There are some ominous disturbances of special moment in the Labor world. At New Orleans the street-car men are engaged in a desperate struggle, and, according to the capitalistic press, some “rioting” has occurred, the strikers, it is said, having fired on the police. The Granite Cutter’s union has been locked out by the bosses’ union, who are engaged in an effort to compel the cutters to change the time of signing the yearly contract from January to January instead of, as heretofore, from May to May.
The men claim that this would give the bosses an increased advantage over them, because in January most of the members are idle and would be compelled to make terms that they would not in May. In several mining ... (From: TheAnarchistLibrary.org.)
Karl Korsch, 1931
1) There is little use in confronting the subjectivist doctrine of the decisive role of
the individual in the historical process with another and equally abstract doctrine that
speaks of the necessity of a given historical process. It is more useful to explore, as
precisely as possible, the antagonistic relations that arise from the material conditions
of production of a given economic form of society for the social groups participating in
it.
2) Much light is thrown on history by countering every alleged necessity of a
historical process with the following questions: a) necessary by the action of which
classes? b) which modifications will be necessary in the action of the classes faced by
the alleged hi... (From: Marxists.org.)
5. Language and Freedom
When I was invited to speak on the topic “language and freedom,” I was puzzled and intrigued. Most of my professional life has been devoted to the study of language. There would be no great difficulty in finding a topic to discuss in that domain. And there is much to say about the problems of freedom and liberation as they pose themselves to us and to others in the mid-twentieth century. What is troublesome in the title of this lecture is the conjunction. In what way are language and freedom to be interconnected?
As a preliminary, let me say just a word about the contemporary study of language, as I see it. There are many aspects of language and language use that raise intriguing questions, but—... (From: TheAnarchistLibrary.org.)
The Anarchists are right in everything; in the negation of the existing order, and in the assertion that, without Authority, there could not be worse violence than that of Authority under existing conditions. They are mistaken only in thinking that Anarchy can be instituted by a [violent- Editor]revolution. 'To establish Anarchy'. 'Anarchy will be instituted'. But it will be instituted only by there being more and more people who do not require the protection of the governmental power, and by there being more and more people who will be ashamed of applying this power.
'The capitalistic organization will pass into the hands of workers, and then there will be no more oppression of these workers, and no unequal distribution of earnings'
... (From: Anarchy Archives.)
I. What Is Anarchy.
The statesman, intent on schemes to compromise principles and tide over clamorous demands for justice, says it is disorder and spoliation. New taxes are then levied to defend the state, to repress incendiary talk, and protect privileged prerogatives. Or false and surface issues are prepared to distract attention, to embroil citizens in partisan quarrels, and furnish new offices for the spoils-hunter. The people pay the bills and the statesman remains.
The priest, intent on saving souls, and setting less value on temporal things--for others--says it is abolition of marriage, atheism, and draws a picture of a state wherein his voice would be derided, yet ever careful to bring no testimony to corroborate his dis... (From: TheAnarchistLibrary.org.)
September 24, 1937
I have read the manuscript of your forthcoming book on Albert R. Parsons and the early labor movement in Chicago. The manuscript shows painstaking care, and elucidation so much needed for the enlightenment of this generation.
Of course the part that interested me most was your description of the Haymarket meeting, the trial so-called, and the death of the martyrs, November 11, 1887.
You have dug beneath the mountain of lies that has been heaped upon my husband and his comrades these fifty fleeting years, and without any attempt at “over” writing, have given the bare, cold facts, taken from the record, and proving that they were innocent of any bomb-throwing, and were simply lynched!—... (From: TheAnarchistLibrary.org.)
These thoughts were submitted by an egoist-nihilist anarchist on Athens IMC.
I would not even bother to participate in the ongoing debate, but some of the latest comments from an ‘antifascist comrade’ intrigued me.
First, to be able to get the features of antifascist action indexed, I believe one should determine the content of the very concept of fascism.
Fascism is primarily a loud and violent slap in the face of the ‘revolutionary’ who is recognizing revolutionary subjects in the face of phantoms such as the society and the class, and is longing for uprisings and revolutions. And how hypocritical indeed is the fact that social anarchists shriek about antifascism! Because, essentially, their wa... (From: TheAnarchistLibrary.org.)
I have seen a statement by the Group of the 18e where, in agreement with the Russians’ “Platform” and with comrade Makhno, it is held that the “principle of collective responsibility” is the basis of every serious organization.
I have already, in my criticism of the “Platform” and in my reply to the open letter directed to me by Makhno, indicated my opinion on this supposed principle. But as there is some insistence on an idea or at least an expression which would seem to me to be more at home in a military barracks than among anarchist groups, I hope I will be permitted to say another few words on the question.
The comrades of the 18e say that “communist anarchists must work in ... (From: TheAnarchistLibrary.org.)
If war is the violent resolution of conflict,
then peace is not the absence of conflict,
but rather,
the ability to resolve conflict
without violence.
C.T. Butler
Consensus, as a decisionmaking process, has been developing for centuries. Many people, in diverse communities, have contributed to this development. From them, we have borrowed generously and adapted freely.
Front Matter
C.T. wrote the first edition of this book for the Pledge of Resistance in Boston when it had over 3500 signers and 150 affnity groups. All policy decisions for the organization were made at monthly spokesmeetings, involving at least one spokesperson from each affnity group. Members from the coordinating committee were charged w... (From: TheAnarchistLibrary.org.)
It is never acceptable to give information about any other person without his or her express consent. It cannot be emphasized enough that informing to the government is always a serious matter, whether it is a question of a high profile defendant snitching on his comrades or an acquaintance of law-abiding activists answering a seemingly harmless question. The primary goal of the government in any political case is not to put any one defendant in prison but to obtain information with which to map radical communities, with the ultimate goal of repressing and controlling those communities. The most minor piece of trivia may serve to jeopardize a person’s life, whether or not they have ever broken any law.
On December 21, Operation Backf... (From: TheAnarchistLibrary.org.)
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