Organise! #35

10 Pages·1994·32.2 MB·English

by  ACF/AF Anarchist Communist Federation/Anarchist Federation

Revolutionary Violence
July Sept
1994
for class struggle anarchnsm
Issue 35
THE ISSUE OF violence within the
anarchist movement has long been
controversial.
The early anarchist movement associ-
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ated with Bakunin was openly insurrec- . _ , ._|_.;
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tionary and the anarchist communists of ..".;'_,'z.\'.:\&,’.‘ .'-7:1." "I: ‘ ' '- -w-.-».-
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the late 19th century regarded acts of j L4-walla
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terror against oppressors as perfectly le- ; .1|‘7'
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gitimate. Kropotkin, Malatesta, Most and ' ‘I |'. e‘ sc ".Id.1i- _1I.'
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others enthused over acts of ‘propaganda 4 "“ ' T '-.t‘."_§','&-.34‘. @- 1.?‘ 1;_ dud|. ,-'F‘fQ,__:;::_'__'_
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by the deed’. This idea stressed the impor- _T3 =.I::,Ifi _._ M .'_.» .\-_ -_ I ,_‘ .J_ tr", . - I ‘.r_d;-‘_in,_:.5;-,.\ _..fi_,,:¢ ‘Ju-1 '.‘ .;‘,-;2__‘k_-_. _v /‘-llillw-0" _‘J”
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tance of exemplary actions like strikes, .”, -I ' - ' :-._ ‘."+'s-';". -. ;§..- " .-5;.--.,l-;;‘ 1:: 2- 21:,-1""-".'§"l 1,
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occupations of public buildings etc, by 1 --,- :- . . _ - ". - - “ T : 4 '-1'1"‘-' "f ."'-. ?' 1-.1" /I1—‘-"1,\3,
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small groups of revolutionaries that ' t|. _ I I . '--{.I15' .-'»~' _n.Qr _L..1,*,'._;:!i--..:.':.;-,I-._-11--_" '-' . _,--_"_J‘JrV.rj‘y-v__;".|.-,rr'$-‘|‘,._~-‘,g=-.f--1:}-‘;.- .‘E_.-.;-_- qt?<1 '1 -.__ t‘ I’
I say officor
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would ignite an already revolutionary
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situation. It very quickly turned into the
can t you do
idea of determined individuals carrying
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out individual attacks on kings, presi- eomethmg about
dents and capitalists. Given the severe
thus rabble?
repression in France, for example, after
the bloody crushing of the Paris Com- cepted. To defend the oppressed and ex- times, however, determined minorities,
ploited class is just an extension of this often inspired by Marxist-Leninism,
mune and where open activity was diffi-
principle. To use appropriate and meas- have managed to seize control of such
cult, this was understandable. The State,
through the media, were able to so closely ured violence against the incarnation of movements for their own ends. The Octo-
violence which is the state, is no more ber Revolution of 1917 led to the creation
associate violence with anarchism that
than to launch a counter-attack. A violent of one of the world’s most brutal states.
the two ideas became almost inter-
insurrection or general strike must be This mistake must not be repeated.
changeable in the public mind, to the
seen in these terms — legitimate, justi- Either the revolution is about smashing
detriment of the movement. Today there
fied and necessary self defence against the state once and for all, or it merely
are many so-called anarchists who reject
the monster of the capitalist state. Any- brings about another form of oppression.
the whole revolutionary tradition. S0,
how should revolutionary anarchists ap- one who refuses to acknowledge this, nec-
essarily accepts the ‘right’ of the capital- Attacks
proach the issue?
ist state to devour us.
The first point to make is that it is
A key point however, needs to be con- During the last ten years, the working
states acting in defence of privilege and
sidered, namely that individual acts of class has been subject to ever-increasing
exploitation that practice violence on a
large scale. The assassinations of heads violence, however well intentioned, justi- attacks. Mass unemployment is now seen
Yes 5|r|
fied by anger, poverty or despair are gen- as ‘normal’ by those unaffected by it. “Alli?”-l"@
of state pale into insignificance in con-
trast to the normal, everyday actions of erally counter productive. Individual ter- There has been a large redistribution of l lljuet use thle
ror and group conspiracies are quite eas- Wealth from the poor to the rich, leaving
the state. In a real sense, states are or-
ily containable by the state. Rather than millions in a state of near destitution. here Crlmmal
ganised violence. The armed forces, po-
inspiring the masses to insurrection, they Exceptionally regressive taxes have
lice, prisons and so on are institutional
have generally appalled them, especially driven millions into a hand to mouth ex- Justlco Blll
forms of violence used to protect the
given the huge propaganda machines istence. State inspired racist violence is
status quo. And the status quo is in itself
violence for it means mass poverty, home- available to oppressors. common in some parts ofour cities. Given
Revolutionary mass violence is, how- this context, is it surprising that we have
lessness, poor health and despair. Should
ever, a different thing if it expresses a had outbursts of near-insurrectionary
anyone question this legalised everyday
determination to overthrow exploitation violence? The poll tax riot was a clear and
terror they are met with the full repres-
and oppression. And it takes various welcome expression of class anger, as
sive fist of the state.
forms. The seizure of workplaces, banks were the ‘hit squads’ which immobilised
Just try at
and other property is inherently violent vehicles and stood up to the police during
State violence
since it forcibly removes their possession the lengthy miners strike of 1984-85.
from their owners. To not do so would be When black people form self-defence
And states are not content to inflict
to capitulate to the system ofexploitation. groups against fascist attacks, they arc
violence on their subject populations, but
Anarchist revolutionaries defend justified. When demonstrators retaliate
relish the opportunity to apply it to other
every method used by the oppressed against police provocations they are jus-
peoples. The bombings of Hiroshima and
against the enemy from peaceful and le- tified. When a whole class rises up
Nagasaki are perhaps the most horrific
gal protest up to and including violent against the state and capitalism, it is
examples of this. Some leaders, such as
uprising. Violence as a goal in itself is justified.
Hitler and Stalin, excelled in murdering
unjustified and indeed in revolutionary When, later this year, we hear stories
millions in both the domestic and exter-
situations working class people have of old people freezing to death due to the
nal fields ofoperation. In this context, the
tended to shrink from its use. Not so the imposition of value added tax on domes-
bomb throwers and armed expropriators
state, which on finally securing victory, tic fuel, perhaps those who comdemn
of our revolutionary history must be seen
unleashes a reign of mass terror. Anyone revolutionary violence will have a cause
for what they were — heroic, ifmisguided
doubting this should look at the after- to think. Capitalism and the state aren’t
people acting in self-defence against ‘nor-
maths ofthe Paris Commune or the Span- going to go away or be reformed. They
mal’ state violence.
ish Civil War. need to be destroyed, and unfortunately
With the exception of pacifists, most
Revolutionary violence is the clear ex- violence by the working class is almost
people accept self-defence as legitimate.
pression of the masses’ refusal to con- certainly a necessary ingredient in this
To defend oneself or one’s family from
tinue any longer with the old ways. Some- process. Ma az|ne of the Anarch|st Commumst Federatnon
attack is readily understood and ac-
20 Organise! No. 35 July-Sept 1994
A -..
Railworkers
Aims and principles
as
ml
THE LEADERS OF RMT, the rail union, are anxious to
come to some sort of deal with the Railtrack employers
1. The Anarchist Communist ences and achieve little for 7. Unions by their very nature 8. Genuine liberation can only
over the signals workers’ pay and conditions. Railtrack,
Federation is an organisation them. Full emancipation can- cannot become vehicles for come about through the revo-
actively backed by the Government, is equally deter-
of revolutionary class strug- not be achieved without the the revolutionary transforma- lutionary self-activity of the
mined to make an offer that the union could make the
gle anarchists. We aim for the abolition of capitalism. tion ofsociety. They have to be working class on a mass scale.
signals workers accept.
abolition of all hierarchy, and 4. We are opposed to the ideol- accepted by capitalism in or- An anarchist communist soci-
work for the creation of a ogy of national liberation der to function and so cannot ety means not only co-opera- Railtrack has hugely mis- posed by the union if they
world-wide classless society: movements which claims that play a part on its overthrow. tion between equals, but ac-
judged the mood among sig- want to win. Equally they
anarchist communism. there is some common inter- Trades unions divide the tive involvement in the shap-
nals workers by appealing to must go out to other rail and
2. Capitalism is based on the est between native bosses and working class (between em- ing and creating of that soci-
them directly and bypassing transport workers, and draw
exploitation of the working the working class in face of ployed and unemployed, trade ety during and after the revo-
the union. VVhat they fail to in the tube and bus workers,
class by the ruling class. But foreign domination. We do and craft, skilled and un- lution. In times of upheaval
inequality and exploitation support working class strug- skilled, etc). Even syndicalist and struggle, people will need realise is the simmering anger who are also under heavy at-
are also expressed in terms of gles against racism, genocide, unions are constrained by the to create their own revolu- there over the pathetic 2.5% tack from the bosses. Signs of
race, gender, sexuality, ethnocide and political and fundamental nature of union- tionary organisations con- pay offer. Many earn less than this anger among other rail-
health, ability and age, and in economic colonialism. We op- ism. The union has to be able trolled by everyone in them. £150 a week and have to work workers can be seen in the two
these ways one section of the pose the creation of any new to control its membership in These autonomous organisa-
more than 13 days without a unofficial stoppages in May-
working class oppresses an- ruling class. We reject all order to make deals with man- tions will be outside the con-
break, with shifts up to 20 June. In Birmingham drivers
other. This divides us, causing forms of nationalism, as this agement. Their aim, through trol of political parties, and
hours long! This explains left their engines for an hour
a lack of class unity in strug- only serves to redefine divi- negotiation, is to achieve a within them we will learn
many of the accidents that over the disciplining of two
gle that benefits the ruling sions in the international fairer form of exploitation of many important lessons of
class. working class. The working the workforce. The interests self-activity. have happened over the last workmates, resulting in disci-
Oppressed groups are class has no country and na- ofleaders and representatives 9. As anarchists We organise few years, thanks to the fa- plinary procedures being
streng-thened by autonomous tional boundaries must be will always be different to in all areas of life to try to tigue of rail workers. The dropped. In Leeds 150 guards
Above: Striking postiesjoin firefighters’ march.
action which challenges so- eliminated. We seek to build ours. The boss class is our en- advance the revolutionary depth of anger has terrified struck to attend a two hour
cial and economic power rela- an anarchist international to emy, and while we must fight process. We believe u strong
the RMT leader Jimmy Knapp mass meeting when one of
tionships. To achieve our goal work with other libertarian for better conditions from it, anarchist organisation is nec- Firefighters
into calling for more than the their workmates was threat-
we must relinquish power revolutionaries throughout we have to realise that re- essary to help us to this end.
derisory offer, but he and his ened with disciplinary proce-
over each other on a personal the world. forms we may achieve today Unlike other so-called social-
fellow bureaucrats intend to dures. They have continued
as well as a political level. 5. As well as exploiting and may be taken away tomorrow. ists or communists we do not
3. We believe that fighting ra- oppressing the majority of Our ultimate aim must be the want power or control for our limit the actions by keeping it with an overtime ban de-
cism and sexism is as impor- people, Capitalism threatens complete abolition of wage organisation. to one-day stoppages and not manding the reinstatement of
IN LIVERPOOL chief fire officer Andrew Best attempted
tant as other aspects of the the world through war and slavery. Working within the We recognise that the revo- involving other railworkers. their mate. Similarly 1,000
to impose new contracts on firefighters. Thousands of
class struggle. Anarchist-com- the destruction of the envi- unions can never achieve this. lution can only be carried out But the strikes, if anything, busdrivers struck in late June
firefighters demonstrated on the streets in mid-April,
mumism cannot be achieved ronment. However, we do not argue for directly by the working class.
have increased the confidence on Merseyside over the re-
joined by striking postal workers.
while sexism and racism still 6. It is not possible to abolish people to leave unions until However, the revolution must
of the signals workers. They cruiting of new drivers on
exist. In order to be effective Capitalism without a revolu- they are made irrelevant by be preceeded by organisa- The FBU, the fire brigade would refuse to answer calls
will have to go beyond the to- lower pay and the cutting of
in their struggle against their tion, which will arise out of the revolutionary event. The tions able to convince people union, eagerly accepted the unless disciplinary action
ken one-day stoppages im- sick pay and holidays.
oppression both within soci- class conflict. The ruling class union is a common point of of the anarchist communist
chance oftalks, and sabotaged against a firefighter was
ety and within the working must be completely over- departure for many workers. alternative and method.
the chances of gaining more. dropped. Management was
class, women and black peo- thrown to achieve anarchist Rank and file initiatives may We participate in struggle as :.-._.:-1_.:-4..:-1..:-|_.:-1_.;.:1_.-:_.,-:.,_-:.,_-.:._-.:._-'.:,,-".;,_-.:,_-.:-,_.:"-,.\:'-_*.:-.,7.:-.,_-:.--,,:.--._:w.~._.:,.--':,_--\:-._.-:-...--:.-.,-:.--._:.--.,:-.-._T:-.-.:H,--1..--_:2-1,;..-..,-.-.1,-:-.._,..--_,-.--._..---.,..-,,.-.-..,-:--._:.-4_.:-.,.:-..,:-.1,:--1_:-1,-:--:-1,-.1,.-1_..-.1_:.--1_:_-:1,-_:,.-:1.~-1_:-.1_:-.1_:~.1_.:-1_.:-1,.:-1_.:-1_.:-._.:~|,.:.1,-:...~..,:-.:._-.—:.,-.:,_-.'_-.-:1.~.-:...--..;.--_:.1--..:1--.-1_:-.T...-.:-.-...-.---:-.--l:-.--..v.r~.v.-:.--.-:.--~..:--..:---,.:-»1.,1:.--,:.-.,;....,.-.-._:-.1-,-:.1-,-:.-.,-:.-.,»:..-..:--1..:--.,.:--1,.:--.,.:Y-1..'1.-,:.1,-:.1,-:...-:.1.-:.--1..:-1..:1.-.:-1..:-1..:-1..:-1..:-|_:--1:_-1-:_-1:-=.|--_:--1_:--1:_-1:--.1:--_-1:-~_v:--v_:-1-:_v~‘<.~‘_|‘-|_'--'-,-'1.-.‘~~_'v1‘.--'.--‘.--‘.--‘.--‘.--.'--.'--.'--.'-',‘-..‘--.'--,'-1,-‘,.-‘.--'..\',-\‘,--',.-‘,--‘,--‘,_-,'--.‘\-.-'1,r,‘-1.-'-.-'-,-'1.-'.--‘,1'.-'.--‘.--',--',--‘_/--'.1-_'1-_‘)--_'--_'1-.'-1_'-|'_|'-|_'1-.'-|_‘1-.'-|_'|'-1_'-|.‘-1.-‘.v-.'-v.-'~.-‘.|-'.|-'.|-'-.-'1.-.‘-1.-'v.-’_1-'.--‘_.‘-,.'--.'--.'--.'--.'--.'<-.'--.'--.--.'--.‘'-.-'-.-‘.--'.--'.--“.--.'--.'-<.-'.--'.--'.-<'-.-' |.‘-|.'1-.'-1.'-1.
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ple may at times need to or- communism. Because the rul- strengthen us in the battle for anarchist communists, and E';§:E;§:€;§:'E;:§;E:§;E:§;E;§;i§:E;£§E;§§E§;:-' .;z§_&;=:=:='-:2:-:-:-;-:-:fi:;:=-,:-:-:,-=:,-:;:-,1=_-:-:5fa;:i:;:-':-:-:-,=:-,:;:;:;'":;:-:-:~:;:‘;z: §~:j::;;§:;;§:¢;%:;r:E;=:E;:s;§ ;;:-:-:;;;;-;-:;:;:;:-it-:;:;: ,-.1§; j;:'§:;:,-.:,:-_:3__:;_:;f:;:;.'-a-:;:;';:§;:;;§:;;§:_;; % ='-5 _5: 5- 2:;5:5;:2;5:;;?:;:-:g-:-; ;:;:-:1~:--:;:;:;‘:-:-1;::_-:-1;:,=-:-:-:;:§;:;:;:-:-:§-:;:;1;:-:-1;:,~1:-:-:;j§;:;:-:--:-:-:.;:;-. .1;;:-:<:_;:.~,.,;-3:-:-:-:-E:,-.: :5':;:;:-:-53:-:;:§§;:-:55-'-:-:;:;§;;§;;;:;§;1;§;};§;;;§;:;r;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;§;5;:;:;:;:;:;:;
drawn but Best is determined The FBU will do its utmost
ganise independently. How- ing class will not relinquish anarchist-communism. organise on a federative ba- -:441-:-:5:-:-:-:13:-:-:-:-:-.;:=:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:I:-:-:~:-:3:-1-:-:-:3:-:-'-:-:-:-:-:-:-:~t-:-:-:-:-1-:-:-2-:-.-:-:-:-:-:-:I:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:;§;:-:-:-:-:-:-:-1~:-:-:5-2:-;-:-:-:-:-;-:-:-:-:-:~i-:-:-:~:-:-:-i-:-:-:-:-.;:;:;:;:;:¢:;:§:§:§:;:;:;:§:;:;:§;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:-:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;;;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;r;:;:;:;:;:;:;:-:;:;:;:;:;:-:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:-:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:
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ever, this should be as work- power without the use of What’s important is that we SIS. .................................................-.. -...-._...... .... ......., ....1.».-...-..-...........................................0..:.....-.....................--.1“..-....,....... .".-.2.“.....,,‘......_.-...........q..._.................. that wages are kept down and to sabotage any escalating un-
ing class women and black armed force, this revolution organise ourselves collec- We reject sectarianism and that cuts are imposed. If nec- official actions. Unfortunately
people as cross-class move- will be a time of violence as tively, arguing for workers to work for a united, revolution- essary he and other fire chiefs there are still many firefight-
ments hide real class differ- weH as liberation. control struggles themselves. ary anarchist movement. around the country will im- ers who have illusions in the
pose this through ‘natural FBU. Any effective action
:;.:.:-‘..::'<._:-1‘:.:-‘1:.;:;1.;;:..-‘:;.1-;:4-1::.-|::A-|::.-_:1'1:~|:|';:.-1';1:-1:'-.:.1'.;:v|1:.@-:1:~:5|::''11;-':1;1-':;1~-'::1'|;::-|1:z-':;::'11:-:‘1|;'-|I;'11-::'|1-::~'-|':;|v-¢':-‘>1.-:‘1<:-:‘::|-:‘11:-:':1|;--:~:-1:|-:-':|:~-',::-'-::-'-I-:-'-:|-:‘:-|-:'I---:‘:--.::'.--::'.--:.:‘:--.1:'->-'::-.-::.-5:1-5:-;-::‘1--:':--.::1;-::'->-:'_--:.;:.:1;.::|;::1.-:1:1~:.4:-.:311::1-1::-‘|-::|'-.::>‘-1::|‘~:1|::'-||::':*-'1-1:‘:~||'::||'':>:|<:'11-::'1-1::'-||H:'-|'a:1-:1'-:'1-1:+1‘|::‘.~|:‘.v::~':'-1:'-:1:--:'1|:‘-:|:I‘-:|-:'v:--:':+--:211-:'|11'vI-.‘::|-.::1_-‘::--1'1::-.::I--::---'1::1-:1:--::1--I:1--1:1--::--.::r.-::1--::11-:11-1:1-::.1;::1;1::1;-::;-.::-.1::|-1::.-:1:.:-.1:-.::|:;11:;:.:1;.::-1.::;1.:;::|1;:-:~t-I=--:I:---:I:---P::--I::---I:-:-I-t-:-I-:-:-J-:-:-1-:-:--:7-:--rI:---.2:--1-:1---::-9-::1--::---Ir-:1--2:--2-::---:I:---1::---:I:---:I:---I::---I:-:--I:-:-1-::---l::---I:-:~I--::I---.I:---:I:---:1:---::I---:I:---:I:---:I:---:I:-.:-2-.':-l--:I:---:I:---:Z:--:-:-I--::$-~:1-::‘-!-:-:-I--::-I--::i-<-::-I-:-:-I--:I:-;-:I-:~--:1:=-':1:--':1:--:-:-2-:':-2-:-":-b:-:l-:--:I-'--:I‘---I::'=1-:-:-I1:--I::---21:---I::---L':---'I-1-:I---::I---E:1--::I---::2--:':}---':-Z-.:---I::---I:+:-=:1-:-:--2:'---I':---1‘:--:::2--:-fi-P:t--1::---I::---I::-9-b:‘I---::I~--.Q:-~i?-::I---:;I---:1:-'-::1--1:--1-::---:I"--1-it''--I::-'-I:-:-I-:-:-I-:-:-l-':{:---:I:---:I:-'I-:':I---:I:---:I-:--:l-;;I-:'-;I-:'I-;' wastage’. Firefighters went on must involve action outside
j-I-I1!-Z-I-I-I-I-Z-Z-I-j.j.jQ.f.j-:.f.j.i-j.:.f-1.1-I-:-1QI-1.1-1.:.1.:.§:|l.:.:1Ql1:\J'1'1'1'1'|'|'1'1.'.'.'.-.'.'.'.'1'.'.'.'.'.'.'.I.-.-.~.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.‘.‘.'.-.‘_-.-.'.'.*.*.-..‘.'.~.~.'.*.'.'.'.-.'.'.'.-.'.'.'.'.'.‘..'.'.'
Editorial
getting together for a rave will be ar- to only answering 999 calls and against the union.
rested, with no need for a warrant. These and Best threatened a 40% cut
Fight the Criminal Justice Bill! Postal
powers could be used against hunt sabo- in wages. His middle manage-
teurs, against anti-road campaigners, ment flunkies attempted to
and in the future against strikers if nec- threaten firefighters over this workers
JUST LIKE the poll tax, the Criminal offour million unemployed and the end of essary. There will increased and ex- action and the refusal to im-
Justice Bill is a flagship of the Gov- the artificially created ‘boom’. tended use of detention against ,_young plement unnegotiated brigade
LIVERPOOL postal work-
ernment’s legislation and rule, and Now under the umbrella of the Crimi- ‘offenders’. orders. But when they went to
ers took unofficial strike
just like the poll tax, this flagship can nal Justice Bill a whole range of groups the stations to carry this out
action for five days in April
be scuppered. It was through mass will be victimised. Gypsies, travellers, Alliance they met with such anger that
against the suspension of a
revulsion against the poll tax, thou- squatters, ravers, will be singled out for watches said they would all be
workmate.
sands upon thousands refusing to attack. The police will increase their pow- The Bill is attacking a whole range of disciplined rather than let one
Some 2,000 were involved
pay it throughout Britain, thousands ers. They will have greater ‘stop and groups. What is encouraging about the of their workmates be victim-
in the action and the postie
organising and mobilising against it, search’ powers, and it will be an offence resistance to the Bill is the alliance that ised. This was all done on an
was reinstated. The leader of
that the Government was forced to to refuse to undergo a search. The right is being built between the different ad-hoc basis by word ofmouth.
the UCW, the post union, Alan
withdraw it. to remain silent will be taken away. It will groups under attack. This alliance must Middle management were so
Johnston, eager to sabotage
This time around, in grey Britain, any- now be a criminal offence to stay in a not allow itself to be taken over by the terrified that they passed a
the strike, took a plane to Liv-
one who questions the status quo, by be- squatted building 24 hours after being Labour Party trying to make out it acts vote of no confidence in Best
erpool to address a mass meet-
haviour, attitude, dress, politics or sexu- served with a possession order, with a six in their interests and channelling the re- and his lieutenants and said
ing and persuade the workers
ality is singled out as a target. We have monthjail sentence or £5,000 fine as pun- sistance into an electoral jamboree. Nor they would not discipline any
to return to work. Strikes
already had assaults in the media and the ishment for disobeying. This at a time must it allow itself to be hijacked by one firefighter. This anger is not
House of Commons on single mothers, when the streets are full of homeless and of the Leninist vanguard groups, in par- confined to Merseyside. All against the reorganisation of
l
beggars and those who dare to mention 800,000 homes lie empty. Travellers will ticular the SWP, looking for more party i over the country there are postal services also took place
at sorting offices in Southend,
sex education. Scapegoat after scapegoat be evicted from land they camp on and fodder. Self-organisation and mass ac- signs of discontent. In Essex
is frantically sought out. Anything to take councils will no longer have to provide tion against the Bill are the order of the five stations in April said they Oxford, Bristol and Cardiff.
attention away from the economic reality sites for Gypsies and travellers. People day. An injury to one is an injiuy to all!
Organise! No. 35 July-Sept 1994 3
2 Organise! No. 35 July-Sept 1994
Y’
Italy — Victory of the Populist the Socialist Party has col- complacent. Now some little- part of the system of corrup- lack of combativity point to a
lapsed under the weight ofthe known magistrates put all in tion. weakness of analyses and dif-
The vote for the right is the ficulty in developing a revolu-
scandals and they are looking question.
tionary identity in this new
for influence through other This wasn’t due to the fair- result of an inter-class phe-
Right and Neo-fascists
political parties. ness of the system. The prose- nomenon, where workers, situation.
The victory ofthe right was cutions led by these magis- shopkeepers, youth, manag- The principal problem is
also due to the defeat of the trates were given the green ers, bosses are all drawn into the weakness of a revolution-
social movements against the light because Italian capital- a movement where the region- ary identity and a vision of a
restructuring plans ofthe pre- ism had to change. The col- alism ofthe League right up to new society — Utopia. As a
~ -__1nqur--\ . _.: 7 "vwv
THE ELECTIONS of March 26th and 28th in Italy led to the rehabilitation of Mus- member of the Anarchist-
,,,,,, s | vious government of the so- lapse of the Christian Demo-
the victory of the right/extreme right alliance led by the f cialist Amato. These move- crat reign and the ‘scandals’ solini and fascism and the re- Communist Group of Rome
businessman Berlusconi. ments were very large, but the coincided with changes in the introduction of the death pen- remarked: “The presence in
.- +1-:1- 11:?‘‘ll:-"1‘!.‘.§§:‘ l unions sabotaged the strug- world -- the collapse of the alty are on the agenda. the struggles has never been
wig‘...
This alliance is composed gained only a few seats. The
gle, making sure no general East European regimes. The The whole history of strug- absent, certainly, but it is
of his party Forza Italia, the Centre (the Christian Demo- ‘ll!
§ - ‘I ’§ nu-'5:-§3l‘3"' 5 I . vi . . strike took place, and that status quo imposed by the gle of the post-war years has trapped, in most cases, in the
Northern League and the Na- crats renamed the PPI — Ital-
strikes were either regional, USA on Italy, which barred been forgotten among the sacrosanct practice of ‘left un-
tional Alliance (ex-MSI, fas- ian Popular Party, the Pact Hf U'¢\- ll 5;-5;; I.I _\_J“,_ l-“\'\ I.»--.-I .. _I _
-.~ s =2=:-"-‘-.,§:;.;§_;.,-. ,jj--_. - t or sectional. Despite a grow- the Communist Party from working class. Already the ionism’, limited to local or spe-
cist). They have an absolute for Italy led by Segni, the Re-
ing movement outside the un- entering the government and magistrates have cleared the cific struggles, with little stay-
majority in the Chamber of publicans etc) suffered severe
ions or in the process ofbreak- which resulted in a ‘historic Masonic lodge P2 of involve- ing power and without being
Deputies, and a relative ma- defeats to the profit of the i l ing with the unions that man- compromise’, came to an end. ment in corruption and the directed towards a social con-
jority in the Senate. The alli- right. 2
aged to organise strikes, ac- The Christian Democrat-So- ‘politics oftension’. Berlusconi frontation”.
ance of the left, the Progres- Berlusconi created his
tions and demonstrations (see cialist alliance, robbed of aid was a member of this lodge. ‘What appears paradoxical,
sist Cartel, could not go be- party out of nothing in just
Thus concludes 10 years of in- is that the reactionary right
Organise! 29) it was not possi- by the USA, faced mounting
yond the maintaining of the two months thanks to his eco-
popular discontent. quests into plots, political are seen by many young peo-
ble to defeat the Amato gov-
seats of the PDS (ex-Commu- nomic and media power, using ernment, aided as it was by The Communist Party, pre- murders, unexplained massa- ple as ‘revolutionary’, bypass-
nist Party) and some small his three radio channels, tele- the unions. paring for government, cres and bombings in which ing the radical movements of
gains for the Rifondazione vision channels directly and The victory ofBerlusconi is changed its name to Demo- leading politicians were heav- the ’70s and ’80s. Even the
Comunista (ex-members of indirectly controlled by him, an end result of the process cratic Party of the Left (PDS) ily involved. experience of the social cen-
the Communist Party, hard- press agencies and news-
tres, which prolonged to a cer-
which began in 1992 when the going over completely to so-
liners, in a new party with papers. The ‘political mes-
tain extent this movement,
first inquests about corrup- cial-democracy, and dropping Movement
some of the extreme left). sage’ of this rich businessman has not succeeded in getting
tion in the political world be- all pretence at acting in the
Other parts of the Cartel, the consisted of simplistic and gan. All of a sudden, politi- interest of the working class, The autonomists, the out of its youth and minority
Greens and la Rete (anti-Ma- demagogic statements easily cians, entire political parties, and now began to talk about squatted social centres that ghetto, and has been trans-
fia, composed of social-demo- digested by a potential mass men considered untouchable, the national interest. And have sprung up all over Italy, formed from a movement con-
._“‘,_,,.\
crats and radical Christians) of voters alienated by the po- stood accused. And this in a then the activity of the judges the anarchist and libertarian fronting the system to one of
litical establishment and still
country where scandals, began. The number of Com- movement, the workplace co- defence.
Below: Berlusconi. conditioned to a great extent
Despite this objectively
State-sponsored massacres, munist officials indicted was ordinations of the base com-
by the media. The magic word
attempted coup d’états had small in regard to the other mittees (COBAS), all play a negative scenario, there are
is ‘new’ and all the political ian economy is in a period of transformation from MSI to
been the norm for decades and Parties, but in the eyes of‘pub- very secondary role in this hy- possibilities to develop strug-
parties are using this when sweeping restructuring which National Alliance the fascists
lic opinion’ they were seen as permedia hype scenario. Their gles against the attacks about
where the judges were totally
they talk about their ‘new’ means a cut in production and increased their vote from 4%
to be launched against the
parties on the up, ready to so a cut in the workforce. to 13% nationally, especially
working class, and to point out
Exporting Mu rder— Tox|'c D umpr' ng |' n SA
clean up the old system. In the electoral campaign in the South and in Rome
the false promises of the Ber-
Berlusconi was allied with the where they gained the major-
lusconi government. One fa-
Northern League of Bossi and ity of MPs.
Not So New! THOR CHEMICALS — the ‘spent mercuric fluride cata- the minimum safety stand- vourable sign was the attempt
the National Alliance of Fini. A number of points have
British owned company lyst’ at Thor’s Cato Ridge ards to qualify for an operat- by 50,000 anarchists, autono-
But Berlusconi is far from The League itself is a rela- been under-estimated in the
notorious for its callous plant. Thor Chemicals already ing permit. mists and squatters to storm
new. He owes his economic tively new formation and is recent past. The rise ofracism
treatment ofblack workers has a massive stockpile of im- The Department of Water the National Alliance HQ in
fortune to the alliance of the concentrated in the north, and violence against immi-
employed at its Cato Ridge ported toxic waste, believed to Affairs has also given Thor Milan during a march to com-
Christian Democrats and So- above all in Milan and Lom- grants was explained as the
plant near Pieter- be in the vicinity of 4000 bar- permission to dump toxic mer- memorate the resistance to
cialist Party that ruled up to bardy. Outside of the usual actions of a tiny minority —
maritzburg in Natal —- is rels, including the remnants cury wastes on its premises Mussolini, which was, how-
recently, and in particular to slogans of ‘less tax, more free- Nazi-skins and other fascists
again at the centre of a ma- from its British mercuric chlo- rather than at a regulated ever, thwarted by the police.
his ‘godfather’ Bettino Craxi, dom for business, immigrants — when the whole problem of
jor controversy, this time ride plant, which was moved toxic waste dump. The site is
ex-secretary of the Socialist out’ is its insistence that the racism is much more wide-
involving the import into to South Africa after it was not registered, as is required Information from an inter-
Party, affected like so many more productive northern re- spread. Many of the petty-
South Africa of toxic discovered that workers in the by law, nor have any written view with a militant of the
others by recent financial gions should not pay for the bourgeoisie shopkeepers and
wastes. UK were being poisoned. guidelines been provided for Italian FdCA (Anarchist
‘scandals’. social costs of the poorer small businessmen and
Three senior executives are Demonstrators from both its management. Communist Federation) in the
Apart from the lies about southern regions, and the de- sections of the urban and ru-
facing charges of murder after Earthlife Africa and the Envi- South Africa’s environ- French paper Alternatif
newness, the other slogans mand for the creation ofthree ral working class — cast their
the death of a worker from ronmental Justice Forum mental organisations are de- Libertaire, and from an arti-
are ‘no to the communists’ — large regions federated for vote for the fascists, blaming
mercury poisoning in July, picketed the Cato Ridge plant manding that the government cle by a correspondent of the
actually anyone who has ex- foreign affairs, defence etc, as the recession and its conse-
and Thor Chemicals’ parent on February 21st in protest at ban all further imports oftoxic Anarchist Communist Group
pressed the slightest doubt well as autonomy for tax-col- quences — sackings — on im-
company in the UK is being the new shipment. Similar wastes. The African National of Rome in the French mag
lecting and what the taxes are migration, when this was a
about Berlusconi — the ‘free ‘. sued by three South African protests were held at the Bor- Congress has pledged to end Courant Alternatif.
market’ —- magic term to spent on. So, starting out on move by the big capitalists,
workers for damage to their den plant in Louisiana on the all imports of toxic waste into
mean the law ofthejungle and the same basis as Berlusconi, national and international.
health suffered at the Cato same day. Protests by Green- South Africa after winning
privatisation of public enter- the League goes one better Another disturbing fact was ACTIVE RESISTANCE
Ridge plant. peace activists in the US have the election in April, although
prises, in particular health and calls for localism of an that 50% of young voters be-
The latest controversy now forced Borden Chemicals only time will tell whether -
Out now! second issue
and education, lower taxes, almost tribal nature. And this tween the ages of 18 and 25
erupted when Greenpeace and Plastics to agree to take out of line with their perform-
ofActive Resistance, the
and the creation of a million with the example of Yugosla- voted for the fascists!
New York and South Africa’s back the shipment. ance so far in other areas of
ACF paper for young
jobs. In reality only the rich via on the border. As for the Mafia, they used
Earthlife Africa, together with Earthlife Africa has also re- policy — they will actually do
people. 40p a copy plus
and the professionals will pay As for the National Alli- the votes they controlled to
the Enviromnental Justice Fo- vealed that the Department of so.
postage. A few copies of
less tax; the mass of working ance, this consists of the fas- support Berlusconi and the
rum, revealed that a US com- National Health seems to be (Information sources:
first issue still available.
people will continue to be cist MSI and some extreme National Alliance, where be-
pany, Borden Chemicals and acting irregularly by allowing Norm Dixon, Chris Albertyn
Write to London address
taxed on their wages. As re- right ex-members of the fore they had strong links
Plastics, had dispatched a Thor to burn and dtunp wastes and Earthlife Pieter-
for copies, bulk orders.
gards a million jobs, the Ital- Christian Democrats. In its with the Socialists. But now
shipment of 160 barrels of despite its inability to meet maritzburg).
4 Organise! No. 35 July-Sept 1994 Organise! No. 35 July-Sept 1994 5
Mobutu, the President of
Rwanda and Burundi — ‘Ethnic’ Massacres sis, but of the Ganwas and their history. In Burundi they Army, mainly Tutsi, on a daily
insisted on the traditional su- basis. In Rwanda the state Zaire, with whom they had
their two aristocratic lines,
was involved in guerilla war- ceased all civil and military
the Batare and Bezie, who periority of the Tutsi. In
Rwanda, they emphasised the fare with the Rwandan Patri- cooperation, and are keeping
controlled 25 of the posts.
I - - ._'-_~-...‘.~_'¢..','_'----.'_'----.','I-11<'.'----..''-- .~...<‘---...‘'----..‘',--~>.-‘,>'----..-----'.‘---~.‘,- -.',-- .',- -- . --.'_--.'
-_...,',,--‘...-.',.-.__- -..,-..'.,'_~l__-----.-.-_-----.--.-,.->,-_.-__>.>'__-_--.._'_--_--..,._'_--,_..|..._‘,.-__--.-,..,'..~'_,-.D-,.-<‘.._'_,\_-1.-_.__-'-..4,,_--.-'_..-_._,-___.'-.-'._.,-___---.-..._~I4-|'.,‘ him sweet with financial con-
-_-.-. .,'"-,,_1‘-_-.'-.,._.'-_,'.‘---.-__.'-_.--‘.._-''-._-,n-.'__’_--‘--.».,'.,_~_~_-.~.|,_,.<-.-'_..‘-_-..''...-~_‘.,,‘--'‘.'~~-1_'...‘-..1-'_',~_.,'-,'-_--._--.-|,...,-‘'~_I.I..'--~.',-..-.' stages of Hutu emancipation otic Front from 1990. The
- .' - | .‘.' - ~1'.'_- -'.‘,-- -‘,' -.'., _' -.‘,* -1'.
_.¢,--, I l '.-.'--.,-.-,--‘.-‘..._-"'_.-<-'_1~-|~.'.."''-__-.---,-__.-1-''..--.‘''__.---,-..__-''.---.''_.-_,,.---._-_‘1'~.-~.‘.'_,,-‘.-I_,,---,. -_'-..-''._..~'''_,-~-1--._'-.,.-‘.'.-1,'|_»-..>.‘, from Tutsi domination. RPF, talked about its anti- tributions. And all this while
." -,3'."--.'.‘."--.'-'.,‘-1_-'-,‘.‘-.'_-'_."_'~.'.-_‘.''uI'.-, -'_-.'-'.,‘-_'-.1"-'-',-- Plural societies
In Rwanda a vicious form of dictatorship stand, but had the dictator Mobutu carries
PERIODICALLY, RWANDA AND Burundi hit the pages
As we can see, to put the state racism was maintained difficulty in getting rid of the on his own ethnic purification
of the Western papers with the same images ofmassacres problems down to tribalism is with a politics of quotas and Tutsi label it had been saddled (mass murder) in Katanga
and mass waves of refugees. dangerous as they obscure the identity papers giving ‘ethnic’ with. The majority ofthe guer- against the Balubas, because
fact that pre-colonial Africa origin. The Rwandan revolu- illas are exiles who served in his principal opponent
The journalists fill page af- now separated into the two was not made up ofunited eth- tion of 1959-61 overthrew a the Ugandan Army. Etienne Tshisekedi is l a
ter page with their descrip- countries of Rwanda and Bu- As for the involvement of Baluba.
,,1..-,'._.,___.-,'.._,.‘_-.-‘..._.','__-...,_,_\-...,_.',>__-1...>,,-___>-..__,_-_....__.‘.__,>._..|,_.___--.-.,.,-,.-.,.-._|‘-,.__,-.__-,_-._,-... nic, cultural and linguistic feudal and colonial regime but
.._-.,,-.,_~1..--. ,~.__-.. . _-~_,-- _- ..,_-._',-
tions of primitive tribalism, rundi, always suffered from ....-''----.--..'.'--I-I-.--.''..-"‘."l-.»4-.'~.-.''.-~'--->'--'. '---.-.'1 ’.‘..' --'.''-'‘'-1-1-.---‘. .._,'' 1'...‘ '-'1.'_‘'"-- it failed to destroy the myth of the French State, its support
1'',.-~--,.._._‘--1'--.._"'."¢‘-,--.'‘_..."'‘..._~'-_--'.--.._'__._‘.-__'.~-'~,---.-_..,--*,_.---_--...-....,,'._--'-_..-.>>'.,.~,-_.'--'-,__1.-_'-'-.---,1--I~.1.-'.-,.'--~-~-'.,-<-,'_._...‘.'‘--,-~---_..I--._.._..-_--»>-'-..~..,1‘.~.,-‘_-.~I__-.1'1._.1..--,-.'-.I,. units, but of plural societies
which they see as responsible bloody confrontations be- living in interdependence. the ‘racial difference between for the dictator Habyarimana Intervene
for the instability of these two tween Hutus (80% of the .;. :-'.-'.- The new idea of ethnic Hutu and Tutsi’. has never been denied. Sev-
:2.-'' I--';._
States, with the recurring un- population) and Tutsis (19%) Things are hardly better in eral hundred soldiers of the The French troops are po-
identity linked to political al-
dercurrent of paternalistic ra- since the beginning of time. legiances was a result of colo- Burundi. If there is no men- Force d’action rapide are per- sitioned across the border in
" '. I
cism which makes Africans Nothing could be further from 7' ~. 71;; nisation. The post-colonial tion of ‘ethnic’ identity on manently stationed in Bangui Zaire ready to intervene in
I
into big children who haven’t the truth. Before colonisation, . '1:'I;':-':-'.'j:i:&1i:I:I:Ij'i:¢:I-I&!:75:=:%I*:255' identity papers, it is because (Central Africa) and inter- Rwanda. This is in a region
:;:;n:=:\-;:_-I:-:‘II::.;l:.-'::a.":.;:I;.:p-:.-"‘,.-I:';I:.-.:':.;.:l;.:I-: states were founded on ethnic-
-.;.-:-;-;.-:-:-;.;:-:;;;;.-:-:-;.-:-;.;.;:-._
grown out of barbarism. This it was a kingdom reigning '.*I~2-::.;Z-Z-:-'.~£-.;,:;I-,‘;;.-:;:-;-'.-Z- ,‘ ity,/which gave riches and power is in the hands of a mi- vened in the Rwandan capital where second generation
..'\I'u'11" I‘ 0, 1'
allows the West to wallow over more than 200 clans, '.|,._-.._,,-..,.--._..,-__<_.-..-.,.,.. -,-. ._ , ,-. -.-.<.-. privileges to the right group. nority. A Hutu fraction rules to protect the 400 French Tutsi refugees live (the same
~..
complacently in its self-styled whose élites were divided into . . Z_A~-.,.-I__'R-.'.,--E._.~,3»|.,.--.,-.-.. . 5:-3.; . ., 1. -‘-'--.-'..‘.'-"1I-.'|1'.'v -'...‘_"",---__''.-.._,‘_‘.._.‘~_-."1_1_' After the Belgians left, the over the mass of the popula- there and bolster the Rwan- as those who in Uganda
'.‘ "~' '-
economic superiority, a spiri- four ‘social categories’ (Ba- _ 1.',,I-_,>1__.1.1 two countries took different tion in Rwanda calling it peo- dan government at the same formed the RPF) and which is
tual and ‘racial’ superiority. hutu, Batutsi, Baganwa and directions. In Burundi, the ple’s power, whilst the Tutsi time. Habyarimana was a controlled by the radical
But ifwe want to really under- Batwa) which were more or close friend of the Mitterand Zairean opposition, who adopt
Tutsi held on to their privi- minority in Burundi call for
stand the tragic events in less ‘superclans’ which had leges, whilst the Hutu took national unity to mask their family. fiercely anti-French lan-
these two countries we cannot different vocations and which Now 2,500 French soldiers guage.
power in Rwanda. domination.
ignore the colonial period and competed for the official posts are intervening there under The French hope to kill two
In Burundi, the history of
the massive effects that they dished out by the courts ofthe the cover of ‘honour, decency, birds with one stone, but at
the last 30 years is that of po- Turning point
have had on African societies. king and the princes. idly hierarchical society. First classes in the strict sense) into dignity’. Practically all the the same time risk a many-
litical instability. The single
a If we believed the papers, The arrival of the colonial- of all the colonialists turned races, in line with the racialist The attack that cost the French politicians of left and sided confrontation. Already
Party, UPRONA, with the
the Burundi region, which is ists profoundly shook this rig- the ‘social categories’ (not and evolutionist theories of lives of Presidents Habyari- right backed this interven- the Zairean Army have led
help of the Army maintained
the 19th century. They op- Tutsi supremacy. The Hutus mana of Rwanda and tion. Officially, this ‘tempo- several attacks on the local

posed Tutsis to Hutus, seeing paid dearly for this — 80 of Ntaryamira of Burundi came rary’ and ‘exceptional’ mission Tutsi population. If the
Deforestation of Indonesia:
the first as the race of lords their leaders were murdered during a chaotic period. is to protect the civilian popu- French troops move directly
and conquerors, and the sec- For the first time, Burundi lation who are fleeing from the into Rwanda, they will create
in 1965 (23 ofwhom were MPs
ond as sedentary peasants. who had assured their major- had elected a Hutu President, East to the West ofthe country a country of two zones, one
A Policy Driven by Greed and War
They laced this with large ity in Parliament), 200,000 a consequence ofthe democra- away from the war between controlled by them, and one
helpings of racialist mumbo- were butchered in 1972. Their tisation in course. But Mel- the Government and the RPF. by the RPF. The French State
jumbo, calling the Tutsis next door neighbour Rwanda, chior Ndayaye was murdered This intervention has been ap- shows itself ready to prop up
INDONESIA IS TO send a delegation on a PR visit to the classes in Indonesia — in ‘semitised Hamites’ or ‘Euro- was subject to internal strug- five months later in a failed proved by the Security Coun- dictators in its zone of influ-
European Parliament in April to shore up concerns about other words, Suharto’s family peans with black skins’. The gles between Hutu factions, putsch which cost tens ofthou- cil of the UN. Once more ence in Africa. Where ‘democ-
the massive environmental damage being inflicted by the and cronies, including the fact that their researches had because most of the minority sands of lives. His replace- France acts as the gendarme ratisation’ has taken place
timber trade on tribal people in Indonesia and to head off leaders ofthe timber industry shown that intermarriage Tutsi population had pre- ment, Ntaryamira, also a of Africa with the consent of those newly come to power
possible calls for wood import boycotts because ofalleged — who are responsible, not was the norm didn’t change in ferred exile to death. Hutu, failed to calm things the USA and of Russia. To quickly pledge allegiance to
indiscriminate logging. only for the appalling poverty the slightest their theory that The two States used the co- down, and Hutu armed frac- help this come about, they are France.
in the country, but also for the all the African ‘races’ were not tions began to confront the once again cuddling up with
lonialists’ false version of
Desperate rampant deforestation. at the same level; the Tutsi
The delegation — made up
New markets
The billions earned from were more advanced than the
of a team of businessmen in
Pledging to comply with the sale of Indonesian timber Hutu, themselves more ad-
the industry — will, in the
The United States is newly
calls by the International (to eager customers such as vanced than the Twa (seen as
words of Indonesia’s plywood
involved in Africa. No longer
Tropical Timber Organisation the UK, which will hypocriti- Bantuised pygmies). As to the
king, Bob Hasan, leader of the
is this through the funding of
to ensure all hardwood timber cally buy while going through Ganwas they were arbitrarily
delegation and head of the In-
anti-Communist forces but as
comes from managed forest by the motions of expressing en- labelled Tutsi, because of
donesian Forestry Commu-
a financial power eager for po-
the year 2000, Indonesia, vironmental concern) both en- their social status as provin-
nity: “explain to the European
tential new markets, as is
which earned $5.21 billion rich the already unjustly cial governors. "" '
legislators at their session in
happening in South Africa
from the timber industry in wealthy and also fund the
April how Indonesia is taking
(see Organise! 33), France
1992, has nonetheless purchase of arms that are Obscure
good care of its rain forests
must now control Africa in
stressed the need to balance used not only to cow the Indo-
After gaining the right under-
competition or concurrence
conservation with its eco- nesian people themselves, but This theory served as the
standing about Indonesia’s
with other Great Powers, with
nomic interests. Following the also to perpetuate the 20- base for administrative reor-
forest development, European
the risk of certain African
neighbouring Malaysian gov- year-old imperialist war on ganisation by the Belgian
politicians hopefully will stop
leaders selling themselves to
ernment’s line of blaming the the peoples of East Timor. state in 1929. Colonial exploi-
supporting boycotts of rain
the highest bidder (as has
victims for deforestation, in- tation required the help of a
forest wood imports from
happened or been threatened
stead of those holding timber small part of the local popula-
tropical climate countries, in- Solidarity
by Mobutu, Bongo, etc).
concessions, Hasan has said tion, and the Ganwa aristoc-
cluding Indonesia.”
The cons of humanitarian
0 global deforestation can be We express our solidarity racy was chosen as best assur-
Environmentalists say the
aid — Somalia yesterday,
equated with poverty, as poor with the poor ofIndonesia and ing social peace. The number
timber industry in Indonesia
Rwanda today — and the de-
people desperate for food turn the criminally oppressed vic- of chiefs was reduced from
— home to some of the world’s
fence of International Law —
forests into agricultural land tims of Indonesia’s genocidal 133 to 35 and the Hutu élite
biggest tropical forests — has
Kuwait yesterday, tomorrow?
(nearly one-sixth of Indone- war in East Timor, and we was marginalised, losing all
damaged about 30% of the
— are alibis to maintain or
sia’s 185 million people live in uncompromisingly condemn the positions of chiefs, which
country’s 147 million hectares
consolidate the zones of influ-
poverty). the suicidal policy of greed- had accounted for 20%. This
(363 million acres) of tropical
ence of the Great Powers.
Yet clearly it is the ruling driven deforestation. wasn’t to the profit ofthe Tut-
rain forest.
Organise! No. 35 July-Sept 1994 7
6 Organise! No. 35 July-Sept 1994
France — Mass Action Against Wage Cuts GEDDO
THE GOVERNMENT OF
Balladur attempted to re-
carriage cycle, bus, car, lorry had the
In part two of our series on traffic (see Organise! 34 for part 1), we look at the
duce the minimum na-
same physical access to buildings. This
tional wage for people un- social and health effects of traffic. In the next issue we conclude by looking
equality has disappeared with the in-
der 26 by 20%. This was to at false solutions and opposition to the traffic system.
creasing speed (and volume) of motor
apply only to people with
traffic. Along main arterial roads barri-
less than two years’ higher
ers are put up to speed traffic flow and
education and was de- CAPITALISM WANTS MOTOR traffic course, the net result is more congestion
signed to increase divi- for profit for the road lobby and for the and delays for motorists, increased pe- prevent pedestrians from crossing and
sions o based on qualifica- -§, in rapid movement of goods and people (as destrian danger and fear (particularly for motorists from parking; car users and bus
tions. either workers or consumers). ‘Mobility vulnerable groups such as women and passengers can no longer use local shops.
The next stage is that a hypermarket
Since the end of the ’70s, madness’ also derives from the need of children), and firrther noise and air pol-
opens elsewhere killing off small shops
the crisis does not seem to the business people to commute within lution. This ‘freedom’ is also empty be-
and forcing pedestrians and bus users to
have greatly affected the capi- and between the zones of power in each cause the effect of the accompanying tar-
talists, whose profits boomed. city to make business decisions. Cars also mac, concrete and pollution is to “make shop there or go to the more expensive
shop on their estate (with the monopoly
At the same time, the attacks promise individuals freedom of move- everywhere like everywhere else”. Addi-
by the bosses and the State ment and are important status and iden- tionally, as Aufheben point out, the indi- of local trade). Arterial roads have two
multiplied and reactions to tity symbols. vidual’s inalienable right of freedom of functions — to take people in and out of
(motor) movement is enforced and guar- cities, and to be the lifeblood of all the
them were partial and defen-
towns along their route, providing shops,
sive. The social movements Freedom anteed by the State (through traffic laws
and road construction). The car has schools, pubs etc. This latter function is
were greatly weakened in this
period and the bosses and Cars promise individuals the freedom everything to say about (for) its owner in lost as the barriers turn arteries into free-
ways and towns along the route become
State showed they were capa- to go where they want, when they want. terms of identity and status while simul-
ble of maintaining a social This is particularly attractive to young taneously stopping direct communication blighted and die. Cities become compart-
mentalised, area by area. At the core a
consensus. people eager to escape the straitjacket of between people.
'_''i'ilI'Lii_':‘L'ifli'I___"_"""__"_"'"'_' "'_"I_I" I ' ' '
hostile city centre defended by an urban
But in March a large move- movement. The casseurs they controlled — the CGT — Trotskyists infiltrating the the family. This is a bourgeois freedom
motorway, its inhabitants gone. It is sur-
ment of protest against these (breakers) are alienated were able to sabotage any rad- movement on TV and in the however, achieved (if at all) at the ex- Motorisation
rounded by a series of of enclosed camps
new measures from school working class youth from the icalisation. The latest move- press. Certainly at Nantes, pense of others as part of the “war of all
hemmed in by arteries which have be-
students, students and the inner cities and suburbs who ment shows that the possibili- where 20,000 mobilised, the against all”. Other drivers are obstacles Cities and towns ofthe past were built
unemployed shook all this. have vented their rage at their ties for future link-ups are libertarian movement was and restrictions to the individual’s inal- to the scale of the walking person, and come freeways. People can only enter or
leave the city at controlled exit points to
Unlike in 1968, the school stu- miserable existences by strong. The youth in educa- well implanted, not as outsid- ienable right of movement. In practice of pedestrians, vehicle users, horse, cart,
dents and students did not breaking shop-windows dur- tion mobilised against a law ers but as activists. They were
_ " ' -—-—— '7 ——7 - -7-Y . 7 . ";v~'*—T_'_'-'-\-":.—@'
.__.. 'v "WW W .. -. . ' -- ——7--—--— — '7’ . . . .l""l.—;-:.- .
mobilise against a law that af- ing the demonstrations. The that directly concerned the able to spread their ideas
fected their studies, but about accusations of the govern- mass of workers. At the same widely and make a strong
the future as wage-earners. ment were well thought out. time, the practices of self-or- presence. Here, the streets
This movement had its Faced by a mass spontaneous ganisation (strike commit- were occupied four times in a
contradictions. Some stu- movement that was out ofthe tees, coordinations) were week, despite police attacks
dents, united in the student control of the student unions widespread, reflecting the and many arrests. Indeed,
unions IUT and BTS, said and the political parties, the same development over the there and at Lyon the situ-
they did not want to be paid old bugbear of outside agita- last few years in the work- ation was semi-insurrec-
like ‘supermarket cashiers’. tors was conjured up just like places, where the Stalinist in- tional.
On the other hand in further back in May 1968. In actual fluence has been greatly The French libertarian
education and technical col- fact severe police provocation weakened. movement has been enthused
leges working class students had led to defensive violence by the new movement. There
strongly contributed to giving which ignited this outbreak of Hqacks seems to be a great determi-
.:’.tt- " . ' .
"::‘_i5;;:‘-sL2P:-:'.3-I-i: ;_;,'E.=.-E§= -‘I-. ': :. =1-'--=1..'-=:-.==-__.; §'.':';:. ..-- ' .. ' _
the mobilisation a radical anger. This indicates a very nation to break out of the _';:>::;:i' '1 . '5 '__'I :.:"_ -'5 1.
- - I" ; :5,-.5.;_P.§:' ‘’ - -_,
.;'=-‘I-.'-;:j:;' j _ ".1-'w=:= .:.-:-::-z-" '-
character (especially in Lyon) deep despair and anger in In the ’70s the left was able ghetto and spread revolution-
even if others, less disadvan- French society. But it also in- to highjack the social move- ary ideas amongst the mass of
taged by their social back- dicates the absence ofpolitical ments and turn them to their the population.
ground, were put forward as perspectives going beyond the own reformist and electoralist As two Nantes comrades
spokespeople for the media. simple repeal of a law. This is ends. noted: “That the anarchist
Also to be noted were the thanks to the lack of a real Now, the Socialists have communists that we are, can
greater number of students — social movement able to pro- been exposed by their ten act and make politflzs, on
noticeable in comparison to pose an alternative to capital- years of loyal management of bases other than manoeuvres
the movement of 1986 — who ist logic at the level of ideas capitalism, and the PCF is of committees and declara-
saw that university diplomas and action. discredited by the collapse of tions ofprinciples . . . that this
were no longer necessarily a A tie-up with the work- the ‘socialist’ bloc. But the way of acting and of thinking
passport to a more privileged places did not come about de- cantonal elections showed in concert with the greatest
social position. Most present spite a simmering tension in they were still capable of number of people possible al-
students are future wage many workplaces. All the channelling discontent be- lows the opening of the politi-
earners concerned by the in- same, the potential for this cause of the lack of a credible cal debate, the sense of collec-
creasing growth of temporary was higher than in May 1968, social alternative. tive action, and that far from
and part-time work or are fu- when a fringe of radicalised Balladur was forced to isolating us, radical, coherent
ture unemployed. students called for such a withdraw the law, and on 31st positions, revolutionary posi-
The government, speaking link-up, but when the student March 40,000 demonstrated tions, can have a widespread
through the mouthpiece ofthe movement and the workers’ in a victory demonstration. In response, allow a globalisa-
mass media, attempted to general strike developed si- the aftermath gangsters were tion of separated struggles,
split the movement by de- multaneously but with differ- accused by the media of man- reinforce the social move-
nouncing the casseurs who ent dynamics and goals. The ipulating young people in the ments and allow the emer-
turned up to demonstrations Stalinists of the Communist disturbances at Lyon. There gence ofan anti-capitalist and
as outsiders to a ‘responsible’ Party (PCF) and the union was talk of anarchists and libertarian political current.”
Organise! No. 35 July-Sept 1994 9
8 Organise! No. 35 July-Sept 1994
adults hanging out and chatting on the Motorists view pedestrians, cyclists retreat from vibration and noise. Finally
trains or friends who can give them lifts,
Space or walking. The working class, women, street. and children playing in the street as in- people become ‘traffic refugees’ and aban-
children and people with disabilities are With medium traffic flow (about 8000 truding on their space. As the volume don their homes, moving to quieter areas.
vehicles a year) there is a decline in street (and speed) of traffic increases, their at- Poorer people are left behind, trapped
Speed consumes distance: forms of particularly affected. For women travel-
transport occupy space, and the faster ling alone after dark there are the poten- use, though friendliness and involvement titude becomes more ruthless. People’s and condemned to blight.
they are, the more space they need. A car tial dangers of waiting at bus stops, for remain. With heavy traffic flow (over use ofthe pavement is the next to go, due The refugees are replaced by more
travelling 40 kilometres an hour (kph) late trains (more dangerous after years of 16,000 vehicles a year) the street is used to the noise, air pollution and vibration poor people — those who can’t afford to
solely as a corridor between the sanctu- caused. The street loses its attraction to buy or rent elsewhere. The street is now
requires more than three times as much cuts due to lack of guards and conduc-
space as one travelling at 10 kph; a single tors), or using underpasses which priori- ary of individual homes and the outside people — children abandon their play deserted and alienation leads to greater
ROAD person driving a car at 10 kph needs six tise the motorist at the expense of the world. There is no feeling of community space (and adults keep them inside), and anti-social crime. As thefts and assaults
times as much space as a cyclist travel- pedestrian. Women are also more likely and residents keep to themselves, ie iso- adults drive rather than walk. increase, people take refuge in cars, put-
lation and alienation. In this process the With heavy traffic residents abandon ting another twist on the downward spi-
ling at the same speed. Germany’s cars to have the main responsibility for chil-
street is the first to go. their front gardens and front rooms in a ral.
(including driving and parking) comman- dren in hostile urban environments (in-
deer 3700 square kilometres of space, cluding escorting duties necessitated by
60% more than that occupied by housing. the danger from traffic). In Britain
Each German car is responsible for 200 women spend thousands of hours escort-
Advertising: The Poetry of
square kilometres of tarmac and con- ing children, at a cost of£10 billion a year
crete. (using Department of Transport cost
The radius of activity of the well off benefit criteria).
has expanded immeasurably over the last
30 years; that of the poor has changed Community Capitalism
very little. The emphasis on speed and
‘time saving’ leads to transport and plan- Ordinary but diverse contact is impor-
ning policies where basic facilities such tant to people’s well being. Traffic affects
O81 530 5709 — 530 8369
as shops, schools, leisure and work are the number of friends and aquaintances
go to work. The whole is physically con- spaced widely apart. Most people feel that people have — the more the traffic,
nected but without clear communication that they have less time despite faster the less the contacts. Streets with lighter CAPITALISM IS A system that seems
points and with no social contact. Further means of transport. Those without cars traffic (around 2000 vehicles a year) have impossible to crack. Its strength is in
'T'I.-----"" 'I, i_,._...,"'\
-F“ " * -"'-'---»..............,,p..........,,,,_, l
out a series of scattered isolated encamp- (35% of the population in the UK) and close knit communities where residents the inability of its only opponents
=
_—
ments cluster the ring road. Workers those who do not have access to them make full use of the street -— sitting and (the working-class) to wake up from
commute to the city centre from the outer during the day, must spend time search- chatting on front steps, children using their induced lethargy. A subtle in-
.41:-M
suburb, and others travel out to ring road ing for other facilities, waiting for buses, pavements for play and teenagers and terplay ofmedia manipulation keeps ‘in-1
factories. Cities devoid of life with traffic us passive, inanimate and impotent. +4-’f"“/I
endlessly circulating around ring roads. For the purpose of this article I want
ix
The poor from different areas never meet, to focus on one aspect ofthis intellec-
leading totally separate existences. tual lobotomy: advertising.
Thousands of people live in their own Personally I find mainstream adver-
niche within areas, many isolated and tising to be the antithesis of everything
atomised in their own homes. creative and artistic in society. For capi-
talism to sell unnecessary produce it
Heafih needs to create artificial appetites. It has
to stimulate craving for the ‘good life’
l'\,,*‘_
Exhaust fumes (carbon dioxide, sul- (please note that by ‘unnecessary pro-
phur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon duce’ I mean such indispensable necessi-
monoxide, hydrocarbons) are a major con- ties as blenders, remote control folding
tributor to global warming and acid rain, beds and 15-minute car polish and other
l ‘g
and cause much ill health and environ- such items we couldn’t live without). {D
‘"111
mental damage. The average car pollutes So as a result we have the creation of
more than two billion cubic meters of air the modern advertising industry. Around
in its life. In Britain emissions from car the time of the beginning of mass produc-
<a_f$~_,
exhausts have increased 73% since 1981; tion advertising skyrocketed into a global
a 1993 government study found 19 mil- billion-dollar industry. With the develop-
lion people in Britain were exposed to ment of new technology (TV, compact
pollution exceeding EC guidelines. disc, satellite communications etc) adver-
In 1965 there were eight million cars tising found ever more accommodating
in Britain; by 1995 there will be 18 mil- outlets for its main targets: you and I.
lion; by 2025 36 million are predicted.
Children and the elderly are particularly
at risk from exhaust pollution, which Manipulation
causes asthma and bronchitis. Green-
peace International calculates 7.5 million By now I’m sure that one question is
elderly people are at risk and nine million on your mind: “What’s so bad about ad-
children. Asthma is one of the few treat- vertising?” There are several answers to
able chronic diseases which is advancing this. Firstly, advertising is manipulation.
in Western countries. Children are more TV and newspaper ads entice us with
vulnerable because they exercise more concocted images of sumptuous food,
and so breathe in more air (youngsters dashing new technology and whiter than
under three breathe in twice as much air white clothes that makes average punt-
as adults for their body rate). Asthma ers blow their hard earned wages on ents into buying them THAT toy “just like of advertising is something that we as
now effects more than one in seven chil- items that are usually useless, frivolous on the telly”. libertarians should resist.
dren in Britain; the number ofyoung chil- and, more often than not, have built-in We are mentally bullied, extorted and That brings me on to another crippling
dren admitted to hospital with it has in- obsolescence just to maximise the fettered by advertising. To the demoral- factor ofadvertising. Despite government
creased 13 times since 1960. It is the amount of profit that can be extracted ised and wary worker advertising creates claims advertising is still quasi-sublimi-
greatest single cause of hospital admis- from the hapless worker. Children are a little piece of paradise that could be his nal, you will often hear people humming
sions after heart disease and strokes. manipulated towards torturing their par- or hers. The blatant cerebral exploitation a snatch of a jingle or coming out with a
Organise! No. 35 July-Sept 1994 11
10 Organise! No. 35 July-Sept 1994
well-known slogan. ‘Some slogans have
Poetry and Revolution
now become sayings in the English lan-
guage! These images, slogans and general
white noise are deliberately ingratiating,
so that we are always thinking about
‘ /l
product X.
It is ironic to see that an artificially-
THE AUTHORITARIAN MENTAL- after Hunt had completed a three year To each in his turn the pavements
created industry, born to serve capital-
ITY has always been suspicious of prison sentence for criticising the future I walk in silence and in a desert
ism’s needs, has now become an industry
poetry. Plato saw poets as subver- King George IV. For ’r’th day the finest streets
in its own right. Advertising agencies now
sive and wanted to ban them from his Two years later (in 1819) armed sol- The fullest ofdin and crowds
sell ads for revenue to their prospective
\o
Republic, while the Nazis murdered diers attacked a peaceful demonstration At mi’nigh’ are only great hallways
clients.
the anarchist poet Eric Miihsam be- in St Peter’s Field, Manchester, killing 1 1 Corridors open to the sky.
cause they were frightened of his people and wounding over 400. Shelley,
Production It
words. inspired by outrage wrote the ‘Mask of I’m th’ Emp’ror of the pavement
11/- Poetry’s subversive edge is usually left Anarchy’. So powerful was Shelley’s poem I’m th’ roamer . . . the mash chewer
The production of ads is another area
out ofthe school curriculum, or forgotten that no-one would publish it until 1832, Th’ stink at nights . . . th’ along the
for concern. TV commercials cost tens of
\\
when anthologies are compiled, although many years after Shelley’s death. Nearly gutters
thousands of pounds individually. On an
some of the earliest British poetry is no- all of Shelleys work is imbued with hope, The out-of-sorts, the long-mug
annual scale the amount of money used
ticeable for its demands for social justice, and he openly celebrates resistance, call- Th’ anguish chewer — the talk to him-
in research, production, distribution and
and for its praise for resistance to tyr- ing on people to “rise like lions”. self . . .
release is nearly into the £1 billion mark.
anny. The attraction that French anarchism
The waste of such money is criminal. The
Chaucer’s contemporary, Langland, held for artists after the Paris Commune There was no romanticisation of the
amount of resources involved in such ads .7\»
e/e. ar”
wrote ‘A Vision of Piers Plowman’, which (1871) was matched by a similar feeling poor in Rictus’ poetry. They are cold, tired
also defies sanity. A good example of this
-Qr" 5" -I .s_. , ‘r'-4.""'"»""."“-";';,¢e' *\ .§. 7%'’‘/‘/5#12?\? in spite of its religiosity vibrates with among writers, particularly avant-garde and hungry. They rebel, but they remain
waste would bejunk mail. Millions oftons . , ?i - “ -- ‘ . 0
faQ , r kl _ -_ _ __ tr 0 2I..,-.?'Z-.;_~1;¢-5t'<25\"\;-{if indignation at the corruption of the rich poets. Vllhen police seized the subscrip- without hope.
of paper are wasted annually on this idi- III _ ti i W1 - -__F —‘ . _ -. I ‘u' _.1 - . 1_‘ O . U_ ‘ '
, ___ an I‘:___gH!_,_ }' v’ .1. ‘- W Q I. .I' Q “O. ‘.. and powerful and their oppression of the tion lists of the anarchist paper La Rictus wrote articles in the Revue An-
otic exercise in futility. _ " -' --_'. ‘ . * 4- » ,1-I _-_ " I. - ’ -Y 0 5 ,4I_II'.'§ad, .II_p I
= ' ., .1 .. .. ; _-4 - - _ - 1 ‘lo
“/%‘s“s"-i\ \- _ .. ‘_ Q 1r l _ Q ’ ffi t I — -11 * ‘ 1 Q 1 '_ peasantry. Langland’s vision was written Revolte in 1894, they found poets like archiste and read his poems out at anar-
“Sex sells” is a familiar saying. In some , o’ 1" 4- 11 s f. - :_ . ,_ _ ,;I t Q § § _* i. I\ _ ‘JQ1
- S. , —r Q
I | av ‘ -Q ' 1. u-I ‘ E0 1 , _ 1- uh. ‘T iin.Q— 5 i at about the time of the Peasants’ Revolt, Mallarmé, Quillard and Richepin in- chist gatherings. He refused to compro-
“less professional” areas of advertising , ' ' - -r I
' ‘ 1
much like Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales cluded in the records. Nearly all the sym- mise or tone down his attack on capital-
. I
sexism is rampant. Ads for various
Q!‘
-— ‘ and Romance of the Rose, but Chaucer bolist poets sympathised with anarchism, ism and died in poverty.
brands of pornography are mentally and ‘ A “One day. son, all this will bejunk mail"
lacks any concern for the poor and dispos- writing poems on anarchist themes, con-
physically degrading to women. Through-
sessed — probably why he is taught on tributing financial support or writing ar-
Resurgence
out the industry as a whole, women come don’t possess a cut throat disposition. In Advertising is a method ofcovering up
the ‘A’ level syllabus and Langland is not. ticles and pamphlets supporting anar-
off worst in terms of employment. It is the throes of executive power struggles one-company domination of the relevant
Langland’s religious background re- chism. Mallarmé even took his support to Britain, like France saw a socialist
estimated that out of the (surprisingly people are often disregarded and thrown market. If a product is owned by one
sults in the absence of any idea of resis- the extent of appearing as a character resurgence at the end ofthe 19th century,
small number of) people who work in ad- upon the economic scrap heap. company and is then advertised under
tance to injustice, but resistance is nota- witness for the anarchist Félix Feneon, but although it was a socialism strongly
vertising (approx. 15,000), half are Ad people have the highest rates of another brand name or trade mark, then
ble in the early ballads of Robin Hood who was charged with possession of ex- flavoured with anarchism, few British po-
women. However, this is a very bottom- stress-related illnesses among the ‘pro- no one gets alarmed at the economic ex-
which celebrate the outlaws resistance to plosives during the so called ‘Trial of the ets became anarchists. One minor poet
heavy pyramid. Women mostly perform fessional’ classes. The ‘competition’ de- pansionism of one group of capitalist
the Norman Yoke. Thirty’. Verlaine wrote short poems about who did was Louisa Sarah Bevington,
the roles of receptionist, accounts clerk, manded by capitalism even treats its profiteers.
Louise Michel, the anarchist organiser, who had written several slim volumes of
tea-lady and secretary. Advancement is lackeys with inhuman disrespect. Adver- We in the ACF are libertarian commu-
Expression who had been imprisoned for her role in poetry before becoming interested in an-
notoriously difficult to attain. In fact ad- tising is said to be a people business. So nists. We oppose the use of mental coer-
the Paris Commune and again for organ- archist ideas. She saw no distinction be-
vancement is impossible to attain if you is cannibalism. cion on any section of the population. In
Because poetry can compress and ex- ising the poor. The American poet living tween being a poet and being a revolu-
an anarchist-communist society we will
press meaning in a way that ordinary in France, Stuart Merrill, claimed that tionary. In the last few years of her life
not live by Puritan standards of comfort,
ll prose cannot, it has frequently been cho- “the symbolist is the anarchist in litera- she wrote widely for the anarchist press,
ll but we will not allow anyone to manipu-
1l sen as the vehicle for spreading radical ture”, and Viele-Griffin wrote of “the lit- in Freedom, Commonweal, and for To-
late people into giving up their basic ne-
ideas and attacking the rich and power- erary anarchy for which we have battled”. chatti’s paper Liberty, to which she also
cessities in favour of false luxuries. How-
ful. The Romantic poets were inspired by For late 19th century French poets, to contributed poems. Working with the
ever, in the present-day, ordinary work-
the early ideals of the French Revolution call themselves anarchist meant to insist London Anarchist Communist Alliance
ing class people, dejected and exploited,
and influenced by the writings ofWilliam on maintaining their individuality as she wrote several pamphlets, which still
find no comfort in simple necessities.
Godwin and Mary Wollstonecroft, two creators, to reject out-dated rules and to retain a relevance to our own time.
They want their flash car, they want their
precursors ofmodern Anarchism. Byron’s affirm the artist as the only judge of his A second minor poet associated with
rich food and they mean to get them even
long satirical poems ‘Vision of Judge- or her own work. This can be seen clearly the late Victorian anarchist movement
if they deny themselves the essential
ment’ and ‘Don Juan’ attacked the degen- in the work of Gustav Kahn, who pio- was the Scot John Barlas, who wrote for
items that they need to survive. Vllhy?
erate monarchy, while some of his short neered free verse and made the urban the Socialist League paper Commonweal.
Because the all-embracing advertising
poems celebrated the resistance of the streets the subject of his poetry in Aes- Barlas took part in the ‘Bloody Sunday’
industry has told them that this is what
Luddites. thetique de la Rue. His political anar- demonstration in Trafalgar Square in
they need. The new car will make them
Byron’s friend, Shelley, was the poet chism was an extension of his literary 1887, where he was badly injured by
attractive, the new outfit suit Will make
most closely associated with Godwin’s radicalism. blows from a policeman’s truncheon. Bar-
their matesjealous and the new lager will
proto-anarchism, and as Paul Foot has One of the most uncompromising an-
make them look ‘yuppie’. It doesn’t mat-
demonstrated in Red Shelley nearly all archist poets was Gabriel Randon, also
ter ifthe car does only 25 miles per gallon,
his poems can be seen as a direct and known as Jehan Rictus (rictus is a death-
or ifthe clothes wear out after six months.
sustained attack on political tyranny and like grimace), whose whole life was one of
It even doesn’t even matter that the
economic exploitation. Shelley was ex- poverty and suffering. Asa 16-year-old
trendy beer costs £2.50 a bottle. The ad
pelled from Oxford University for writing runaway he spent six years of his life as
man has buried himself in the worker’s
a pamphlet on The Necessity ofAtheism. a clochard (tramp) sleeping in the streets
subconscious. No one is immune to this
Shelley’s early poetry includes ‘Queen and in doorways until he collapsed and
manipulative device. Even the politically
Mab’, a long work criticising both Chris- was hospitalised. This self-identification
‘aware’ are just as vulnerable to this
tianity and political tyranny, and ‘Ozy- with the beggars and rogues ofthe middle
brainwashing.
mandias’, a sonnet which provides an ages, his personal experience ofhardship
As libertarians we should do every-
ironic commentary on the vanity and fu- and his extensive knowledge of Parisian
thing to change this materialistic society.
tility of a tyrant’s power. The political argot (slang) inspired him to create a new
One step on that road is to reveal the ad
implications of ‘Ozymandias’ could not be ‘poetry of the people’ and he created a
man’s promises for what they really are:
avoided as the sonnet was first published series of song-poems called ‘Soliliquies of
fool’s gold.
in Leigh Hunt’s Examiner only two years the Poor’.
12 Organise! No. 35 July-Sept 1994
Organise! No. 35 July-Sept 1994 13
oned in a whole series of concentration The Relationship Between
camps and was savagely beaten in all of
-1.‘
Q . them. He was cruelly murdered by his
captors on July 10th 1933.
bl -
‘
‘;l\l, (/W4/J ‘IL ' Many of the French surrealist poets, a
b, 5 ‘ll'€ _, Anarchism and Pop Culture
' P" /“‘li““*’ /"‘\ ‘I 4
including Benjamin Peret and André
/F Breton were involved with the anarchist
/ l// lull‘)-5 ‘LP?’ J “?".,'T ‘la!
movement in the 1950s, contributing a
/ .5-
series of billets surrealistes to the anar-
l j | *\_/” /I ‘\
A v 2' " ~-. chist paper Le Libertaire. Their contem-
porary, Jacques Prevert successfully en-
\ r
AT TI-[E LAST ACF conference we decided to have a permanent section of they would, but their influential anar-
‘ F\ . capsulated anarchist ideas in his haunt-
i )\ -\/5)f._'._. x Organise! dedicated to culture. As we feel this area is open to debate, we chist ideals were firmly entrenched in the
/ ing poems. Prevert was a script writer by
welcome all contributions. Organise! editors. minds of virtually everyone active in the
profession, writing a whole series of
1' W _ ._'___
scene. Punk had provided a soundtrack
screen-plays for the films of Marcel
to Thatcherism and all that went with it:
Carne, among them Les Enfants du IN RESPONSE TO a letter in Organise! To Be The Mother OfA Thousand Dead?’
\...
the 1981 summer riots, the Falklands,
Q Paradis and Les Portes de la Nuit, as well 32, this is a positive step to highlight the ‘Sheepfarming In The Falklands’) showed
--.-r
the Miners’ Strike and the Trafalgar
‘ "ix_“‘-;D‘ as the sadly neglected full-length cartoon importance ofpop culture to the anarchist an ingenuity which went well beyond the
Square Poll Tax rebellion. As the music
.§..\%s3| film The King and Mr Bird. movement, particularly within the punk contrived posturing ofthe 1977 comrades.
I
Qff-l. v itself grew more diverse, with forays into
Prevert’s poetry is sometimes tender, scene. As punk turned to the record company
MI’
K_.-4 ) I ' -I’ safety of ‘new wave’ (a more marketable, ska, reggae, dub, folk and performance
wistful and evocative of gentle melan-
. I
Qs ’
art, so the ideals and aims grew gradually
apolitical version), Crass instigated what
choly, but it can also be mockingly satiri- Punk Politics
Q more sophisticated.
they termed ‘real punk’, with benefits for
cal. In the poems of Paroles (1941) and
-4 Spectacle (1951), he ridicules the con- There is a great deal of scepticism
!
~u- ~ ' P — " P-4 — =—.--—.' ' '**"*iv *-
>\__.\.\; formity and convention of society, attack- about the significance of punk to real
ing the social damage caused by capital- political change, but the massively inspi-
I§‘ ism, while praising the simplejoys oflove, rational work of the Mekons, The Pop
and the colours, sounds and smells of the Group and especially Crass cannot be
rite
- 11!fi“ii:‘T-’_'f5};.T?1-"'="="
streets. overlooked. i"';"‘.-“I-,5-'.' 5'
commitment. His ‘Der Revoluzzer’, writ-
Pen & ink drawing by George Grosz,
Relevant, effective poetry wasn’t just Crass were communards and anar- " .,i1#ls--"'='-'‘_=.--'-.
ten in 1907, became one of the most per-
showing the arrest and interrogation of
Written in the past — it still has a rele- chists who had belonged to the under-
formed chansons of the Weimar period.
Eric Miihsam.
During World War One Mtihsam was vance and effectiveness at the late end of ground scene since the late sixties and
the 20th century. English poet Adrian early seventies and in 1974 were at the
a revolutionary pacifist who refused even
las is usually remembered for firing a
Mitchell helped to provide a focus to op- forefront ofthe first Stonehenge Festival.
to carry out ‘alternative labour service’
pistol shot at the Houses ofParliament as
and was consequently imprisoned for his position to the war in Vietnam with his Consisting of five men and three women,
a gesture ofcontempt. A gesture for which
anti-war stand. On his release at the end poems. Utilising the rhythms of rock and not counting ‘associate member’, poet An-
he was arrested and imprisoned. Oscar
roll in ‘Zapping the Cong’ and the direct nie Anxiety, Crass were initially inspired
of the war he took part in the Munich
Wilde stood bail for Barlas, partly be-
lyrics of‘To VVhom it May Concern’: “I was by the clarion call of the Sex Pistol’s An-
soviet, which was brutally suppressed by
cause of a shared interest in anarchism.
run over by the truth one day . . .”, archy in the UK and the sloganeering
the German State. Miihsam’s anarchist
As a result of his truncheon injuries Bar-
Mitchell worked tirelessly to give a voice leftist rhetoric of The Clash.
colleague Gustav Landauer was mur-
las suffered from repeated bouts of de-
to the anti-war movement. Musically, they had more in common
dered and Miihsam was sentenced to 15
pression and eventually died in a Glas-
A decade later Mitchell was pointing with Irish republican band Stiff Little
years imprisonment.
gow asylum. During his lifetime he wrote
at the insanity of nuclear War in ‘On the Fingers. But their political stance, tack-
While in prison Muhsam wrote a play
several volumes of poetry, some of which
beach at Cambridge’. His poems find tar- ling such thorny issues as feminism
Judas, accounts of his revolutionary ex-
are regularly reprinted.
gets in the alienation of everyday life, (‘Women’), nuclear disarmament
perience in Munich and many songs and
Oscar Wilde is always mocked as a
poems, one of which became extremely attacking the cruelty of the school play- (‘They’ve Got A Bomb’), class divisions ' ' LL; '-
dilettante and jester, but this is the liter-
ground in ‘Back in the Playground Blues’, (‘Time Out’), the hypocritical facade of
popular. Called ‘The Death of a Red
ary establishment’s method of defusing
where he likens the cruelty experienced hippies and yippies (‘General Bacardi’) anarchist and class struggle prisoners, Chumbawamba, a commune-based,
Guard Soldier’ it is based on Mfihsam’s
Wilde’s work. His plays represent a scath-
by children to the beetle which gets its and, most infamously, the Falklands War heavy involvement with CND, squats and working class situationist group, gave
witnessing the death of a young fellow
ing indictment ofthe morals and concerns
legs torn off, but “a beetle can’t beg for (‘The Immortal Death’, ‘How Does It Feel their own Anarchy Centres. By the end of the scene its new mentors, as their ex-
revolutionary during the Munich soviet.
ofthe ruling classes, disguised as comedy,
the decade, comrades like Poison Girls, traordinary albums, usually revolving
mercy, a beetle’s not half the fun”.
It ends with these words spoken by the
but much of his work is more overtly
Conflict and Zounds had arrived and a around a single theme being looked at
The desire for rebellion expressed in
dying revolutionary:
political. The plays are an attack from
24-hour ‘anarcho-punk’ festival was held from different revolutionary perspec-
‘Fuck offFriday’, is linked to his activities
within the ruling class, his later writings
at the famed Zig Zag squat in London. tives, gained critical respect, something
“Even ifyou kill me supporting the miners during the miners’
are from a position of exclusion. De Pro-
Crass never ‘achieved’.
strike and to his opposition to the bomb-
My belief continues to thrive
fundis was Wilde’s justification of his ho-
Universal The Chtunbas excel at producing mu-
ing of Iraq in the Gulf war.
I myself may die, but
mosexuality, but it is couched in strongly
sic in diverse styles, from acapella folk to
A second poet who has been able to
the revolution remains alive. "
political tones. The Soul of Man Under
Eventually, anarchism and animal dance, via polka, thrash and ballads.
give voice to the fears and desires of our
Socialism is an incisive argument for lib-
rights would be universally commonplace Lyrically, they display imagination and
time is Heathcote Williams. Actor, play-
One of the last prisoners to be amnes-
ertarian socialism, but it is the ‘Ballad of
to the punk movement. The USA, Czecho- knowledge regarding aid, communism,
tied in 1924, Miihsam returned to radical wright and sometime editor of the semi-
Reading Gaol’ which is his most inspira-
slovakia, Germany and many other coun- the futility of the vote, a future anarchist
nal underground paper IT (International
activity, editing a paper called FANAL
tional work. A poem based on his experi-
tries all had vibrant punk scenes. Indeed, society, fascism, sexism and animal ex-
Times), Heathcote has written several
(Beacon) and now less bohemian and
ence while in prison, it is a powerful at-
punk was seen as an important revolu- ploitation.
book length poems about the destruction
more political in his approach. Well
tack on the notion of punishment.
tionary stance by the youth ofPrague and
of the environment by cars, the destruc-
known to the Nazis because of his many
The anarchist-communist Eric Muh-
tion of the elephant species, and the de- Berlin who were not fooled by the new Relevant
political and cabaret appearances, his
sam placed culture at the centre of his
capitalist strategies any more than they
struction of Whales. ‘VVhale Nation’, the
new translation of ‘The International’
political activism, fiercely defending free-
had been by ‘communism’. By the arrival ofthe nineties, the word
first and best known of these poems was
and his writings which included a popu-
dom ofthe individual from encroachment
Berlin in particular saw a large com- punk could now be applied to a massive
originally published in IT. The response
lar play For Reasons Of State, based on
by right and left. His socialism was anti-
munity of anarcho-punk (and socialist range of bands and individuals and had
it triggered, particularly among young
the Sacco and Vanzetti trial, Mijhsam
statist and he was a tireless campaigner
skinhead) youths living out their anar- an obvious relevance to the rise of New
people, provides convincing evidence that
became one of their first victims.
for sexual emancipation and for prison
chist principles within a squatted ‘no- Age travellers and Riot Grrrls. The grrrl
anarchist ideas are in harmony with
On the night of the Reichstag fire,
abolition.
man’s-land’ in 1991, fighting the police on scene regularly name-checks anarchism
popular sentiment and that, (to parai
Mijhsam was arrested by the SS just four
M1'ihsam’s main weapon was his razor
the streets to maintain their autonomous and situationism and has committed it-
phrase AWE O’Shaunnessy), poets re-
hours before a planned escape to Prague
sharp verse and he became one ofWeimar
community. Crass may have split in the self (in Britain at least) to a positive,
main the movers and shakers of the
— a flight he had been forced to postpone
Germany’s most acute social critics. His
symbolic year of 1984, as they often said open-minded point of view, which is
world.
because of lack of money. He was impris-
satire provided a focus for his political
Organise! No. 35 July-Sept 1994 15
14 Organise! No. 35 July-Sept 1994
II
of the book, all the more con-
Music Reviews
agree with you about Scargill. Obviously
Dear Organise!, siderable in its incredible clar-
UHUMBAWAMBA
Having attended a debate on the use- running your own mine is better than ity of description. Written in
fulness ofUnions as a revolutionary vehi- being on the dole, but there are many an engaging and often witty
pitfalls. Many cooperatively run work-
cle (featuring the much vaunted Dave Rage Against the Machine. brain-dead people: “Believe style Severely Dealt With is
places because they have to exist within
largely oppositional to what is seen as the Douglass and somefaceless socialist Cassette/CD/LP. Approx 55 all the lies that they’re telling immensely readable and diffi-
. . . . . . .. . .._.‘-;-.-.-.'¢;.r=_',§1,'_.-
domain of middle-class, separatist bores clone) and also following the debate (al- capitalism end up working harder and mins. 10 tracks. £9.99. Epic. ya, buy all the products that cult to put down (I read it in -_l . . - _ ¢';_= -';.'
of mainstream and left-wing feminism. though that might be too mild a word!) exploiting themselves for less wages be- This band makes the Level- they’re selling ya”. National- two sittingsl). It’s a welcome
cause they have to compete against the
Within Riot Grrrl there is an incredible between you and D.D. I thought you lers look like Simon and Gar- ism is lashed with the lyrics: contribution to the body of i__ ea; .1 I infifii
better organised capitalists. Look what
network of young people (obviously might like to peruse this item that comes funkel. Ten stunning and re- “You stand in line, believe the authentic working class his-
=.,-»,==';.._;-_.,->;.._--_;._;.._',,.,;,;=;|_.,1<,-.-4.._--_=_-1,-1---__-.=_=___=. _.--v_=,..-'-=_L_.='-.-4'._'-'.5 -=._.=l_.--,'- .. -.--'
largely female) communicating, interact- from the local free paper. Typically the happened when the Triumph motorcycle ally powerful tracks flowing lies you bow down to the flag, tory that should appeal to po- _ .---.-._‘_-.-.'-;-.-,=;-=-tI=-a_-s- . _,=---.__ --- .-.. ..-.. .
';;-_';.='=_‘,-.4]-".:'--_ =.'.'. '-_..1 '-,;-' -.1:ii= "='¢=1=.=.'>'==='. -' -_=-';=_"";1;'.'-';--.3-' '
ing, sharing thoughts on politics, sexual- superbly one after the other — ya gotta bullet in ya head”. litico and autobiography (not '.'-I=.‘f--.=."-=‘.‘,i-i-.,- -5." .- ' . 1 .'="::=,‘_5:1r_'==_'_';:=_','; _
-=_..*-_q=.:\j45:;-fr‘: - -,-,- '-‘._'-_-_=;_:.'_ =_1-:_'_'==_ -._l;.;-_ -. . '
" -_ '- '
._:;_-_-._'.,=_=-._»__._‘-ir'_e.--_'.'-' -3: .-_=-=_‘".'-;_-1.?"l-..'-..=-_;'_'':='=__._.='.,."=--,''=‘E';"~.-|.= ' '-=-- » - -_ , --. -'=--".-=,"_'.=;-"."“H'-:-!.=".i-"-"..."11.=":? __
ity and lifestyle and pursuing an alterna- as they say on ‘Take the Power Get this record, it’s really to mention political autobiog-
.' -=i‘=“;: .; --.-ts,=~,;_-_ =1._= . - _= ,=E:‘_- . =..--'=.=‘1=.‘r<-==-.'.=~.-= ='.a '__-..'-_',=I’
tive to mainstream society. Back’: “The Rage is relentless something. raphy!) readers equally. _-.~ -_ ...'=.=.=_'._-=¢..‘-._=u"==e..-u.,,-_-=.=,-=.==.==- 2 - . ' - '. -:1=-.==_.--.-'_‘-EI-,'.l1pE'--='-!.=2=-."5-I'=-',v-==i;'.‘=-E‘;.‘,-=5 - ..' '
'“'.-'=.'-_'=.=a==.'-5-.1-111.-_. . . . - -- - -
:1;.->----.l_'-g--.?1_‘1---. ,-.-_,=:--.'.-,_.=_\‘-.'-:- - ,-_,\.--_.
'-m._.__.‘...._-__:.-,1
Some now call themselves ‘anarcho- we need a movement with a The second volume, cover-
fems’ as well as Riot Grrrls, and that quickness”. They are the best Senser, Stacked Up. LP! ing JT Caldwell’s subsequent
surely is an important sign of a serious radical band of the ’90s and a CD/Cass. Approx 63 mins. political development and his
political edge with their American grrrl band for the ’90s already mak- 13 Tracks. (£5.95, although many years of struggle in the
friends also moving towards autonomy ing a major impact amongst probably more if you buy anarchist communist cause, is
vention ofTerrorism Act is ex-
and generally a fuller understanding that the youth of today, sowing the from Over Price etc). eagerly awaited and will be
amined in detail and Parlia-
their struggle is the same as that being seeds for the future. As they At over 60 minutes this al- reviewed, in depth, in the
ment’s role in the use of the
fought by the pro-choice campaigners, the say again on ‘Wake Up’: “How bum has got to be value for pages of Organise! In the
1883 Explosive Substances
environmental groups, the anti-racist or- long, not long, ’cos what you money in anyone’s books. Al- meantime we recommend our
Act is also revealed. This Act
ganisers and, in a lot of cases, the anar- reap is what you sow”. From though I’m not a follower of readers to get hold of a copy
was used to charge the Ma-
chist movement also. ‘Bombtrack’ at the beginning the singles market I’m pretty and to make sure it gets
guire Seven and Dessie Ellis.
the lyrics and the beat are certain that this is a reissue of stocked in their local library.
Various subterfuges by in-
beautiful: “Don’t interfere their previous releases, but to Copies of Severely Dealt With:
MINERS' leader Arthur
numerable prosecution work-
Solidarity Scargill has ‘killed’ an with the thoughts ofa militant those of you who have yet to Growing up in Belfast and
ers are described. One exam-
attempted workers buy-out mind” and “Landlords and sample the Senser sound Glasgow by John Taylor
ple is the comic use of books,
Many are disappointed with the small- of Maltby Colliery. power whores on my people, (where have you been?) this is Caldwell (Northern Herald
South Yorkshire miners had found in Noel Jenkinson’s
minded pettiness, sectarianism and nu- they took turns, dispute the the perfect introduction. From Books) £5.95, can be ordered
intended to bid for the Northern
abode, as substantiating evi-
merous half-hearted phonies masquerad- Group otipits which included Maltby, suits, I ignite and watch ’em the opening track ‘States of from Northern Herald, 6
Selby an Kellingley superpits. dence. The books in question
ing within the anarchist movement and burn”. Then ‘Killing in the Mind’, with its bruising defi- Lilian St, Bradford, W York-
The ambitious plans had been backed
He won’t release cash were by James Connolly, Che
will thus remain Riot Grrrls first with b trade union controlled Unity Bank Name’: “Now you do what they ance of the increasingly op- shire BD4 9LP.
innit, operated by the Co-operative Guevara and Mao Tse Tung so
anarchist sympathies included in their told you” with the response pressive state, through tracks
obviously Jenkinson was a
‘grrrl positive/grrrl bonding’ hypothesis. It “Fuck you I won’t do what you such as ‘The Switch’, ‘What’s
Refused
But Scargill's refusal to back Maltby
terrorist. (He got a life sen-
could teach the rest ofthe movement some miners has wrecked -the buy-out bid. tell me”. And many references going on?’ and the deliciously
by Slulonllocldn 25 years of British
But when NUM president Scargill “The issue is now dead. They have put tence.)
valuable lessons in sincerity and solidar- to brain-dead fascists: “You tense ‘Stubborn’, this album
heard of the proposals he refused to give
our interest to sleep because without
hissupport. Jusfice The police’s treatment of
ity. And it teaches the world of music and assistance from the banks we haven't got justify those who died wearing continues to invigorate the lis-
He be!‘leved th6 PIan-9 were again-Bl we were do‘ and let--the men decide." - - _
suspects is graphic and accu-
popular culture a lot about artistic integ- mfioml P°li¢Y and refused to use union Under sriilgh Coal privatisation plans ‘he £1590" “°°"°“ '°° '°3""‘°" a“ ‘“*°’ your badge and your clothes in tener with its unique fusion of
est," added the official.
funds to privatise the pits. " announced last monthflvmspecfive pur- Trials by Ordeal. Irish rate in the extreme. Tortures
rity and staunch no sellout attitudes. It is the third time an attempted buy- white”, referring to the Ku metal/dance/ambient/rap.
This week a Maltby NUM spokesman chasers have until 25th ay to registeran
. out of Maltby Colliery has failed. Prisoners’ Support Group include: sleep deprivation,
Within all this, there certainly is some said: “He should have listened to what interest. Klux Klan. Lyrical content deals mainly
This book is a publication noise bombardment, and im-
revolutionary potential. ‘Take the Power Back’ crit- with individualism but also
by the Irish Prisoners’ Sup- mobilisation. The book states
icises the education system: tackles such topics as drugs
works was bought up by the workers
workers are yet again stabbed in the back
port Group who are based in that “Almost 800 civil cases
“So-called facts are fraud... (pros and cons), and the BNP.
when it failed. They had to work longer
by the union bosses. If the deal had gone
London. were brought against the Brit-
See right through the red Side four is a bit of a disap-
hours and take home less to keep their
ahead we could have had an end to profi-
Their book is an investiga- ish authorities”.
white and blue disguise, with pointment in comparison with
heads above water, and finally they went
teering bosses of both the management
tion into the British judicial A whole chapter is devoted
lecture I puncture the struc- the first three, but what it
under. Unfortunately, the only long term
and Union type. A coal mine run by the
system’s wrongful conviction to the routine falsification of
ture of lies installed in our lacks in production quality
solution is overthrowing this rotten sys-
workers would not need a Union to nego-
of Irish men and women over evidence and the infamous fo-
minds and attempting to hold and power it more than makes
tem and doing away with the wages sys-
tiate being fucked for the fat cat’s profits,
the last 25 years. rensic evidence tests for nitro-
us back”. They attack apathy: up for in energy. Overall a
tem.
this is precisely why that bastard Scargill
The book details the tor- glycerine. One scientist called
“But death is on my side, sui- stunning album and although
won’t accede to the demands of the lowly
ture meted out to them in Douglas Higgs later admitted
Spunk Press cide . . . if we don’t take action I probably won’t be able to call
workforce.
prison by the authorities and to the May inquiry that he had
now we’ll settle for nothing it my favourite LP of the year,
In discussion with my fellow miners I
the measures taken by the been “economical with the
later” in ‘Settle for Nothing’ I think it will remain one ofmy
keep hearing surprised disbelief at the Spunk Press is an electronic archive of
government to keep them truth”.
followed up in ‘Bullet in the top three for many months to
events that have occurred, but in my anarchist and related material. It in-
there. The book is excellently The book never leaves it-
Head’ with its attacks on come.
mind I’m not really surprised that this cludes work from Kropotkin, Emma Gold-
written. Each case is analysed self open to prosecution as its
bureaucratic fat cat would rather fuck us man, Noam Chomsky etc, magazines
with precision detail. The claims are seeminglywell re-
all off so that he can keep his poxy job such as Here and Now, Practical Anar-
chapters are arranged in such searched. A major endearing
selling us gullible sods down the line. chy, Love and Rage, publications from the
Book Reviews a way as to give a step-by-step factor in the book is that it
I urge any ofyour readers who work in Anarchist Black Cross and much more.
account of arrest, falsification deals with non-Republican
industry to seriously consider extra-un- There are currently 180 items in the ar-
of evidence, torture, trial and prisoners as well as ‘POWs’.
ion activity at the time of strife with the chive, which includes a catalogue. If you
conviction. However there are some criti-
boss class. It’s the only way to beat ’em, have access to a modem and appropriate
The book exposes a wide cisms.
to make ’em fear us and eventually to software, or to a computer linked to the
be familiar with. This volume web of corruption and influ- Firstly the book is preach-
destroy them. I’ve wasted too much time Internet, you can access the Spunk Press
covers his childhood and early ence. The media’s role is ex- ing to the converted. These
Childhood Severities
by having faith in the NUM and by not archive at:
youth spent in Belfast and posed via quoting old head- cases are already well-docu-
having the faith in the ability of us ex-
Severely Dealt With is the Glasgow between 1913 and lines such as ‘Aunt Annie’s mented. Practically everyone
ploited to organise ourselves! gopher: etext. archive. umich. edu:/poli-
first volume ofthe autobiogra- 1927. The book is an outstand- Bomb Kitchen’. The Annie in realises that British justice is
Yours in solidarity, tics/Spunk
phy of John Taylor Caldwell, ing piece of working class question is, of course, Anne in tatters (Irish people have
CM, Maltby, South Yorkshire AnonFTP: etext. archive. umich.
the anarchist communist mili- autobiographical/historical Maguire. Parliament is also always known how British
edu:/pub/politics/Spunk
tant whose biography of Guy writing and, considering the known to be a major factor in justice ‘works’). The British
Editors’ reply: Thanks for your letter. WWW: http://www.cwi.nl/cwi/peo-
Aldred Come Dungeons Dark length of time between the the injustice of the criminal public also realises that the
We are glad that you share our ideas ple/Jack Jansen/spunk/Spunk_Home h
(1988) Organise! readers may events and the actual writmg system The repressive Pre- courts Wlll go to any lengths to
about the unions and we wholeheartedly
II1
16 Organise! N0. 35 Julysept 1994 Organise! No. 35 July-Sept 1994 17
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less Republican politics: “The system, is re-emerging and is vibrant and opti- §.;:;“g:-:-./;:;:-.;I:;';:-...;-g;.-'-';:-.-:;:-._.;:;:-..;:g.-;;:1:'.I_.;:I‘§._.§:g._.-:§‘1:-..-:;.__ §:§:§:;._.;:1.__.§:§:-.__..i:_ '}.j._;:§ _.-.;:;:_'_ _:§:j _.‘:i'%i';:' "j:-" "§:§:t§:§:i ‘:-:-'1:§:["1:§'¥:3:§:?"fi§:!:§:}:i""§:§:§:¥:1:§:§'"3:{:{"'¥:§:§:?"l:§:}:i:3:1:75¢‘?:5:5'3:?5'5'§:3:1:1:?$‘1:3:¢"‘3:5:3'3:¢:3:3:1:3:3'5:5:3:3'3:5:1:¢:5:5:3$:¢:3:3""1:5:i:1:3:i:?:5:5:1:5:3'5'3‘5'3'5‘?3'I'3'5'3‘5'3‘?“3"3‘5‘125.3.
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to all who contributed to Or-
have to be seen to be combat- increasing levels of racism and an ever more Mansions; Nationalism
genuine revolutionary politics, to argue for self-
ganise! this issue: £100 East
ting terrorism, so, as a result, arrogant fascist movement, ever more repres- organisation and against the Leninist van- Alternatively send us a fiver
London; £80 Sheffield; £10
we have ‘miscarriages of jus- sive laws against those who question the values and we’ll send you one of every-
guards, who will attempt to hi-jack any new WANT TO JOIN THE ACF?
Northumberland; £3 Brigh-
thing plus whatever else we find
tlce’. of the system in any way, and the appalling, struggle or movement. We need a national
ton. lying around. '
Having said that the IPSG soul-destroying vacuum in everyday life. Many revolutionary organisation. This cannot come WANT TO FIND OUT MORE?
are not a proclaimed revolu- turn in desperation to booze and dope to dull
about without consistent and untiring propa-
tionary organisation so we the pain. All around is cultural and spiritual ganda and activity. If you share our perspec- Anarchist Communist
should not expect too much desolation, where hypocrisy, cant and a daily I agree with the ACF’s Aims and Principles and I would
tives, then come forward now and join us.
from them. Their campaigning diet of crap are dished up in the papers, on the like to join the organisation Federation
is ofvital importance in letting radio and the idiot-box.
I would like more information about the Anarchist
the judicial system know that
Communist Federation . . .
we have not forgotten their in- Stunned
P The Anarchist Communist North West: Burnley, Liver-
justice. p
p I am particularily interested in the Anarchist Federation is an organisation pool, Manchester, Sheffield,
The book’s role is to educate Many feel stunned and helpless. At the same 4- ""“-—- Communist Federation’s views on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
of class struggle anarchists. Ulveston.
and inform and it does this time the media makes sure with carefully
We have members and groups South East: Brighton, Canter-
admirably. This publication planned reporting about Eastern Europe and
I C I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I in the following areas: bury, London (East, West &
could be compared with any the South that this is the best we can get, so be \
E Name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . North), Twickenham, Woking.
Anarchist Black Cross publi- satisfied with that and don’t complain. Yet I I I I I I I I I O O I I I Q U O I I C Q U I I
ENGLAND South West: Buckfastleigh.
cation. The only major draw- many are becoming angry and politicised by the Address: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
rf -.::- Midlands: Aylesbury, Bir- NORTHERN IRELAND
I I I U I I I I I Q U O I I I I I I I I I I I I
back is the support for Repub- attacks of the system. About 20,000 mobilised
§
mingham, Chesterfield, Portrush
licanism that would discour- recently in a demonstration against the Crimi-
I . I I Q I . D I I I I I I Q I I I I I I I I I O I I I Q I I D O I U O I C I I I I I O I I I
Coventry, Nottingham, Saf- SCOTLAND
an
age many from becoming in- nal Justice Bill, and many of these had never is
Please tick/fill in as appropriate and return to:
fron Walden, Worcester. Aberdeen, Glasgow, Dundee.
\
volved in a justice pressure been involved in action before. A counter-cul-
L.
“"Iu-clun- North East: Blyth, Chester-le- WALES
ACF, PO BOX 4, BUCKFASTLEIGH,DEVON TQ11 OYZ
group. ture, to a lesser or greater extent critical of the
Street, Gateshead, Newcastle. Lampeter, Pontypool.
18 Organise! No. 35 July-Sept 1994
Organise! No. 35 July-Sept 1994 19