,*APT] #h 
,A ,P>ALLEL ,C,N,T8 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,/U>T ,*RI/IE 

,TEXT 3 

#h3 ,A ,P>ALLEL ,C,N,T8 

  

,TROTSKYI/ HI/ORIAN ,FELIX ,MORR[ DESCRIB$ ! ,F,A,I AS 'A HI<LY C5TRALIZ$ P>TY APP>ATUS ?R\< :I* IT MA9TA9$ CONTROL ( ! ,C,N,T'4 .<#e#g.> ,AM]ICAN LIB]AL HI/ORIAN ,GABRIEL ,JACKSON :O DEPICT$ IT AS '! TI<TLY ORGANIZ$ ELITE1 :I*1 S9CE #a#i#b#g1 HAD DOM9AT$ ! ,C,N,T' %>$ ?IS VIEW4 .<#e#h.> 

,CONTEMPOR>Y P>TICIPANTS DO NOT %>E ?IS VIEW ( ! ,F,A,I4 ,FRANCISCO ,C>RASQU]1 A FAI/A1 NOT$3  
  

',EA* ,F,A,I GR\P ?\<T & ACT$ AS IT DEEM$ FIT1 )\T BO!R+ AB\T :AT ! O!RS MI<T BE ?9K+ OR DECID+1 = !RE WAS NO 9T]GR\P DISCIPL9E SU* AS WAS F\ND BETWE5 COMMUNI/ CELLS 9 RESPECT ( T]RITORY1 ETC4 ,SECONDLY1 !Y HAD NO COMPET5CE1 OPPORTUNITY OR JURISDICTION -- ?\< !Y MI<T HAVE PREF]R$ ?AT -- TO FOI/ A P>TY L9E UPON ! GRASSROOTS4 ,!Y W]E LIKE ! RE/1 NO MORE4 ,HAD IT BE5 O!RWISE H[ COME A ,FRANCISCO ,ASCASO W\LD HAVE BE5 ALL[$ TO HIS DEA? 9 ! FRONT RANKS4'.<#e#i.>  
  

,) REG>D TO :AT MANY OBS]V]S HAVE REF]R$ TO AS ! 'ELITE' ( ! AN>*I/ MOVEM5T1 IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMB] ?AT AN>*I/S DO NOT OBJECT TO ! PR9CIPLE ( LEAD]%IP & ?AT ORGANIZATION DOES NOT MEAN SUBMISSION TO CONC5TRAT$ AU?ORITY4 ,AN>*I/S HAVE NEV] D5I$ ! LEGITIMATE AU?ORITY ( A P]SON TO EX]CISE LEAD]%IP 9 ! >EA 9 :I* HE OR %E IS KN[L$GEABLE4 ,:AT !Y DO OBJECT TO IS ! VIEW ?AT SU* AU?ORITY %\LD BE CO]CIVE4 

,! AN>*I/ ATTITUDE TO SU* AU?ORITY WAS EXPRESS$ CLE>LY & SUCC9CTLY BY ,BAKUN9 #f YE>S E>LI]3  
  

',!RE %\LD BE NO FIX$ & CON/ANT AU?ORITY1 BUT MUTUAL & VOLUNT>Y AU?ORITY4 ,SOCIETY %\LD NOT 9DULGE OR EXALT M5 ( G5IUS1 NOR %\LD IT ACCORD !M SPECIAL RI<TS OR PRIVILEGES BECAUSE3 IT W\LD (T5 MI/AKE A *>LATAN = A MAN ( G5IUS2 BECAUSE ?R\< SU* SY/EMS ( PRIVILEGE IT MI<T EV5 TRANS=M A G5IUS 9TO A *>LATAN2 IT W\LD E/ABLI% A MA/] OV] ITSELF4'.<#f.>  
  

,! BASIC UNITS ( ! ,F,A,I W]E NOT 9DIVIDUALS BUT SMALL AUTONOM\S AFF9ITY GR\PS ( AN>*I/ MILITANTS4 ,?IS COHESIVE QUASI-CELLUL> =M ( ASSOCIATION HAD EVOLV$1 GRADUALLY1 OV] ! P]IOD ( TIME IT TAKES = RELATION%IPS TO BE E/ABLI%$ & = MUTUAL TRU/ TO GR[4 ,! AFF9ITY GR\PS CONSI/$1 USUALLY1 ( BETWE5 ?REE & T5 MEMB]S B\ND BY TIES ( FRI5D%IP1 & :O %>$ WELL-DEF9$ AIMS & AGRE$ ME?ODS ( /RUGGLE4 ,ONCE SU* A GR\P HAD COME 9TO EXI/5CE IT C\LD1 IF IT SO WI%$1 SOLICIT AFFILIATION TO ! ,F,A,I4 

,! SMALL SIZE ( ! GR\P IMPLI$ A M9IMAL /RUCTURE ( DECISION MAK+1 IF ONLY ON ! LEVEL ( COMMITM5T TO MAJORITY DECISIONS OR GR\P CONS5SUS4 ,IT ALSO P]MITT$ ! GREATE/ DEGREE ( 9TIMACY & TRU/ BETWE5 ?OSE :O COMPOS$ IT4 ,! ESS5CE ( ! AFF9ITY GR\P1 H[EV]1 IS ?AT IT IS ! MEMB]S :O DECIDE :O IS & :O IS NOT A MEMB]4 ,! LOYALTIES ( GR\P MEMB]S ALWAYS LAY ) EA* O!R & ! %>$ IDEAL1 NOT ) ! CONCEPT ( ! ORGANIZATION AS AN ORGANIZ$ 9/ITUTION4 ,ALSO1 AL?\< SMALL GR\PS CAN BE EASILY L$ BY =CE ( P]SONALITY1 ?IS DRAWBACK WAS FELT TO BE BALANC$ BY ! FACT ?AT DOM9ANT 9DIVIDUALS :O DO EM]GE >E RE/RICT$ 9 ! >EA 9 :I* !Y CAN DOM9ATE4 ,! AFF9ITY GR\PS W]E ALSO HI<LY RESI/ANT TO POLICE 9FILTRATION4 ,EV5 IF 9FILTRATION DID OCCUR1 OR POLICE AG5TS DID MANAGE TO SET UP !IR [N 'AFF9ITY' GR\PS IT W\LD NOT HAVE BE5 A P>TICUL>LY EFFICI5T MEANS ( 9TELLIG5CE GA!R+2 ! ATOMIC /RUCTURE ( ! ,F,A,I MEANT !RE WAS NO C5TRAL BODY TO PROVIDE AN OV]VIEW ( ! MOVEM5T AS A :OLE4 

,IT %\LD ALSO BE /RESS$ ?AT AFF9ITY GR\PS >E NOT )\T !IR DRAWBACKS EI!R4 ,!RE >E AS MANY 9H]5T DANG]S )9 SMALL1 SELF-SELECT+ & SELF-P]PETUAT+ GR\PS AS !RE >E )9 L>G] =MAL ORGANIZATIONS4 ,! ,C,N,T1 = EXAMPLE1 TOOK AS ITS BASIC UNIT ! WORKPLACE1 BY NECESSITY1 & ?IS MAY HAVE HAD ITS WEAKNESSES1 BUT IT ALSO HAD ! 5ORM\S /R5G? ?AT ! WORK]S COOP]AT$ DAILY & /RUGGL$ AGA9/ A COMMON & REAL 5EMY4 ,!Y W]E OBLIG$ TO GET ON & !Y HAD TO PRACTICE SOLID>ITY4 ,IT WAS ?IS DAILY PRACTICE ( COOP]ATION & SOLID>ITY ?AT PROVID$ ! BASIS ( REVOLUTION>Y UNIONISM4 ,AFF9ITY GR\PS1 ON ! O!R H&1 BECAUSE ( !IR EXCLUSIVE & COHESIVE NATURE1 RUN ! RISK ( BE+ NO?+ BUT IDEOLOGICAL GR\P+S OR ACTION UNITS1 BO? ( :I*1 H[EV] NECESS>Y AT TIMES1 >E 9 CON/ANT DANG] ( P]PETUAT+ ! SPLIT BETWE5 CLASS-CONSCI\S OR REVOLUTION>Y CADRES & ! NONMILITANT MASS ( ! WORK]S4 ,NO MATT] H[ IDEALI/IC ! MEMB]S ( ! GR\P MAY BE1 !RE WILL UND\BT$LY COME A TIME :5 CONFLICT DEVELOPS BETWE5 OBLIGATIONS TO ONE'S COMRADES & ! SOCIETY ( ! \TSIDE WORLD4 ,T5SION BETWE5 ! IDEAL & PRACTICE BECOMES 9EVITABLE :5 IDEOLOGICALLY COMMITT$ PEOPLE =M EXCLUSIVE GR\P+S4 ,AN UNBRIDGEABLE GAP IS CREAT$ BETWE5 !M & PEOPLE \TSIDE !IR IMM$IATE CIRCLE & IDEOLOGY2 9 O!R WORDS1 AN 'AFF9ITY GR\P' CAN BECOME JU/ AS '9/ITUTIONALIZ$' AS A MASS ORGANIZATION4 

,! F\ND]S ( ! ,F,A,I W]E1 H[EV]1 S5SITIVE TO ! OLIG>*ICAL DANG]S 9H]5T 9 ORGANIZATION & CONSCI\S ( ! P]PETUAL /RUGGLE BETWE5 'FRE$OM' & 'AU?ORITY' ) ! ASSOCIAT$ PROBLEMS ( 'DEF]5CE' & 'OB$I5CE'1 & MADE A CONSCI\S EF=T TO R$UCE ITS NEGATIVE FEATURES TO A M9IMUM4 ,9 FACT ! T]M 'ORGANIZATION' H>DLY FITS ! ,F,A,I3 IT HAD NO COLLECTIVE ID5TITY O!R ?AN A COMMITM5T TO LIB]T>IAN COMMUNISM AS AN IMM$IATE OBJECTIVE4 ,IT DID NOT ISSUE MEMB]%IP C>DS OR COLLECT DUES 7AL?\< VOLUNT>Y CONTRIBUTIONS W]E MADE7 SO !RE WAS NEV] A RO/] ( MEMB]S1 NOR W]E !RE ANY =MAL PROC$URES = REPLAC+ MEMB]S4 ,ABOVE ALL1 IT WAS NOT A REPRES5TATIVE BODY & 9VOLV$ NO DELEGATION ( RESPONSIBILITY EI!R )9 ! AFF9ITY GR\PS OR 9 ! REGIONAL OR NATIONAL ADM9I/RATIVE BODIES TO ?OSE BODIES TO MAKE DECISIONS ON BEHALF ( ! COLLECTIVITY4 ,DRAW+ ON MANY YE>S ( REVOLUTION>Y EXP]I5CE1 ! ,F,A,I WAS FIRMLY ROOT$ 9 F$]AL PR9CIPLES & /RUCTUR$ 9 SU* A WAY ?AT ITS COORD9AT+ FUNCTION DID NOT DEPRIVE ITS CON/ITU5T MEMB]S ( !IR AUTONOM\S P[]4 ',! 7,P59SUL>7 COMMITTEE'S TITLE WAS ',LIAISON ,COMMITTEE' 7COMITE DE RELACIONES7 NO?+ MORE4 ,IT TOOK NO 9ITIATIVES ITSELF ( ANY SORT2 IT M]ELY PASS$ !M ON TO O!R COMRADES & ! ASSEMBLIES APPROV$ OR REJECT$ !M'4 .<#f#a.> ,9 SITUATIONS :]E IT WAS NECESS>Y = DELEGATES TO TAKE DECISIONS1 E4G4 AT PL5>Y MEET+S DUR+ TIMES ( CRISIS OR CL&E/9ITY1 ?OSE DECISIONS W]E REQUIR$ TO BE RATIFI$ BY ! :OLE MEMB]%IP :O1 9 EFFECT1 CON/ITUT$ ! ADM9I/RATION4 

,NOT ONLY WAS !RE NO PROGRAM ( ACTIVITY1 AS ,FRANCISCO ,C>RASQU] NOT$1 .<#f#b.> O!R ?AN ! AGRE$ IMM$IATE OBJECTIVE ( TOPPL+ CAPITALISM & ! ,/ATE & ! 9TRODUCTION ( ,LIB]T>IAN ,COMMUNISM1 NO COMMON IDEOLOGICALLY COHESIVE L9E WAS POSSIBLE4 ,! VIEWS1 ACTIVITIES & PRIORITIES ( ! DIFF]5T GR\PS COV]$ SU* A BROAD RANGE ( OPTIONS ?AT ANY ATTEMPT TO IMPOSE AN (FICIAL PROGRAM C\LD ONLY HAVE BE5 A S\RCE ( DIVISION & FRICTION4 ,! PUBLIC VIEWS ( ! ,F,A,I W]E EXPRESS$ AS G5]AL /ATEM5TS BY ! ,P59SUL> ,COMMITTEE BUT !SE 9 NO WAY B\ND ! SOV]EIGN CON/ITU5T AFF9ITY GR\PS1 :O REMA9$ FREE TO PURSUE !IR PREF]R$ ACTIVITIES & PROPAGATE !IR VIEWS )9 !IR [N SPH]ES ( 9FLU5CE4 

,! ,F,A,I WAS1 9 ITS 9ITIAL PHASE1 SIMPLY AN AD HOC 9/RUM5T1 & ! CUTT+ $GE ( ! ,C,N,T4 ,IT WAS A VOLUNT>Y & MUTUALI/ ASSOCIATION ( MILITANT AN>*I/ UNIONI/S :O1 9 RESPONSE TO A P]CEIV$ ?REAT AT A PRECISE PO9T 9 TIME1 REFUS$ TO GO ALONG ) ! RE=MI/ LEAD]%IP ( ! ,C,N,T4 ,!SE AN>*I/ WORK]S COMB9$ !IR 5]GIES UND] ! CONV5I5T BANN] ( ! ,F,A,I TO A*IEVE A SPECIFIC CONCRETE 5D1 ! DEF5SE ( ! REVOLUTION>Y OBJECTIVES & PR9CIPLES ( ! ,CONF$]ATION4 ,! 9T5TION ( ! FAI/AS WAS NOT TO EX]CISE DOM9ION1 BUT TO C>RY \T ! HI/ORIC ROLE ( AN>*ISM1 NAMELY TO COMBAT AU?ORIT>IAN IDEAS )9 ! WORK+-CLASS MOVEM5T & KEEP ALIVE ! AN>*I/ SPIRIT 9 A ,C,N,T 9CREAS+LY UND] PRESSURE FROM A CLASS-COLLABORATIONI/ LEAD]%IP4 ,JUAN ,MANUEL ,MOL9A 7',JUANEL'71 SECRET>Y ( ! ,P59SUL> ,COMMITTEE ( ! ,F,A,I FROM #aic TO #a#i#c#b1 DESCRIB$ IT AS BE+1 ABOVE ALL1 'A SYMBOL' RA!R ?AN 'A RIGOR\SLY /RUCTUR$ ORGANIZATION'4 ,HE W5T ON TO PO9T \T ?AT ! MAJORITY ( AN>*I/S AL?\< !Y AGRE$ & SYMPA?IZ$ ) IT '& SPOKE 9 ITS NAME EV51 !Y DID NOT 9 FACT BELONG TO IT4'.<#f#c.> 

,EA* 9DIVIDUAL 9 ! ,F,A,I AFF9ITY GR\PS1 IF A WAGE E>N]1 WAS EXPECT$ TO JO9 & BE ACTIVE )9 A ,C,N,T-AFFILIAT$ UNION4 ,AS HAS ALREADY BE5 NOT$1 MO/ ( ! F\ND+ MEMB]S ( ! ,F,A,I W]E1 FIR/ & =EMO/1 ,C,N,T MILITANTS4 ,AS ,JOSE ,LLOP RECALL$ 9 CONV]SATION ) ,FRANK ,M9TZ3  
  

',! GR\PS ORGANIZ$ !MSELVES 9 SU* A WAY ?AT UNION PROBLEMS W]E DEALT ) BY AMALGAMAT+ ! DIFF]5T VIEWS ( ! AN>*I/S :O W]E ALSO MEMB]S ( ! UNION ORGANIZATION1 OR ! CO-OP]ATIVES1 ETC4 ,! UNION QUE/ION PR$OM9AT$ 9 ! ACTIVITIES ( ! GR\PS4 ,?AT IS1 ! GR\P WAS SET UP = ! SOLE PURPOSE ( BE+ ACTIVE )9 ! UNION RANKS4'.<#f#d.>  
  

,9 :AT ,I HAVE DESCRIB$ AS ! 9/RUM5TAL OR Y\?FUL & MATURE P]IOD ( ! ORGANIZATION1 #a#i#b#g-#c#c1 ! ,F,A,I'S COMMITM5T TO DIRECT ACTION & CLASS W> MEANT IT ATTRACT$ FEW 9TELLECTUALS4 ,DUR+ ?IS PHASE MO/ ( ITS AFFILIATES W]E Y\NG & 5?USIA/IC WORK+-CLASS REVOLUTION>IES :O1 BAS$ ON !IR [N EXP]I5CES & KN[L$GE1 UND]/OOD ?AT ALL ECONOMIC GA9S W]E %ORT-T]M & ?AT ! ONLY LA/+ SOLUTION TO ! ALI5ATION & MIS]Y ( ! SOCIETY 9 :I* !Y LIV$ WAS IMM$IATE SOCIAL REVOLUTION4 ,!Y W]E ! SWORN 5EMIES ( ALL ATTEMPTS TO COMPROMISE FUNDAM5TAL AN>*I/ PR9CIPLES ?R\< PACTS ) B\RGEOIS DEMOCRACY4 ,!Y *AMPION$ A ?AT WAS DEC5TRALIZ$ & AUTONOM\S1 BAS$ ON DIRECT1 RANK-&-FILE DEMOCRACY 9 MASS OP5 ASSEMBLIES - NOT ONE RUN FROM A C5TRALIZ$ /ATE OR ADM9I/RATIVE APP>ATUS OR ADM9I/RATIVE APP>ATUS RUN BY AN 9TELLECTUAL ELITE ) A !ORETICAL VIEW ( SOCIAL PROCESSES4 

,AN IMPORTANT B9D+ FACTOR 9 ! RELATION%IP BETWE5 AN>*I/ ORGANIZATION & ! UNION WAS ITS F$]AL /RUCTURE1 :I* DIRECTLY P>ALLEL$ ?AT ( ! ,C,N,T1 ) LOCAL1 DI/RICT & REGIONAL F$]ATIONS4 ,! GR\PS 9 A CITY OR T[N CON/ITUT$ A LOCAL F$]ATION :ILE ! RURAL GR\PS1 COMB9$1 =M$ A DI/RICT F$]ATION4 ,!SE W]E ADM9I/]$ BY A SECRET>IAT & A COMMITTEE COMPOS$ ( ONE M&AT$ DELEGATE FROM EA* AFF9ITY GR\P4 ,! LOCAL & DI/RICT F$]ATIONS W]E OBLIG$ TO CONV5E REGUL> ASSEMBLIES ( ALL GR\PS 9 ITS >EA4 ,!SE USUALLY TOOK PLACE ON ,SUNDAYS UND] ! GUISE ( PICNICS 9 ! C\NTRYSIDE4 ,!Y W]E SMALL MEET+S ) ONE OR TWO DELEGATES FROM EA* GR\P & 'NEV]'1 ACCORD+ TO ,FIDEL ,MIRO1 'G5]AL ASSEMBLIES'4 .<#f#e.> 

,LOCAL & DI/RICT F$]ATIONS CON/ITUT$ A REGIONAL F$]ATION4 ,A P59SUL> LIAISON COMMITTEE1 9 TURN1 COORD9AT$ !SE4 ,NONE ( !SE COMMITTEES1 LOCAL1 DI/RICT1 REGIONAL OR NATIONAL1 C\LD BE DESCRIB$ AS HAV+ A BUREAUCRATIC APP>ATUS4 ,NOR DID !Y WIELD EXECUTIVE P[] ( ANY DESCRIPTION4 ,!IR FUNCTION WAS PURELY ADM9I/RATIVE4 

,REGIONAL LIAISON WAS ALWAYS CONDUCT$ BY LETT]3  
  

',IT WAS NEV] AN OPTION TO ALLOCATE A COMRADE4 ,! NATIONAL COMMITTEE WAS SECOND$ SEV]AL TIMES1 BUT ALWAYS )9 ,CATALONIA4 ,LAT]1 :5 FUNDS W]E MORE PL5TIFUL1 ?IS BECAME AN OPTION4 ,IT W\LD HAVE BE5 9T]E/+ TO SECOND A COMRADE TO ,A/URIAS1 = !RE WAS A F$]ATION ( AN>*I/ GR\PS UP !RE4 ,BUT LIAISON ) ! NATIONAL COMMITTEE WAS RA!R HIT & MISS4 ,A MEET+ W\LD HAVE BE5 NECESS>Y1 BUT MANY A TIME WE DID NOT HAVE ! :]E)AL TO S5D LETT]S4'.<#f#f.>  
  

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