Basic Principles
of Anarchism

Common Mvths About Anarchism

Awsrehits sdvacate complete chaes. This i & completc myth with m bavis in
realty.  Amarchists do not advocate chan and anarchy dres not mean chirr:
Simitar stander weed 1 be said showt the ideas of democracy and repablics. In
places where a Monarchy was thought necesary the idea of elecied govemmen
was often eqated with complete cheos. This association i the resultof slander hy
the powerful (the state, corporations, etc.) that contro the medha and is. unfirtu-
tely, mot » suprise. Since anarchists seek 10 avertheowe them i i not surpreine
ha they would slander amarchism with all <orts of sbsurd nensense.

Anarchists belleve in mindless violence. Another common sterevtype it that !
the mad bomh-throwing anarchist whe sdvocates camage and destrxtion for th
sake of it This 1o is a myth. Anarchists do net normally go wmund thrvwing
Pomhs a evervone mor do we consider heating up old fadies a virue 11 i true that
there have been anarchists who have used violence to advance their caue hut this
i true of every political philosophy. Republicans and demescrats have wed much
‘more violence throughout history then anarchists, vt they are never demonised 4~
crazed bomb throwers. Indeed, the state is not anly inherently ialent hu the miost
violent organisation in frman history. 1t uses violence on & systemic level m the
form of police & militaries) and is responsible for mumerms pemcides The <t
it vastly more violent than the mos violent of narchiste

Amarehiets, by deflation, are opposed 1o organisation  The 135t msjonts of
anarchists are not opposed 1o organisation. What anarchretsare opposed 0 i her-
schical organistion - onganisations in which ome growp of penpie telsthe nther
members what 1o do. Instead anarchists sdvocate onpanisation sithout auth .
where all members have an cqualsay in group decisions

What Anarchism Really Stands For

Anaichy comes from the Greek and lierally means “0o rulers.” Anaichisis e
snir-authoritarians who scck to abolish docinaion. 1 is important 0 diferentiaic
betweea different two types of auhority: legitimae (or raional) autbority and ille-
tmate (or imational) authority. I other words, there's a iffereace between being
an suthonty and having autharity. Being an authority means that 3 person is Fecog-
17cd a5 competcni for any paricular task based on her o his knowledge and indi-
widual skills. I 1 socially acknowledged expertse. Legitimale authoriies are
cxperts who are partcularty knowledgcable, skiful or wise in any particular area.
1 may be 1 vur best nterests o follow their recommendations, but they have 5o

power 1o furce us W do 30, nor should they. Legitimate authority is this kind of
authoniy. the authority of an expert.

Having authoriy is a social elatsonship based on status and powes denved rom
4 hrarchical position within a group. I means dividing society/the group iso the
onder givess and e onder akers. The onler iver, the authoritics, el the order tak-
crs what 10 do e they maust obey. Thu s illcgitimate authorir. A boss, for exam-
Dlc. 15 an illcglimate authority because cmployecs must obey his onders. Whea
somethung is described as *suthorarin” it usualy means that it wses illegiimate
suthoriy.

Hierachy is esseatially nstindionalised autbony. 1t is # pyramidal snucaused
wganisation consisting of a seres of grades, ranks or offices of increasing power,
presige, andior remuncration. Those with kower ranks mast obey those with high-
cr ranks. Hicrarchies maintaia coatsol by cocreion - the Wreal of REgAtive 1anctions
1physical, ccanomic, social, ec.) against thase who doa't obey. Hicrarchical orgas-
ations are, by definition, organisations tha ars run by elies. Thoss oa the op, <
e, have more powes then thote o the boriom. Hierarchical aubharity s the
authority tha s inheread in any hierarchy. Thisis the same thing a illcgitimaie (or
raional) authonty - that i, relaions of command and obedicace. Another same
o this s domination.

Anarchism is exireme scepicism of autbority. The basic idea 1 1 abolish dom-
inatun in favour of a society based on voluniary co-operaiion.  As the anarchist
Noam Chomeky said:

1 think it only makes sense o scek oul and ideaify structures of authoriy,
Wicrarchy, and domisation is cvery aspect of lfe, and 1o challcngs them;
unlcss » justiication for them can b given, they are illegitimaie, snd should
be dismantiod, 0 increase the scope of human froedom. That includes polit-
ical powez, ownership and management. felaions among men and womea,
most of the domestic and intermational cconamy, and 50 on. Bt ot unly
these. That is what | have ahways undersiood to be the essence of snarchism
the conviction thatthe burden of proof has to he placed n authurity, and that
it should be dismantied if that burden camwot be met. Sometimes the burden
‘can be met. [(T'm taking a walk with my grandchildren and they dan cut nto
 busy srec, [ will use notonly suthoriy but also phy sical coercion o siop
them. The act should be challenged, bus | think i can readily meet the chal.
lenge. And there are other cases;life is  complex affar, we understand very

legitimate authority” (expertise) i also unjustficd, ht st do . Vnles 4 gound
Jusifcation can be grven for eny form of authoriy t shoold be abolihed. I e
case of hierarchical authority smarchist believe ther is no valid justification for i

What Anarchists Oppase

Iierarchy: As cxpluned above, anarchists are opposed 1o dominaiion. Relations
f command and obedience are not oaly unnccessary but also inhereatly detrime-
1l 1o humanity. Everyone should have control of their own life insiead of being.
hsed around by others.

 apitakism: Capialism 13 an cconomic 5y iem bascd upon wage labour. Under
Lapualism 2 small group of pevple. the capualist class, owns the means of peodc-

‘o not sell their labour they will starve because they do not have access o the means.
1 production - the capitalist class monopolizes them. The ownership of the means.
1 production b the capitalists docs nat have o be direct bt can be theough s
urganisaion they conil,such s corporations. Anarchits e also opposed 10 all
ther chass ysicms but foces on capialsm because i i he domiaaat ecomomic 375~
1em today. Class is economic hierarchy. (Nher clas systems inchade feudlism,
<oviet-style “socialism* (which many anarchists consider 10 be a form of stale-cap-
ulivn) and slavery.

The State: Sociologists define the sute (als called government) as an organisation
with a monopoly (o near monopoly) oa the legiimate use of violence. 1 isa.
ralised rule making body with 3 pyramidal, bierarchical suructure that wses s
menapoly of force W boss arouad al those within is tesritory. | mainiains various
armed boies of people (police, military) and coercive insituions (courts, prisoas)
with which it cocrees the population inio obeying its dictaies. Because of its hics-
archical structure and monopoly of frce the state always acis 10 caforce the rule of
small chte. It exists not 1 “caforce order” or anyihing like that but o enforce the.
will of the ruling class. Anarchists are opposed 10 al siaies,including:

Representative "Demacracy”: Elecied goverameats arc run by and for &
small clite, jus ike all oher staes. Elecicd represcaiaives ae 0ot icd ia
any substantial way to particulas policics,regardiess of th pecfercaces o the
clectoraie. Ondinary people have mo real conirol over the decisioas of the
politcians - once clected they can make what cver decsions they want
regardiess of what most peopie wani. Represeatatives e scparaied from the
‘population but exposcd 1o powerful pressure groups including saic burcaur-
cracies,corporatons, obbyists and paliical paty power brokers.
“Socialist” States: Atlempts 1o overthrow the capialst clavs and implement
 socilist “workers stae” inevitably leads 10 the replacement of the old rul-
g class with  new, burcaucratc uling class that exploits the workng clasy
yust 23 the old ruling class did. There is no cflcctive way for the working
class 258 whole 10 control th state. It has a monopoly of force and will s
ply use that monopoly 1o establish tsel a5 a new ruling class. Decision-
making powet lies withthe leaders, ot with the masses of ordinary workers.
When the polithuro or parliament or council of people’s commissars o other
eaders are making the decisions the workers are ot

Patriarchy: Pararchy i male dominatiun - 2 sxial relaion in which men et
power over women; gender hierarchy. In sy socity men and women ae expect-
10 behave n certain ways and i they do mot they are subjected o varws orms
of coercion ranging trom being made fun of, 1o violence, to exile. How & man ur
‘woman s expected 1o behave in » given suciety is called their gender, Thi s dil-
ferent from sex, which refes 1o the biological characeristcs tha disinguish mals
from female. Gender varies grealy from society to society. U'nder patianchy gen-
der s consracted 30 that, on verage, men have mare power than women. The
resuls of this are quite negative - in addition to dimimishing women's freedom i
a1 results in sexual harassment, reduced opportunities for women, rape and van-
ous other forms of sexualviolence. Anarchiss advocale equaliy ofthe sexes

Heterspesiom: Heterosexsm is a natual outcome of the form of panarchy that
xists i the west and many othr parts of the world. Gender in most modern pati-
archical societes s constructed 3o that heterosexual behaviour is the nurm
Homosexuals deviat from how men and somen are expeced o behat ¢ and s arc
subjecied 1o various forms of coerion 2.3 resut. There is thar 4 hierarchy hetween
hetero and homosextuals. Anarchists ar opposed to any sortof uppressun on the
basis of one’ sexualin,

White Sopremacy: Race is 2 social consiruction. It divides  populaion e 4
hierarchical set of “races” with those on fop - the while race - having priileges and
power over those in other “lower” races. Race is hereditary. 1'sually pevple are
ssvigned 1o thei race based on some meaningless characterstic, suxh a¢ skin Colour
Race is ot at all biological butis  pure social consiruction. Lowking at diflrent
societies that have different constructions of race easily prves this.  What
Americans cal blacks are actally broken into several different races i most Latin
American countries (blacks, mulatios, etc). I the US; Irish. Ialians and Fast
Furopeans were considered non-white 3 hundred years ago bt today ae consured
whites In Rwanda two proups most “white” penple would comider barb. Tutue
7

nd futsis, are regarded as two diflcreat races. Whie supremacy first arose with

Ihe Addantic Slave Trade as a way of justifying i and of spliting the working class
o nsure that pooe whites did ot ally with rebellious blacks.

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Imperialism: Imperialism s a social relaionship in which the ruless of onc coun-
ry dominate the population of another couniry of lemitory. Al peescal the United
Mates i the main imperialst pation, dominating mos! other couniics in the workd

Past ympenalist powers have included the Soviet Unioa, Rome, Germany, England
and the Adiees

Basic Principles of Anarchism

Asth-Autboritariaaisem: Anarchists are exiremely sceplical sbout he nced for any
Aind of authorty Al minimum all anarchiss believe tha hiczarchy shoud be abol-
hed snd some take ths furthes and oppose other forms of autboriy. Lasicad of
icara by, everyone should have conirul over theis own life aad an cqual say in
sroup decisions

Free Association: Everyonc shoukd be allowed o associale frcely wih those they
<house and o disassociale themself whea they choose. Indviduals should pot be

fonced inko suctal relations against thesr will Society sbould be based upos free
agreemen, rather than coercion.

‘Mutual Aid: Instead of attempting to dominate each other, social relations should
be hased on solidurity and voluntary co-operation. Whea individuals come logeth-

e o hélp cach other they cau accomplish more than when they work against each
ather.

Freedom: Frecdom means the abilty 1o coatrol oac's own lif instead of being con-
rolled by others, as s the case with hicraschy. This is sometimes called liberty or

autonomy. Controlling uther people's lives is nut freedom but a resiriction of frec-
dom.

Self-Management: In groups dexisions should be mad in a manncr 10 that cvery-
one hat an equal say. People should govem themscives, rather than dividing peo-
ple inkes some who give orders and some who obey a in hierarchical organisations
4

Radical Egaltariauism: Anarchist believe in an egaltarian saciery. This does it
mean some totalitarian society where everyone is identical or lives wentical fives.
It does not mean denying individual diversy or uniqueness. Rather anarchists
believe in equality of both wealth and power - 8 natural convequence of the abol-
tion of hierarchy.

Femlnlem: Anarchists favour social, economc and political equality for men and
women. The domination of men uver women should be shulshed and all peaple
iven control o their own fives

‘What An Anarchist Society Would Look Like

‘Thers have been many different visions of what an snarchistsociety would ook
like. Any vision that sbofishes the things anarchists are opposed to and is consis-
tent with the earlier stued principles of anarchism is compatible with anarchy
‘There are, however, many institutions that have been proposed by anarchists 0 run
2 non-hierarchical socicty. Most of these are not based on idle speculation but by

ooking at how actually existing anarchist socities have worked. Some of theth
are:

Popelar Assemblies: Also called gencral asscmblics or mass avsemblics In any
organiation people can come mgether 1o meet and discuss whatexer common prub-
Tems or activiles they face. AL these assemblies everyone should have an equal
opportunity 1o participate in both the discuioncbate nd the final decisions.
These can be formed in workplaces where they would take over the runming of all
9

workplaues. Worker ssscmblics would then meet regularly o plaa production,
divide up the tasks that need Lo be accomplished, cic. They can be formed in cach
ncighbourhoud in onder o deal with whaicver particula isues confrost tha neigh-
buurhoud and organise o deal wih them. These are based 0a fres assocition 10
Whencver 2 group of people wans 1 get logethcr 1 accomplish some goal they can
sumply form a general asseambly 1o organise it Free assocution also means that a0
ine would have Lo participade i an assembly it they did not wask 0. Such assem-
bles wan be formed to organise around anything - not caly around workplace sad
nerghbuurhond issucs bul potentially als univcrsitie, clubs, space cxploratioa, eic.
Worker assemhlics, nerghhourhocsd asscmblies, univerniy asscmblies, community

asccmblics amdthe like van all be formed o run society withous hierarchy, based on
Al management,

ouncls: The diflcrent assemblies can co-ondinale thit actvitcs trough the use.
Wl a counil system. This is done by cach assembly assigning a conlact personls)
(sumetimes called a spoke of delegae) 1 meet with Olher Contact people from odhes
avscmiblics which they wand 1o co-ordinai things with. The mecting of ontact peo-
bl 5 called a council or spokescouncil. Posiion of contact person should rotae
Iroquently. Fach contact person is mardaied, meaning that they are instrucied by
the asscmbly thal they come (rom on bow to deal with any issue. The contact peo-
bl would be given binding instructions, commilting them 10 a tramework of pali-
ies, developed by theur asscambly, within which they would have 1o act. 1f at sy
e they s wlte theis mandale their assermbly would instantly recall them and theic
deciswas revoked. Decision-making power siays in the assemblics; contact people
“imply convey and implement thuse positions. Contact people do aot have say
authuriy or special pavileges. Councils ae organised from the,botiom up, with
<ontrol stayiag in the asscmblics. They arc not hieraschical organisatioas but s~
ply corordinaie the activiies of the asscmblics without authority. lastead of hierar-
<hy there are decentralised confederaions and networks. This differs from repec-
sentativ instiulions in tha decision-making power stays in the assemblics where-
35 represcntaives can make whalcver decisions they want and have aulhority over
others These councils can be formed 1o co-ordinale the activitcs of ssscmblics o0
whatcserlevel necded. Worker counils can co-ordinale the actvitiesof the work-
et avsemblics. neighbuurhood councils can cr-ordinate the acivities of diffsent
neghbourhuod assemblies, eic. They can also do this o & regional scal - forming.
regional worker councils, e - and those regional confederations caa use the same
method 10 co-ordinaic with cach other. In all cases decision making power says
ith the assemblies upon which the councls are based - the assemblics would be
the core of any organisation.
Decision Making Processes

‘Any decision making process in which everyone has control uver ther owe hic
7 all members have an eqal ey, rather than dividing people into onder givers an
orde takers, i theoretically compatible with anarchism. Afthough there are many
different ways in which this can be done, there ar fwo main methods of non-hrer-
archical decision making which ae advocated hy most anarchist:

Comsensus: In consensus cveryone in the group mus agree 10 3 decision hefore 11
‘can be put into action. All contributions are valued and participation is encouraged
Any member can block consemsus, stopping  decivion they stmagly obect
Members may also *stand aside,” allowing 2 decision they dn not like 1o he mad:
‘without blocking or supporting it

Direct Demecracy: Decisions would be made by directly voting on the optons -
the option with 8 majority of votes is implemented. Anarchists who advucate dire
‘democracy do not belicve in a mechanical process whereby the maiority just vetes.
away the minority and ignores them. 1 is intended tn b a dynamic discussinn
process where different people fisten 10 each other and exchange ideas Direct
Democracy s combined with free associstion as well - meaning that amone who is
out-voted does not sbsolutely have tn abide by the decision They can simply leave
the group.

These decision making procestes would be used in the popular sveemblies.
‘councils, ez, There are many vaniations on them and it is also possible 1o synthe-
size consensus and direct democracy. Some groups could use direct democracy but
require the majorfy be of 8 cerain size (such as 21rds or Vdthe) insiead of 8 sim-

ple majority. Another variation is 0 attempt to achieve the largest matority pocs
ble.

Economics

There have: been many different economic sysiems envisioned by ansrhict
‘These different visions are not necessarily incompatible with each cther and coul!
probably co-exist within the same society. The main ones are:

Mutusiisw: In mutualism people would be either self-employed or partof a

worker-controlled co-operative (individual co-operatives would be run by worke!
‘asvemblies s described above). They would produce goods and trade them on o
market. Although mutualism wses makets 1o co-ordinate production it i ot capi-
talist because wage Iabour would be sholished. No one would sell ther labour 1
thers bt woubd instead work i co-nperatives ur for themsclves.

Collectivism: In Collectiviom markets woukd be abolished. Instead of using mar-
ket 10 co-ordinaie production they woukd set up workes councils, a8 described
shuve. to co-ordinaic production. Each workplace would be run by if's own work-
cr asscmbly and cach asvembly would federaie with other workplace assemblics in
the arca, forming 2 hcal workers counci. The workers cooacils would federate
‘with cach ot (forming, more councils as necded on many levels. Money would
e kept and peoplc paid on the basis of how much they work. Most collectivits
helieve that collectivism would cventually evolve inlo a git ccomormy.

Participatery Economics (sho called Parecva: This s suilar to collectiism;
the iggest diflreme s that there are consumer assemblics in addition to worker
assemblics. The umerlying values Parecon secks to implement are equity, solidar-
i, diversity, and partcipatory self-management The main institsions o stain
these ends are council self-mamagemen, balanced job complexes, remuneration
acconding 1o effon and sacrifice, and participaory planming, Conmumers snd work-
ers directly democratically and co-operatrvely negotiate their production snd con-
Sumption on an mdivdual besis and via worker and consumer councils and feders-
tioms of councits. Balanced job complexcs share qualty of work and empowering
work cqutably throughout the workplace an the entire cconomy.  Workers are
remuncrated for¢flort and sacrifce, 5o intandem with balanced job complexes con-

<umption bundles are roughly equal, with minor discrepancies duc 1 people’s cho-
en working hours and intensity

i Economy: Also called anarcho-communism or lbertarian communism. A gift
conomy would abolsh moncy and trading all together. Production and disribution
would be done purely on the basis of need through 8 confederation of fres com-
muncs. The ccomemy woukl be organiscd along the lines of “from each acconding
o ahility. t0 cach mcording to necd* The *communism” in saarcho-communism
s othing o do with the couniries that some wrongly call “Commanist” (USSR
China, etc.). None of those cowntries actually claimed 10 be communist they
laimed t be in 8 transition to communism. Anarcho-comrmunists opposed these:
dictatorships from the very beginning and have partcipated in many rebellions
against them. Aarcho-commanists would do wway with money, cental planming
nd the state - il of which were present inthe USSR, China, etz

Primitivism: Primitivists would abolish industry, civilization and most forms of
technology. Instead anarcho-primitvists advocate 8 low-tech green society. This

‘woull be cither an agrarian or hunter-gatherer saciety. Primitivists are slit o the
question of agnicullure: some want w o away with i all logether and others would
kecp some forms of primitive agriculture.

How Might An Anarchist Society Be Created

Self-Liberatioa: Anarchists belicve in self-Wberation. The liberaon of the
‘oppressed can only come aboust thivugh the actwas of the oppresscd themsclves
either individually or collcctively) Those on the botiom of society have 1o rebel
‘againsi those on he top an refusc 10 obey them People cannot be forced 1o be fiee

Anarchy cannot be created by some vanguard seizing power but only by the self-
liberation of the oppressed.

Direct Acten: Dirct acion means that instead of elying on someone el 10 act
for you (sach as a polician) act for yourself. It is any action which peuple thea-
selves docide upon and erganise themselves thai is based on their own collective
strengih and does not rely on getling intermeodintes 10 act for them. Examples of
direct ction include srkes, boycos, sabotage, insurrections and civil disobeli-
‘ence. Disec action can ko b libatory because it puts power i the hands of odi-

nary people; instcad of relying on someoa else 10 do something - we o i our-
selves.

Buikding the New Seciety within the Shel of the OM: The means you use will
reatly affctthe cads you get. As such anarchiss organise along the same princi-
ples in which we advocate organiing socicty: son-hicrarchically. For this reason
marchist organisations are ofica besed around peacral asscmblics and spokescoun-
cils. Mamy aaaechists sethe initia Gamework of anaschy being creaed within the
old sociery, before capitalsm and the siate are abolished. Popular organs of seli-
management would be form before the overthrow of the old seiety. This

includes nerghhvurhuod assemblies, workers’ councils, syndicalst unions and the
ke Thece non-hwerarchical organisations would fight sgainst the imstinsions of the

old sovicty (govemment, capitalivm, patriarchy, etc ) and 2% the old socrety i
destruyed they. take wer the running of socicty.

Different Kinds of Anarchists

dicalists focus vn unuons and the labour movement. The divisions between the var-

ious kinds of anarchiss uverlap and are not absolute. Most different inds of anar-
chists are willing 10 o-exist and work together.

Evelution vs. Revolution: The mayority of anarchists are revobutionarics who
believe that an anarchist society will come about 2 the resul of  scial revolution.
The govermment would be overthrown and abolished, the means of production
expropristed and placed under self-management and a rapid transition to anarchy
made. (Rthers helieve in 2n evolusionary approach - that anarchy will come sbout
58 result of a lengthy, centries-long evolution

Religion and Philesaphy: Anarchists come from many differ-
ent refigions snd philobophical back grounds - from atheis-
tic materialism o postmodemism o cgoism to Taoism

1o Christanity and cverything in between. Although

most anarchists are adheista/agnostics there ae -

giows wnarchists including Pagans, Chistians,
Muslins and Jews. Any relgion or philosophy is
oreticall compatibl with anarchism %0 long s it does not

3

advocate things (such as » goubking) thal contradict the basi. 1des e

Anarchy In Action

Everyday Life: There are many exampls of anarchist priaciples in real ik, Some
of them come from the duly lives of ordinary people fiving in comicrporary ier-
archical scieics. One cxampl is *a group of friends going o 3 Camping Ip.
They plan thir i, and cach person bings useful skills and ol o share. They
work together 1o sct up tcas, fish, cook. clean up, with 50 anc in 3 position of
authonity over snyone else. The group organises iself, choves are done, and every-
onc passcs the timc a3 they plcase, alonc o in groups with others Peuple discuss
their concers and possible solutions are proposed. No e s hound 1o go sng
with the group, but choosing 1 spead ime together implics a willingness 1 ¥ least
y 10 work oul consiructive soluions o the problems and fictions tha will
incvitably arise. If no resolution is possible, the dissenting individuals can form
ancther growping o leave widhou fea of persccution by the ret of the group 2
Sianilar noa-bierachical forms of organisatin happen al the time ¢ve in the most
wuharitarion o societica. Theyve informal and smal scale bt it is an exampie of

‘anarchy ia action. In an anarchist socicty noa-hicrarchical forms of organisation
would be the dominant form of organisation.

Priositiviet Secieties: There have bezn many cxamples of anarchist
throughout hitory; most of them have been agrarian o huaicr-gatherer socielics.
The immense majority of buman hisiory was lived in pismitive anarchy The human
Face has been avound betwoen 50,000 and 500,000 years (depening on haw you
define humam and what csimaics you usc). The first sates came around sbout
7,000 years ago in Mesopotamia. For  loag time aferstaics and classes were cre-
ated they wese lmited 0 certain pare of the workd while much of the globe lived 1
anarchy. 1t s oely in the last couple of centuries that slakes came (o rul the entire
‘workd, primarily 28 a resul of conquest. Although far from perlcat. most primitivist
socictics were mot the: Hobbesian hellboles they ar ofcn patrayd as (s Sions
‘Age Economics by Marshall Sablins or Affican Anaschism by Sam Mbah s | E
Igmiwey). Well known indigenous saarcho-prumisivist societies 1nclude the IKung
and the Igbo (prior 1o wesiem imperiaism).

Ukrainian Revelution: In carly 1913 the ncw Bolshevik govemment of Russia
made peace with Giermany and agreed o give up the Ukainc, formery partof the

Rus 110 Empure, to Germany. The inhabitants of the Ukraine had litle 2y 1n ths
nd were opposed 1o i, A rebellion against German rule ervpted which tumed i
an anarchist revohwion. The revolation was rooted primarily smong peasants
shthough it included cites at it height. Village assemblies e commmancs were
formed throughout much of the Ukraine. When-t incladed cites, actories were
taken over b the workers. They formed decentralised democrasic miltias, which
fought gucrilla warfare against mumerous staist arsies that invaded the Ubraine
during this ime period. The Anarcho-Communist Nestor Makhyo played a major
role i organising these militias. They sccessflly defeated the Germans,

10 conquer the |kraine and implemen  eign of terror

Spanish Revelution: On July 19, 1936 General Francisco Franco leunched a
Fascist coup again the Spanish Republi. In response the CNT, wm amarcho-sy.
dicalist uon, and the UGT, & union afliiaied with the Spanish Socialst Party

VA Anarchivm and the Spanish Revelution
3 The Webin: below ks b of docements ad photos produced

15

mumsm, There were akio clements of mussalism unplemenicd 1a some placts
Decentralised miltias were formed 1 fight agaiost the Fascisis. Al three years
of cavil war the fascasts won. The viciory of tascism was duc no oaly ko theit supe-
rior anms and assistance from Hitler & Mussolini bul also sirategic eors made by
he anarcho-syndicaliss and backstabbing by Marxist and Republican “allics” in the
fight against tascism.

Common Questions and Objections

‘What Would You Replace The State With?
Nothing. Wauld you replace a tumor?

What About Humaa Noture

1f humam antur is b them hicrarchy shuuld be abolishel becausc thuse on the wp.
willincritably abus their powes. 1t buan aatur is good thes there is o need ot
hicrarchy because people will do good things without being duminaied by others.
Either way, we should have narchy. 1f people are 100 evil 0 rule themscives then
they are far 100 ovil 10 e other people. The immense majority of human hitory
has beca lived i Busie-gatherer sacitics, a form of primitivist anarchy. [{ human
maiwe favours any pasticular social system it favours unicr-gatherer anaichy
‘because that is what the majority of human hisiory hes becn lived in. Given the
immense diverity of social systcms humans have created over the cons i is ualike-

1y that human nature, if it even cxists, plays a great ol in determining social s~
e

‘What Woald Happes To Former Politicians and Capitalists
Individuad poicians mnd members of the capitalis class from the i socicty would
be allowed o bezome par of the ncw society as equals. They woul lose all their
former powers and privileges and live alongside everyone clac a5 equals. Those.
who do ot wani 4 ar fre 0 become hermits orleave. Anyooe who docs not waa
1o panicipate in the various collective organisations would be Ires 1 leave and
would be given acces 1o a portion of the meaas of production 5o that they could
support themaeives oo their own. During the Spanish Revolution if you dida'l want
10jointhe callective you were given some land but only as much as you would work
yourself. You were ot allowed 1o cmploy”3 wage-labourers They could alcrapt
10 564 up alicrnaive systems 30 lomg 2 they are compiciely vohuntary. They could
aticmpi o re-csiablish capialism (or some other form of oppressiun) s0 long a5 it
1

‘was completely non-violent and voluntary but domg <o would be extremely diff-
cult hecause few people would vohudeet 1 be poor and work in their sweatshops.
Few people will voluntect 1o be oppressed, especially in an snarchis society whese.
hicrarchy would be viewed quite negatively. Ré-cstablishing some form of domi-
nation through purcly voluntary and nom-violent means would therefore be almont
mpossible.

How Could An Anarchist Seciety Defend Itelf From Forviga Aggression and
Statist Armies?

The same tactics used 1o averthrow hierarchy, direct action, coukd he used against
counter-revlutionary armies.  This includes, bu is not limited to, civil disnbedi-
ence. strkes. imsurrections, stree fighting. ei. Ifnecessary the population could be.
‘armed and a Jecentralised network of democratic miltias formed to wage guerrilla
Warfare aganst the statst furces This can be done agans both loreign im aders (1
me par o the workd 13 in anarchy and the wther is authontanan) and against dome'-

i comter.rex olutionanes who atiempt to use violence o force everyone back nto
an authontanan seciery

How Woukd Ausrchists Deal With sath-Social Crimes?

(Crime isthe result of hierarchy; the abolition of hicrarchy will ause it disappear.
95% of urme 15 cased by patriarchy, private property and capialism (sicaling,
€tc): it holition wil result in the end of 95% of crime. What ltle is left over
could be betier dealt with hy the commanity than by any police force. Many his-
tovical pre-capitalist societies had litte or mo crime; 8 few weeks afir the Spanish
Revohution began, crime phammetcd. The state has proven completely incapable of
combating crime - it has been trying 1o prevent crime for years et has bec 8 com-
plete failure. AL best it merely punishes people afer the fact. *Prisons fal to
improve o rform snyone. Local people svare of each otherscircumstances would
e able 10 2pply more suitable solutions, in keeping with the needs of th victim and
the offender The present penal system, om the other hand, crests criminal behav-
four. Long-term prisoners are often rendered incapable of surviving outside an
nstitution that makes alltheir decisions for them. How is locking people up with
‘others of n anti-social tum of mind .. suppesed to develop responsbilty and rea-
snmable behaviour? Of course t docs just the oppesite. The majority of prisoners
re-offend "4 The state and capitalism are far wors then cime; they kll and rob o
2 scae far greater than any ordinary criminal. Under the present sy stem pefty crim.-
inals £0 0 prison bu the big criminal run the county.

But We Need Co-srdinstion sad Administration
s postible 10 co-ordinate activities without hicrarchy Any group of people can
"

6t geher and bold & general assembly where they can divude up the Lasks they
e 10 du s decide who will do what. 1 nccdesd they can 23357 one of more peo-
ple 10 act as co-ondinstors. Sach co-ordinaiors would simply wmplement the plans.
develope. by the gemeral assembly and wold have 5o auhority themseives. Inthe
Uksainian and Spanish Revotions when workers took over (actorics, the worker
assemblies olien created faciory commitices that performe adminisirative and co-
‘ordination tasks. Decision-making power stayed with the worker assemblics, the
factory commitiecs sisply implemenicd whal the workers decided in thei assem-

blics. Co-ordination between multipl assemblics can be donc through the council
sysem.

Notes

1 *Chomsky o Anarchism, Marxism and Hope fo the Fuure®. Interview wn Red
& Rlack Magaine 1995 by 1/flag blackened netrevelthrinoamebe2 him!

2. “Comsent or Coercion” by Affianty Group of Evolutionary Anarchists

3. “The Spanish Civil War: Anarchism In Action” by Eddie Conlon, Chapter 2

W trugle ws/sparmipam intro.hml or downloadable. from, the 7ah et
website

4 “Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Anarchy” by Anarchist Media
Group. €antiff 17K ) htp-"waew spunk. orgext/intro'p¥0145 him

Websites For More Reading:

. s snrchesn s g o

hup Nl Mackened net hrp: info<hop org

e kened et M- sarcheemaicaiom g
ity s anar b archives org i e spun .

hip ek motualit et hep e il "

hitp /v parecon org hitp iquestion-ex erything mahost orr
P www primitism.com hittp 'www 7ahalaza net zahahenks

Farther Reading.

Introductions:

Anarchy: A Graphic Guide by Clifford Harper
ARC of Anarchism by Alexander Rerkman
Anaechism by Daniel Guerin

Theory:
Anarchy in Action by Colin Ward

Quiet Rumors eded by Dukstar

Anarchism and the Black Revolution by 1 orenzo Kombe ¥ v
What is Property ' by Joseph Proudhon

Rakumn on Anarchism edited by Sam Delpoll

Conquest of Bread by Pete Kropetkin

Mutual Aid by Peter Kropotkin

Anarchism and (ther Essays by Fmma Grldman

Red Emma Speaks edited by Alix Shulman
Anarcho-Syndicalism by Rudolph Rocker

Nationalism and ( ulture by Rudolph Rocker

Eeology of Freedom by Murray Bookchin

Post-Scarcity Anarchism by Murray Rockchin
'Mamufactring Consent by Noam Chomsky
What Lace Sum Keally Wanis by Noam CLomaky
Propaganda by Juques Elll

Pliucs of Indvidualism by L. Sussa Brown
Insicad of a Bouk by Benjamin Tucker

The Ego and ifs Own by Max Stimes

Ma A Radivl Critiue by Alan Cater

Ageias the Megabachine by David Watson
Wb o1 Power by Starhawh.

itorical:
“Thied Revolution by Murray Buokchin

A Peoples History of the Unded Staes by Howard Zion
The Greas Frenh Revolution by Peier Kropotkia

Against His-siory, Against Leviathan! by Fredy Periman
The Cubaa Revolution by Sam Dolgoff

Livia My Lilc by Emma Goldman

Anarchism ia the Chincas Revolution by Anif Dirlik
‘Spanush Revolution: Spanish Civil War by Antony Becvor
Homage T Catadunia by Gcorge ewell

Anschist Colleives ediied by Sum Dulgoll

N1 1n the Spanish Revolution by Jose Perats
Anrchusts n the Spanish Civil War by Robert Alcxander
Free Wamen ot Spain by Martha Ackelsberg

Lessums ot the Spanish Revolution by Veron Richards

Kussau & Ukrauias Revolunons:
The Unknun Kesolution by Voline
Histary ot the Makhaovist Movement by Peter Arshinov

Aestor Makan 1n the Russian Revolution by Michacl Malet
M Dilluswnment in Russia by Emma Goldman
Ciulivtne 1 Work by GP Maximotl

News ttum Norsere by William Morra
P South Chicago ABC
fii 2ine Distro
Ued Bax721/Homewoad IL 60430