .' O """"' Jkflow tn‘ IN ' ‘ {Jo - in the ciorl¢-¢‘l°" i -Dear »-"'"-/MEI ; git? *-0‘Incl’ i y _ r ti" '-". em- on , l next year, thissame labour majority will ‘ ""” O _ p M M; on Cha,.9¢. fa;-lg!‘ OCCI-‘P- itt’ 0 be expected to implement the poll tax, "by i of 6“-W“ ,3 aw»-»rd""° + ,DA,HAGE LIMITATIUH - lawn ' (Regardless ot- the result of any p Wm ,, w_ -1". ‘ W ,,, ¢“...r_o,_,u,$s . '"=""'.‘f,135th8e-‘ ,1 The Council Tax is it calculated attempt general election it looks as if the ll dl I to defuse the momentum or resistance dc tan will still bewith us next y.ear.S).° He ar_e, H M ,,. , v-on 0€"°,“,-id’? u‘.H.‘J- tlznand treated . 110! - _ - 5:0 , 5,, e _ . \ i' v fly int"!-""8 g.lf$/$0": . be ,1|"-"i" _ l defiance engendered by the Poll Tax. It 'lln=.-y oreipledgednot to implement it. ‘this Jdgreiir 8:12:58!‘ etc-7 " ,nl . v ' ' ' ' fhls letter - a lflllud attempt was devised to neutralise the " advantage tli€$ll!S_4._ that Lh8l-Gilly EEGE 3 I'€“l'UIl Of "'_'.‘:.';‘;';"; ;onl‘idence- to get people to grass on their to the opposition parties that Ribble Valley the disqualification from office andthe l “"' neighbours - is the latest from demonstrated a which still lingered on during surcharge which happened -to 47 Labour ‘cou- - the local bailiff scum. These t.he May Elections in England tic wales. ncillors in 1987 after they refused to set ii bastards are so scared they won'l It is a form oi‘ property tar. with 7 bands a"l.t-:gni|."l_v trlrgct. .' l f “hf”: ll’ from 2.5 times a "contribution" for properties even sign their own names, and above £160,000 assessed value, to the lower 1'00"‘ J yet they expect us to tamely t If this IVJPIJHIIS, the question trust be i _ hand over the details of other end of the house market. Unlike rates, richer asked, -what use will theselabourcou'n- l t_,-;- -or *4 members of our class. These are people and the extortionnte valuation-s oi‘ cillors 1 be, t however. against rredcundancies i house prices in the -"home counties" are the paid lackeys who snoop and they may be, from the point of view of “""s protected. A major slap in the face to the steal in the name of Liverpool protecting jobs? [t' "we have conniissioners 1‘ Poll Tax is the removal of people on income City Council,;doing the dirty running the cijty, or another council el- Support, students, student‘ nurses etc. from work of councillors, politicians ected, what guarantee will council work- liability. While one person households and the rich in general. ers have of their jobs notbeing attacked? (monads) can claim 25% rebates, households over the presumed 2 persons are only DON'T CO-OPERATE! In Liverpool, P Elected representatives - however penalised if somebody claims Housing Benefit bailiffs have kept a low profile conscientious can only operate within ‘* for rent rebate purposes Ct theytare affected so far - though many letters s the limitsof the existing system. Any, ' ,,. _ _ by the Non—dependentru|es. V gains won within -this system can always Ml?" i'*?°P|#@_$i\§’ '2 ""1: Ya-5: l—"~"¥ h°‘*' The Council Tax is two years away and have been sent out threatening be reversed - at some time- by theyruling gill] U115 be 8‘§hl-<?‘"'-‘('7 '3' I alwalfs §"5"eT;' council services may be decimated by then. visits that have never happened. Pressure will mount for the Tories to grant Q1355, The 803 wgre ,3 ¢_]_a35ic example Qf great ClI.Efl.C.ll.l_|1y . Workers ll! Brit“ If they do turn up DON'T LET ihow the seemingly permanent post World all‘! have, for at lens; two generations an "Amnesty" to those on the 20% level THEM IN (WHATEVER THEY SAY TO YOU) > . , p_ .. . 6 _hed_ e become strangers to L e notion t at tiey of ‘contribution’ and ifs they are forced in and SIGN NOTHING. If they threaten war H wnsensuq Mb "mas don't need leaders to do their thinking this direction for all the "Can't Pays". The a visit, get in touch with your struggle against recovery action has to Workers ishould never rely on any p for them. It will take time to wean peo- local Anti—Poll Tax Union, or generalise resistance against cuts, thus party or politician Lo do things for them. P1? away 5170"‘ ilhfi ‘;|eP@"d9"ti P3551-V9 P0?‘ friends who will help you fight They will never take writrol, of their own i.l_:1on that the man1.pui.ators and the poll- shortcircuiting the plans of the established them off. In many parts of the parties to "Divide dz Rule". Labour may i lives by merely being, passive voting fod- E1605 Want Tim!" '10 °¢‘l“l"Y " 5°]-10""-"E; country bailiffs have been i , der 0'n1y by c0m1,m‘|;o;,,.the;-, in our "recomnendations" on how to vote at the be able to promise n return to Rates as - ' - ° _ .. 3' ' ' . - _ followed and chased off. Some at more immediate means of ending the chaos, corrnunities and workplaces, and controll- ballot box and at the tIll.l.0[l meeting. IL have been hospitalised. Make but as collaborationists their role in enforcing ing production of what we need regardless will be 3" "Phil-1 Strllligl-E, ybllli the @011’ them feel like the scum they are rof profit, will we be able to make gains" sequences Qlivifflra at _¢°'l_'f_§'f*l;'1 For the the Poll Tax will he rcnwmbt-retl. up that nobody vi L1 1,9 ,,|,1.E,_ to reve;-Se_ working cl-ass can he i.'."‘Vi--_I..-it-‘(_ . MAKE [.lIVERPO0I.l l$AI.LIl"F FRl'll?I. o ic5 or ‘rent loud. Cmunun ownership ot other This raises questions about the differe- ‘7 items as cars will allow sharing and co- ANARCHIST nce between need (that is what some-one operative usage. People will no longer requires to exist - food, shelter, clo- be economic individuals, the target for thes), and wants (things other than marketing and exploitation. Instead work needs - records, musical instruments, will be shared to abolish unemploymont.i sports equipment). Broadly speaking, the This will allow members of society to wo- new society s function will be to provide rk less and this, combined with their own for people's needs. People's wants will control of their workplace in cmmon own- be solved through: co-operaion, such as ership, will change every-one's percept- ' l tuition and workshops to acquire skills, ion of work. Taxation will be abolished, conmunal ownership of equipment, sharing :3’- as work to ~provide pblic services_is g - such as bicycles - and there will still / fa? 1‘ 4:!- / V ,/..>/ prioritised and carried by workers in be private ownership of purely persona] - - ~_ '\ / _-ed _ "‘“-- - ‘ . F 1I ix return for their needs being met. With l __ .,_\ \_\~\\ Q‘ items. . ‘"4;-fiflx ' t '1'. ‘T,-¢ -- __ workers control of fWOFkp18CES,_PEOdUC* Y \. il ‘?1iEaEilVL9"¥§§!av‘)oflll¢ '5oA§§§_\ . 4,.-*'e=_-».1»¢;‘. :- k tion of useless products will cease {this To clarify the systm of exchange in '/ ‘;~.__-~\_:!.'- will simplify distribution and cause less ‘\-+I’4o~ . simple tenns, for example, coal miners \r-.' ‘F-l'.1-'_'/,,._/ exploitation of natural resources. Res- will deliver coal they mine to public ya- ',--_ *- 4 4 ____, _A __| fl; 'u*--‘\ IF'ln“Y.-'2“ QiQi "‘"*“' ft \o .;- I1" a earch into dangerous technology will also rds for comnunity use. In return they ‘fr ”“" 5 -/.2 =-___ ' ' in /1' ‘I'll T /.- ___,:_’, _ .____ 1- ,-. , ‘ _ cease for the Snmu reason, and energy will receive from the community's produc- §pis.r:l(' will be diverted to socially useful prod- tion the machinery, tools and other coma- *4?%Z2b \. "““'==“=".»- "' ~ ti’: ’ ‘ Z‘//:-P‘ .-. "ii /»- ~* ucts. A odities they need. 'This is free exchange ' . , ". - .» ="‘ . -7 ll» \ ":;I=5M\ ;i3x‘f “~t.:“\.*l~ without the medium of money, without pro- I \';§tp>_~i__\x._f_‘'-'.7_‘-'“, I''*4‘-‘*~,'. if lFl \a.,\'I2i1éxid,-‘l l l '-;i-/_-l _ 1,- c . _‘. VT “"“":1 ~ '(c'’, A Obviously it will not be possible to fit, on the basis of requirement and the ~\.-..\ ..._--'I;""""' produce all that is required to meet peo- E" / al- supply on hand. Without mney we lose ples’ needs where they live. Redistribu- _§§§§:c.» price, not value. Price is determined by ia--1 *5 "&§g3 ';%:¢~“\?5F" klgggf “L" l "--=-r' tion of goods and services to ensure the 1.,} supply and demand so varies with shortages i.--~f...‘ .4: Q. ._ F‘Q welfare of those in an anarchist society and surpluses. ‘without money we will also will be a key feature of the new way of lose wage scales, the hunt for new markets, life. Workers will be_required to be scarcity of capital restricting developm- more flexible than under the present reg- Anarchists have long wrestled with the We don't need these wasteful symbols of ‘ ent and speculation. Under capitalism, 1mE._ It will be necessary for workers to idea of alternatives to mony. This ¢Qfl$U@Pli°"= "hat We need 15 °q"31ld15t' more labour is used to sell goods than toe article provides an outline of how post- ribution of resources to ensure a good work where there is the need. This may produce them. revolutionary exchange and distribution sound unreasonable. However workers will standard of living for everybody. no longer have to worry about economic could be organised. The dogma is one of more efficient and redundancy and will have the opportunity k The aboliton of money without compen- economical production. Life in anarchy may to gain a breadth of work experiences. Under capitalism, the working class rsation will be one of the first tasks of. result in greater inefficiency in some sect- Federal management of workers and distri- are slaves to money, which they have to the social revolution. Without money it ors as safety standards rise and the needs bution will ensure the efficient inter- get to provide for their basic needs, will be impossible for any-one to fall of workers are taken into account. However, relntion of all the industries and servi- while the rich use money chiefly to;acqu- into debt or to exploit another for wages. when a significant proportion of your life ces in the ares. ire morelmoney.- Distribution of goods, There will be no lending and H0-pOSS1bl1* will be in work, why should it be organised including basic necessities such as clot- ity of being able to hoard or make a pro- on the basis of efficiency and therefore ex- hes and food is inequitable and chaotic. fit through investment. This does not For-sighted anarchists believe that ploitation? Slightly less efficient indust- Those who actually make or produce the mean that society will revert to barter these federations could get together at ry might bring about higher levels of skill goods receive less reward for their lab- as a means of exchange. Instead a pers an internaional level to exchange data in the workforce, with more hand-made goods ours than their employers or the owners ons' labour will become their means of s and ultimately balance supply and dem- produced and will certainly bring greater of the tractors, lathes and swing-mach- exchange. This will be on the basis of:. and, direct, distribute and share out wo- satisfaction. ines. After being under-paid the workers from each according to his ability, to rid industrial, agricultural and service are then overcharged for goods as they each according to his needs. With the production among different regions. In are loaded with parasitic price increases workers in control of both production and this way, crises in trade and employment, and enforced stagnation could be avoided. 88 flilil-'ibI-IlIEI$ and retailers 311 take e distribution it will be possible to prov- This will further help to stamp out comp- ¢“9if Cut and increase their Pri°95- ide for each persons‘ needs. Those unables etition and replace it with mutual aid. “bikers are the" 5"bje°t t°_adVeYt5i"8» to work through disability, age, illness, <=a /i convincing them of what their needs are, etc would have their needs seen to.f Q causing every-one to bclicvc that they However, those wh refused to work would In Spain in the 19303, in_many areas have to buy the cheapest, longest-lasting, be at liberty to provide for their needs produce that was in abundance was free_ best-looking, fastest or most satisfying by themselveS. In times of scarcity, di- for everybody to take. Other items in ’// _'ug€iZ7'i ?\ ,.... short supply were distributed through a (whatever that is.) This is despite many stribution would be to those most in need of the products being the same but just first, form of rationingxffhis relied on having (V: iwith different labels. Capitalist socie producer and consumer cards issued to ty parades a vast arry of products - This will need to go had in hand workers,and tokens depending on the size. flash cars. bls houses» erpenslve holidays. with the socialisation of land, which of the family. A modern equivalent might which it assures us is available to ever- will mean ¢ Late abolition of land own- he some form of credit card, although in van ybody. whereas in reality these are only_ efship. IL will all be public property- the long term many anarchists would aim available Lo a small minority (rich fllU1L N0-one will have Lhcpright-to buy, selli for n society without forms of exchange. THE \ \ ETHIC \y rr“’’. "-"--t. all what is work? "* t Mt-.k; in capitalist societies, it is som- ll_gl¢ tethinglpeople generally do for a fixed H I ~ _ - \ .~__. . wage, for a certain number of hours every 4"»,; ," day and between certain times each day. t-fist \\'\ . . I waged work is a central feature of people s daily lives. i p id ,,v'_,f es i "“’~" 7' 4? Of course there are exceptions. There are vast numbers of unpaid workers (eg. housewives, voluntary workers, fam- Some anarchists have argued for a system Much of this article may appear idealis- ily carers), also students, retired peo- of redistribution based nu the work perform- tic or utopian. Eradication of money is a ple, unemployed people, and an elite few A ed by an individual. this would reintroduce difficult concept to grasp when we all think who live exclusively off the labour of ‘ inequality through unequal wages and also, iabout it every day, and it is such a massive P. others. (The royal family is a classic differing values for different types of work control on our lives. In order for a non- ““'*1"',!-. ;y%w? example.) ~But waged work is still cons- such as regarding a two-hour life-saving Op- monetary society Lo work, a higher level of ,;;"W9':I--.. idered 'normal'.‘ The work you do is the "''*"1=~.--‘Q,i,s eration by a doctor as more valuable than moral development of human kind is required. o standard by which your social worth is stacking 200 boxes of bananas. Shirkers This won't happen overnight. Deeply ingrai- measured. Work is, in various subtle would be dealt with by n quiet word 1n the ned capitalist values will have Lo be exp‘ wayfi, promoted as a moral virtue in i.t- ear or in severe cases by public disgrace. ded and gburied. se . -ieving a society whore every-one has con- lhe desires for greed, exploitation, trol over the nature and conditions of th- profiteering, dictato rship and career-_ . i we must work 'to make our contrib- eir work, we should be exploring possibil- i As work would be organised around need, ism will have to be replaced with equali- ution to society.‘ Of course, we're ities.,- debate exists in anarchist circles as to ' ty, sharing, mutual aid and freedom. allowed some leisure too, but only when what happens to those people who choose to These need not com at once, but they we've earned it. And only outside wor- . ' - p ' Some anarchists SQUH to have become do work which does not directly relate to must come on a societal and individualf king hours.' Leisure is a separate thing, infected by the capitalistic idea of ork need, such as artists. actors and performers level. Anarchism must rise from the to be done in our own time, away from the being a moral'virtue., whyever should it Some would have them left out on a limb to grassroots, from personal development, to workplaceu » n be? Why should any-one need to prove fend for themselves, Others consider that _ those you know, to those in your area, their fitness to be a member of society by provided they put in enough useful work, th- and so on, until the whole world is free work in capitalist society implies the amount or type of work they do? ey be encouraged to pursue their ambitions. of_the root of all devil and capitalism! drudgery. It is something which must be Should work and workplaces be so separate done of-necessity, to obtain the means from other-forms of human activity? If a for physical survival and to earn the mo- person enjoys the work they do, is it st- ney and time for leisure. Few people can Q-. ill 'work ? If not, why not? we need to _ \ t find their work a source of creativity, ' start exploring new definitions. kc ' .# or can take a satisfaction in it for its- '\ ((fi!"Mu~h:gi=i\a ‘“*“ elf. Mst workers have no choice, no /1/1 or Q ORIGINS- (3‘Q2gEiH55iiEEii;§§lhB..-.;;Z?i]li..-‘if,fg;@’*~;g\ ‘T v _, " ' omiilhxwe '**"* discretion, and no control over their work or their working conditions. i The phrase "the |'l_‘n'l.l=':Sf.§.ll‘l'lZ work ethic" might sound familiar. it is aconceptthnt ,.>.'ii'y'4 1' /‘W/"’“"-\\‘\\\\¢- r-" .-» sflowever, this view of work, as being originated with Nnx weber (a 19th century W \1 central to a person's existence, a meas- sociologist) but it plausibly explains how 2 '.. "Z"»". 1 , ‘hf 2 .4‘ i 2fir'‘. ureof their moral worth, and completely current concepts of work fit the needs of 8,~_ distinct from leisure, is only l50 years 'capitalist society. According to Weber, % old., ln other words, it is only as old x modern notions of work can be traced back ._ ’ Q '\ '3;/y *\,_g_ V g M) as capitalism. Older notions of work r~ 400 years to the Calvinist religious idea -~. -\“.__‘\ ._‘_ r‘\ H I /("K l ' '-*-'._ . were quite different. There is nothing tisl»e "n-.1ll gr--..- -,7k1. \. of'"predestination". ".. nlill-| \ '\' natural or inevitable about current views of work. This was a fatalistic concept, which | F held that a person's ultimate destiny - at Unfortunately, there has been littlel whether they would go to heaven or hell - Graphics r'*rom:"h"orkers t-'\oo' n*c‘ .itIis and 't.fl‘ fl Tc. coI n- ~ debate within the anarchist movement rec- was determined before they were born. No- a 5e1f_Managed Econgmy", dcoden shoe rampnlet, f-L \.Q LXIQJ3‘ '10; sently about the nature of work. ‘But body gould know for certain what their since flflflEChLSCS are C0flCBfflGd with ach- fate would ho. hnl there were certain I IO of clues., Peoplc who succeeded inwork and 11 giving a further incentive to work to conmitment to work as modern industrial i t older exampl-e.:-: .m.‘¢;'; g<.»¢x| models of how work lived exemplary lives were the likeliest earn the money to pay off the debt. i workers. lhcy worked when they had to and candidates for a place in heaven. y should be organised. Work is still drudg- took as much leisure time as they could _ ery, often done for somebody else's gain: This is why it is no longer enough get. Since there was only a tiny range or Over time, this rather complex idea . The worker has no uutuuomy and gets little For the unemployed to simply not starve goods available tu_them, once they had 3 became replaced with the simple one that bsatisfnction frmn work. ' to death. They are excluded from what is worked enough-to meet their physical needs a person could earn their way into heaven considered a 7norma1' standard of living. their free time was more important to them. by hard work.h A cultural belief was imp- Inequalities in wealth and status are ex- lanted that hard work of any kind was good ifiould it be different? plained by branding the unemployed as n op lt took time for the new capitalists- and idleness was evil., s n workshy and idle(evil). They are used as t0 -atl.'..l.lLlKl€3 Work and "p['OdUC€ ‘anarchist wnuld say, "Of course a threat and a warning to induce other a disciplined .1:-about force. 'lhey did it iIt isn L likely that most people bel- it could be. But only with a social rev- workers to conform. t i s principally hy gaining control of the e ieved that all work was moral and meaning- olution." it goes without saying that . -u-Q . . ful- -But this concept was ideally suited anarchists believes social revolution p0—_ to the emerging system of capitalism,- JOB DISSATISFACTION ssihle. which needed a disciplined workforce. The ‘Protestant work ethic’ was an ideology When we have a lob we glve away part of ourselves to a boss. The V I don't intend in this article to go for self—satisfied capitalists who were into the logistics of hw such a revolut- experience is often alienating’ and boring. Workers express their soon to form, the dom-i.nnnt class in society ion can be brought about. (There isn't presentment In a number of different ways. space to go into the necessary detail.) 0 lnoCanada the average worker ‘steals Hut I want to show what it could make po- lhis work ethic is still present in back‘ 3 hours and 42 minutes from the boss ssible. present day cultural attitudes. It can every week in days oh‘. without cause, g vbe seen in the widespread habit (promo- Anarchists are concerned with creat- extended coffee and lunch breaks, reading ted by politicians and the media, but ing a collective society where there will on the job and other forms of informal also accepted by a large proportion of. be no bosses, no managers and no waged. leisure.‘ s the working class) of blaming the unem- labour. The organisation of work and the ployed for their unemployment.p It is in management of industry will be the respo- O Industrial jobs in the US show a worker the treating of people without work as nsihility of the whole community. Work- turnover of 35% a year. y having no value as human beings. It is ers will have control over their work and o U s in the organisation of society in such a a free choice in what they do. Work can O In Australia 1 in 5 days on known as _ way that those without wages are excluded become a source of creativity, pleasure 'sickies’ is unrelated to any identifiable cause fromwhat are considered normal social. ac- Q and personal fulfilment. Probably, a cer- tivities and benefits. t e l * I Assurvey of nearly 10.000 US viofikens tain amount of tedious work will be necessary to eetpeople's basic needs. But revealed that 28.4% were involved in some y Why does the work ethic still exist in u system where you don't have to work form of property theft from their employer.“ although social conditions have changed? long hours to create surplus wealth for .\'~-'1 :- #..---- "i"':‘..‘:."_S5155§1"=.':--. Under the early capitalist system, the 35-- :-¢-.:' O The Government estimates that 1 0% to 23% of US'v_vorke. rs use dangerous somebody else, meeting basic needs will capitalists sustained the work ethic by require relatively little time and effort. drugs on the job. The medical directorof Rockwell lnternationars Space _ _ om¥ y _ exploiting the material insecurity of the with an econ reorganised on the basis Shuttle Division estimates that 20% to 25% of the workers at Rockwell's. of P'~'°V1d1"s 0'1‘ Reeds. "OI Prof1'18. and workers. That is, since there were fewer i Palmdale, California, assembly plant were high ondrugs or alcohol1or"botl'L i“’m‘ ‘I’°"'k Share“ elenly b°""i’°°“ th°s° "mi no alternatives to waged work, people had to 8CC8pC-3 factory job or starve. ‘ want it and are capable Of_1t, producing however, advances in technology soon made the means for physical survival will acc- it possible to produce a large amount of ount for only a small part of each day. (.1 IAN! iI'..'~' surplus wealth with relatively little la- sources of making a living - starting b0Ur-, The labour force became organised with the land - so that people had to work If this sounds implausible, bear in It wasn't always so. And it doesn't enough to win its demands for a decrease, on their terms. g mind that the traditional societies of have to be in the future. Before indust- in hours and an increase in wages.. Then Africa and Asia, where people did not try rial capitalism attitudes to work were the creation of the welfare state (at A similar mthod was used by the colo- to produce surpluses, were well able to very different, and so was people’ s expe- least in Britain and northern Europe) nizers of continents such as Africa. Here support themselves and also a large prop- rience of work. Before the 19thicentury,. removed the stark choice between working the tribal societies worked mainly to meet ortion of people who did no work. Those most production was based on agriculture. or flstarving. their needs and had no incentive to delib- societies had no industry; Europe now has Most workers’ experience of work was dete- erately producu surpluses. They had no l the benefit of labour-saving technology. rmined by the seasons and the weather. But in the face of these changes, ca- need for money. But the colonizers impos- It is not only the affluent, industrial- lhey had long periods of work, followed by pitalism has maintained the work ethic by ed a system of taxes on the African people ised societies that can afford a non- long periods of idleness. Textile produc- creating new forms of insecurity. ,work- to create a cash economy and the kind of. productive population. tion was based in the home, which meant er‘-5 have been led to expect more: higher disciplined labour market they wanted. that the_home was also the workplace. Al- standards of living and higher levels of Even so, in some parts of Africa it took [f it also seems implausible that in- though textile workers were paid piece o consumption. Capitalism. o fers people a as long as SO years for the people to com- dustry could be managed on a collective rates by the trader who eventually sold V85? range of goodies, which can all be pletely'accept n system of wage labour. basis, without the “benefit” of managers, the finished cloth, they had a large am- you have only to look at the co-ops that @h@1f$ If they only work hard enough to ount of control over how hard and how fast earn the money to buy them. If you have- WESHHLH1ESl exist now. These operate successfully _ they, worked. Pro-capitalist workers often n L-got the instant cash for something i with shared ownership, and without any still had to work [or a ‘boss’, or over- you want, then credit is easy to get - ‘the capitalist attitude to work is, hierarchy among the workforce. iDecisions, lord. But they had nothing like the same then, not the only-onv., But none of these are made and work shared out by democra- 12! i ‘ t@§{é°n5en5us_,,At present co-ops hve inability to develop self-confidence, or Jzzb operate within the capitalist system, through denial of access to education and which means their workers often have to training.p A society where people need CONCLUSION Socially rewarding than it is under capi- put in long hours for little pay. But not be restricted to only one -job, e but talism. » they offer a good model for the collect- can be involved in a range of jobs, acc- I haven't dealt with the perennial ive organisation of work. Co-ops in question, "What would you do with people If this article sounds idealistic — ording to what interests them. who were too lazy to work?” because I third world countries are a particularly ,EhHt‘s how I intended it. I want to show good example. Often set up by people‘ don't think it's relevant. There always that the current way of organising work We're talking about creating an enti- who are illiterate, they are flexible, rely different attitude to work., We _ have been people who refuse to accept is not inevitable, and to inspire people, their social obligations. I believe such accountable to the comnunity, decentral- would have a society of ‘amateurs‘ in the E0 think of possible alternatives. How ised and democratic. They Lake account a problem would probably be smaller in an the changes can be brought about mus; be original sense of the word: people Qbfke- anarchist society, where greed and self- of social factors in what they produce the subject of other discussions and oth- ing at their freely chosen tasks, from and how they produce it. ,(ie. they pro- ishness wfiuld be Ear less acceptable and er art icles.O s love of doing thm. ' duce what is_socially useful and use technology most appropriate to their envi- ronment.) working class people are in. no way incapable of learning to‘manage‘ The Gulf War is over -~or is it? Certain- production. In the present economy, i ly, the effects of the war are not over ~ C . there are several examples of shared “b . u 0 for the Kurds, as the media constantly i s . _ 0‘. ownership and shared management schemes reminds us. However, the Kurds are by no where the workers learned to run their means the only ones still to suffer . . In own firms very successfully. (For more fact, 40 third world countries are suffe details of this, read chapters 6 and‘? 0“ -» ring economically as a result of the Gulf of "People Power" by Tony Gibson, Penguin War. e i 1979.)‘ ' Hundreds of thousands of immigrant I] i U R Existing co-ops in capitalist socie-e workers in the region, in particular ork- i ty tend to be small; this would be a ' ers from India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, i major aim of any anarchist revolution, had to flee during the war, leaving beh- to reorganise industry to a more human § V \ '. r ind their savings, possessions and livel- scale. ' ihoods. These workers are now having to r x struggle to find a living in their own ~ A WURLU OF AMATEURS ? countries. e Imagine a world where you only had .Because of their support for Iraq du- if to work two or three days a week to take ring the Gulf War, both Sudan and Yemen i1-1, care of necessary production and servi- \"'\ are being denied aid: the USA has cut its --rot ces. ‘Uhat would you do with your extra rlevelopment aid to Yemen from $22 million free time? What do you do with your i Enqpghgrlln I0 lQid20m to $2.9 million. Sudan is now in arrears i 5 Tornado lircralt Aldcans loramonlh sparevtimeinowl‘ -1* with repayments to the IMF and has been denied further credit. r ,pMany people pursue activities in. their spare time which are considered Other African countries which have to I4,l:~ v \..J‘ only ‘hobbies‘, but which are necessary import all or most of their oil have been - ‘ “ 'l\{~.'-' On! yours supply ol clothes $1‘ for personal fulfilment or desirable for ‘§\'» ' 10063.net: -no storage faciitbs 1" . hit by big price rises. In Zimbabwe fuel 2:: Patriot mam» \ ,0, an , maintaining social culture. They might prices have risen by 50 per cent. Public be gardeners, artists, musicians, DIY transport in Uganda had become so expens- enthusiasts, amateur footballers. They- $7-2 A . _ |_ 4 ive that services have been cut and thou- "5 might run a local youth club, visit» Q9--_ . v_ - 1! . sands more people have to walk miles to ll in1» .e1derly‘neighbours,'or be a school gove- . - _ Q , school or work because they can't afford 2‘ rnor. . the fares. 1990-91 5 Tomahawk cruise missiles I _\. i It‘s not surprising that people oft- Paraffin prices have risen faster »-9 en put more commitment, energy and enth- Ii than petrol prices, which means that the \ . .,n<. ‘;is y A--__l--i usiasm into their ‘hobbies’, simply bec- poorest people (who tend to cook with pa- ‘._1,T_f‘-*0-_~V ause they have freely chosen to take; “I‘. ''4..‘0‘ O‘1Ii-‘._‘m.:_-i '5-,.in.1-r3n‘;I‘M 1'""'-'_a..|\_-.-_- ,,--so raffin) are hit hardest by the price rises. part in those activities. Nothing and .-1. 4cI VQp - ‘ _ ’._._I ,v..I_‘ I . _‘ i w--M-=~»»-i |m.."'.:'...':"..:°*t"'°' I 'n_ -Ji nobody coerced thcm. Of course, you will see none of this 4..',_,'\"“ |' ' | ' ' | on TV. It doesn't lend itself to quite $2m l ‘I " if-t . ' ' " 4 ‘I - - - i ‘ V Imagine being able to take that same the sae instant, sensational images as " . . .-— eattitude.to all aspects of work. Assume pictures of starving Kurds on a munt- '3 . " * .1‘ . "I an 1 __~_-L-I‘ that as part of the social revolution, \ ainside. Besides, it wouldn't do for the = ;we‘ve created-a classless society where e “ -a--p‘ public to find out who is paying the real "t,§p1e are no-longer denied the chance \ ~ .‘__# costs of the "Allied victory . That wuld y A xunuumunuu §§P*@Y“§:§§fl;§#flLi§ t°]vjlfil their potential whether-through make the victory seem somewhat too hollow f 0 -15 RE- The Platform was rejected by almost WRITING all the anarchist movement when it cane out. Malatesta called it "typically au- thoritarian" and an attempt to unite anarchists ion "the Bolshevik way". Others reacted similarly- Alexander Berkman, lfinna (Goldman, Rudolf Rocker, etc.. Arshinov himself - who'd written most of the Platform — abandonned anarchism four Union as a whole there.was to be an "Exe- years later. In 1930 he rejoined the Coma- REWRITING HISTORY cutive Conmittee" whose duties, among unist Party (he'd briefly been a Bolshevik the politics of the AWG others, also included "theoretical'and in 1905-6, before becoming an anarchist), organisational orientation" (though the and later returned to the USSR. In 1934 he responsibilities of this conmittee were publically endorsed Stalin's regime and, in Over the last two issues of the M.A. , to be fixed by the Union's congresseh)- 1937, was shot during the purges - ironically members of Liverpool AWG (anarchist work- charged with trying to reintroduce anarchism ers group) have slagged off anarcho-synd- The Platform didn't reject syndicalisr into Russia. icalism. As an alternative, "two tradit- stating that "anarchists must take part ions" have been mentioned: "The Organisa- in revolutionary syndicalism as one of Makhno broke with Arshinov before his tional Platform of the Libertarian Cornu- the forms of the revolutionary workers’ awn death in 1931:, accusing Acshinov of - unists ‘(usually called "T‘he Platform"), movement" (including "creating anarchist ~30 trymg to introduce Bolshevism IIIto ana- -P and the "Friends of Durruti". This is unions"). However, anarchists "nust enter rchism and its ranks." (6) a brief look at what these two "trad- into revolutionary unions as an organised I"; ‘I ."' itions" actually stood for: force, responsible to accomplish work in Since then the Platform has done the A \< km the union before the general anarchist .. ‘J rounds. Organisations. have come and gone - THE PIAITURM ‘I ‘Ll u- . organisation and orienated by the C "Q.‘d_‘._.\_.. ¢ :_mr.l it certainly hasn't had any "succes- O .. latter". The General Union was, to be g ses" worth writing home about. A "The Organisational Platform of the I the "pioneer" and "theoretical guide" General Union of Anarchists (as, it was of workers‘ and peasants‘ organisat- w Nestor Makhno - broke with Arshinov THE FR H€NDS- OF DURRUTI originally called) was a pamphlet produc- ions, and the-"o anised van " A ed in 1925 by a group of exiled Russian (their emphasis) of labour's emancipat- anarchists. These were Piotr Arshinov, in process. (2) y . 8 (activist and historian of the Makhnovist Apart from their rejection of syndicat- The problem with all this is not the movement - see below (1)) . Nestor Makhno also based on the experiences of the Russ- ism, the AUG do seem to be Platfonnists call for organisation - wich anarcho-syn- ian Revolution. ‘The Progranme of Anarcho- (the commander of the important, anarch- 3 they seem to see themselves as the dicalists would agree with - but the grey Syndicalism" by[G.P. Maximov (one of the ist, Revolutionary lnsurrectionary of intellectual vanguard" of the anarch- - ambiguous areas. On the one hand the Pla- main anarchist activists in $13 Russian ist movement, and generally come across the Ukraine (Makhnovists) during the tform calls for federalism. On the other, factory committee movement, la membe‘ir as a shadow of the SUP. Their claim to Russian Civil War of 1918-1921 - until its version of collective responsibility of the Central Council of Factory Con'|n1tt- the Friends of Durruti though - after crushed by the Connunists), Ida Mett, is "the absolute negation of any individ- ees) , was published in 1927 and adopted by attacking anaocho-syndicalism - is Valevsl<y,. and Linsky. ual independence and action" (to quote the anarcho-syndicalist international, the another kettle of fish. Either this is Malatesta - mentioned by Liv l AUG IWA/AIT. It goes into "far greater detail . due to ignorance (unlikely), or is a Much of the Platform is conmon sense as a non-syndicalist anarchistg. (3) than the Platform into the problems of deliberate attempt to rewrite history. that any class struggle anarchist would economic reconstruction and revolutic€n- agreeiwith. The bones of contention are y The Platform calls for secretaries and ary defence, and, though well out o_ j A The Friends of Durruti formed in its specific proposals on how anarchists committees "theoretically" guiding the date, has a lot of practical suggestions March 1937, during the Spanish Civil should organise, and on the relationship A General Union of Anarchists, and the Gene- that make it still worth reading. war and revolution. Its founders and between anarchists and the wider labour ral Union of Anarchists "theoretically" members were anarcho-syndicalist movenent. Basically, the Platform called guiding workers’ and peasants‘ organisat- militants - members of the anarcho- ' for a tightening up and centralisation of The Programme calls for anarcho-synd- ions. Though it also states that "this .<-zyi-1t_|‘l\'.’a.|.i1l; m"i.1iti.as and unions of the the. anarchist movement. A "General Union should not be confused with the political .ic.alist unions and anarchist confederat- CNY. ‘they took their name from Durruti , of Anarchists" was to be formed, based on leadership of the statist parties", it is ions - with anarchists being involved. b the anarcho-syndical.i.st metal worker and theoretical and tactical unity and colle- edging very close to the idea of a party both in and outside of the unions, _1n the ctive responsibility. (where ‘the entire leadership: an anarchist vanguard contro- "field of propaganda" (what the fill. calls militi:1comnarrler - well known for his Union will be responsible for the politi- lling a wider labour movement.‘ the "battle of ideas"), 1n U1? ‘H revolutiuonary comnitment - who died cal and revolutionary activity of each struggle against the political parties -n . fighting on the Madrid front in Nov- member" ). "Every organisation adhering‘ Unlike. the Platform, asnarchist organisa- The Platform's view of anarchist trade ember 1936. “ to the Union was to have its secretariat unionists- "responsible" for their actions tion is seen as pgrallel to union organ- "executing and guiding theoretically the to the specific anarchist organisation - isation. Union autonomy is respected. The Friends of Durrutiiwere notable I political and technical work of the orga- can be-compared to another Programme, also for their £lC.l2lVlLi0:~: duuring the Haydays - nisation", and to coordinate the General u ,0, ‘I. 7I: written by a Russian anarchist exile, and ‘K 0 I\ the government attack on the revolution in 16- F_'-_Le__I___‘__'_ Rfiimfilzfis 7) Fhis leaflet 1S of Len misquoted, even by I I ) me History of the Makhmvlst Movement anarchists its call for a :Revolut1on- , -1; l __ ary Junta/Council becomes A Revolution- . _, 1- _ 1 . . d D Arshm°" (Freedom Press) ary Junta has been formed 'We salute D-E” 8 H L * _ e e All quotes from The Olfv-.§8fl1S£iC1OI'1fll Plat- Our Cflmrades Of the PW" (0011 Sllflllfllst Jr 0 r i e form of the Llbertal-1am .,Qqmun1g1;5 marxists) who have sided with us on the -10"!’ Streets" ‘The be "1'-“:"..jj7_3_-__"_.f;"\"'.1_‘ _ , '1¢T|1UZGCl to the Revolutionary Junta .. .. ..._i. . Esfls‘ ) "A Reply to the Platform’, Malatesta because L d th th k .a\‘I-."P_‘.‘¢t‘: __ ' I -". ‘I 5 '._V.- '.|u g* I \ t r. _\- '0, ..1_'.11I - _ _ -<'7_ . D . to de \Qs culpa ' From ‘Anarchism versus Platformism , a "0119-1 We ¢-0'-lld 11°11 Speak Of -El Revfllutlfln-' :10-1: 5- _ ‘ In--sq 1 Mes U1 CPAR No 5 l‘l'Il.81'1(l°» df Ddr§':t:lsa1d,e1:0§u§IL.l:t 13?$7thL ‘-2 1 -p -"\ . Q!‘ An I1 ‘ll " Fus§\am\6fi leaflet by Leeds DAM (quote-3 frum ary Jlll‘llI.8 having b(.El1 S811 Up DQCBUSG ‘.2; '¥ '-.. 7 - /is .3‘-7 -- Dana. . OS 8fl"\’\Bd°s' "Nestor Makhno in the RUSSl€ll'I Civil lur none had been formed Two, the said Junta "I '0 -w-P" _ ..7‘; 0 D. 1-» ,_. \’BVO\UC\° , S ‘cs Cuefp _ M flalet) not having been set up we could not have _'._ U08. _. .1 me d8 lOd0 '- onQmla- _ e‘ invited a place for the POUM comrades .c i"_e.;.-=-.=§la"§-3-fj+f§_D1283‘ -i‘ yzacion de la °° an agredido a a ) £3335 a Fresh Revoluuon , Friends Qf Ihree, we salute fill!-P. POUM because we saw ,_ -. ‘-_’ e. $061? l ' ofiucog quehatl . t u them on the streets defending the WO!.l<1l‘:}_' _-;;;‘- c Pafudils p -adora. y D ) Blood of $pa1n pJ81, Ronald trazer <11-"55 5 1-l‘"i@l'<-‘£5115 . ' d8 ‘O5 ' lffibal . d0- see ‘The Friends of Durrnti a Chron- D\s0\U¢-lén - dasfie La revulumbn anlj la i Que ha“ nlogy by Paul Shaikey itI d rncsla ca‘ ' __' del P'O' 1 ' "" ,§;. ;.<.= 1 l'N0l°° a D 5 (jamaladal can noso ros. " 5 a ""°'-?lT° ' n la °a“°' ~ \_UC\fiH1. H5Ji*_)_:g§g%°nlratern\z\ado e memo LA QONTRAREVD 1 4" .~=i~'*“§iv0tuc\0n SDCLRL... l = ' "The revolution before everything" (3. ‘Iii: ¥“~ '"“ Friends of Durruti leaflet - May '37 n‘; ~%;" *5? 1. ‘£9 I‘-fig ,,..‘&,sI!=».. ten by Issac Pnente in 1932, and widely read in the CNT, may not have mentioned a May-1937. Against the politics of colla- "National Defence Council"'(Puente ment- horation and l.IK|GClSU)I1 -of anti-fascist ions the "union" and "free municipality" llunIity" at_ a’. ll c"oa. ts. - _ the f'1riev nds of Du_ , as the main constructive elements of an rutti called for the armed working class anarchist society). ,But this didn't stop to stand finn and crush the counter-revo kvqfli *4 Puente joining the national Revolutionary lntion. Their nuanifesto, published in Committee charged with coordinating the 1938, sunnarized their position and made CNT insurrection of December 1933. " ‘§“‘t.a ' three demands: For a "National Defence The need for coordinated revolutionary Council, elected and accountable to the defence and attack is just common sense. union rank and file (including those at The final word to Jaime Balius, one the front), with all posts up for regul- of the main activists in the Friends of ar recall; for "all. economic power to Durruti: In 1975 he wrote "we stood for ' theunions"; and for the "free municip- "all power to the unions"..." -ality to cover those areas outside the unions' mandate. Anarcho-syndical. ists, yes. Pla t[orm- ists — never. This call for a National Defence Cou- ncil wasn'l: the radical break with the i So, there you have it. After slag_g- past that some might claim. The CNT had ing off anarcho-syndi.calism for being long had its defence conmittees, federat- ‘“nu; backward l.ooki.ng and out of date (among ed at regional and national level. From other things), the ../WC claims to look to ‘R "lrltaid-+mlwE-§il F..e. bruary 1936 thes'e hc ad bes en reinp foprced = a pamphlet written way back in I926 - and by Revolutionary Preparedness Committees, to the politics of a group of Spanish to organise the technical preparation for anarcho-syndical.isI:s. Confused or dis- successful insurrecti.on (in terms of arms, honest? Anarchists can make up their transport and comnnnications, potential own minds. war industries, fighting groups, etc.). "Libertarian C0|nm|njsm", a pamphlet writ- Paul, Liverpool DAM Ejig J Crabapple, Berrington Hall, Berrington, Nr. Shrewsbury. Dear Merseyside Anarchist, lhe article comparing Crabapple corm- way. .Domestic work is fairly evenly shared local political groups such as the anti unity to 1930s Spanish collectives was out with the men fully involved in cooking polltax union, local gays, FoE, CND, like looking for a fruit like an orange, .- '.':':‘r R_]§P[_Y 1'0‘: cleaning and childcare. Shopwork is also women s ggoups agethe local rape crisis when a banana is found it's rejected out fairly evenly divided but pople take extra of hand not for its intrinsic waknesses centre at even t SUP all of whom are ’ idithout wishing to impugn the responsiblity as they feel able. Every-one but just because it's not like an orange. very grateful for our piesence. we have sincerity of the people in the Crabapple. is encouraged to take some part in the lhe actual qualities of the banana are also individually and collectively been comnunity, such initiatives as theirs organisation side of things. The rest of involved in many of these groups. cannot, with the best will in the world, irrelevant. the work is taken up by people as they feel be said to be revolutionary. gFirstly, or see fit, people are encouraged to develop As to schooling our children at home, the fact that members of that community- Crabapple wasn't set up to overthrow their skills and share what Lhey know. the capitalist system and that has never we have thought of it, but think it would have themselves managed to escape the be too narrow and confined a world for 9 - 5 mortgage -paying tyranny doesn't been our direct intention, however that Decision making is mostly done by them. They mostly want to intergrate well mean that they hve struck a blow for. doesn't mean we're not revolutionary in consensus with every—one involved, including with more :normal' society anyway, but v freedom for everybody. Options like _ our way. Many people put their energies the children and people in the process of into direct conflict with the present that doesn t mean that we don't introduce Crabapple can only ever be for a compara- j0ining.[f a decision can't be reached we them to other ideas. Wouldn't we be tively small number of people, given the system in the hope of overthrowing it, 1 try to give it enough time for a solution wish them luck. However most of these accused of middle-class elitism if we comparatively smell numbers of icrumbliug to appear which is mutually acceptable, taught them ourselves anyway? o, k stately piles" available plus the land are so busy working on this that they though sometimes people have to be asked haven't time to experiment with what So we may not be what you are looking that would be necessary. The.status quu s to back down. r foréhbut Irégigk we play our hfimblelpart is not going to be seriously affected by would be different about any new society. Host comnunities are attempts to see if in e sea or a new socie y. you a proliferation of cosmxuhities like Crab- Naturally, we don't necessarily succeed want to find something more akin to the apple. That alone, to my mind, would‘ we can live and work another way. in all of this, but at least we are giving Spanish collectives I suggest you look at disqualify Crabapple from being regarded Obviously, these attempts are limited by it a try. Of course many places and people Radical Rotes which had a good article, as revolutionary. o e c are trying out these things individually the system_around us which we have F9 in April's "Greenline". i c L interact with, but maybe they can give but very few try Lu put them together into Secondly, even if more properties us some idea how we could live in the a coherent intergrated lifestyle. were available, and more people could By the way, this article is of course future. my own opinions, which without a rigid set up their *wa|=w1umnaities, does any- e So what does all this add up to? To d%mtommmtoaefimtoflmfi%,_ one honestly imagine that the establish- So what's different about Crabapple? me it shows that people don't have to live ment, the powers—that-be, would just sit it is also signed, unlike the article it's confined lives in little boxes with big back and let it happen? Any people attem- in response to, mortgages or rip-off rents, a 9 to 5 jobs Firstly, the house land and shop we pting to set up comnunities -in any large Yours have are owned by every-one and no-one. with the boss on your back, and the narrow numbers would find themselves. subjected fivusleueo) No money is needed to join, you may take confines of the family when you get home. to harrassment of every conceivable kind, a bit with you when you go. The place isn't that revolutionary? By the way, we're and, unless there was a high degree of is available to you whilst you're here not four families but n complex collection 2ts5?12iiiotb%t:s2.%’-5.manifest" and is then passed on to others who want of individuals! to give it a try. be picked off one by one. So, what about the shop being linked e Secondly, we're completely incom- to the capitalist system? well, to a '>%* v.r/.-_I-=-'e-.~1- .~ '!III.-."’*I=.' I would not deny that, in some ways, 4-::.*""'§‘ .'-‘=»/>1--"'15" sharing. Any money earnt or extracted certain extent you could say that, but in Crabapple does challenge the ethos of from the state is put into the conmunal itself it isn't a capitalist enterprise / .._.... ;~‘*£-'2/EM \ capitalism, being self-managing, challen- pot. lhe bills are paid, pocket money and we try to work with other co-ops as -..et. ~~, \\"*’~ ging consumerism, and producing good who- -ii? is given out and then extra money is much as possible. If the capitalist system §!L¢§§g, -C_,'.‘,-,\r ¢\.'5..'~!'l lesome food instead of junk food. Butt available according to availability, need collapsed there would still be a need for the only way to tackle the problems raised 43¢ '£ii!§o~§ ‘i P: ‘l\iw~il" ii and desire, not according to any-one's some trade, not all trade is necessarily 1, ’ . Q’. J/I ' by capitalism is to Luke the system on in |:._-,,;,i-1» ,;§?a' i€_Q'¢\}'§l’1 working capacity or perceived contribution capitalistic, and supplying basic good '*7“'iY9'§'Il <13) ».- the communities where we live, and not to to the conmunity . wolesome foodstuffs. much supplied by co- __-Q '\ . v ' "- . _, retreat to little niches in the country- OPS and small local growers, I think we'd side in an attempt to convince ourselves _ lhirdly we work in a cpllective,_non- flourish. Meanwile the shop acts as a that we are doing something "revolutionary hierarchical and attempted y non-sexist noticeboard and display space for many