The refusal of anarchists to take part in elections stems from the ideas and criticisms of the classical thinkers of anarchism from the 19th century. Pierre-Joseph Proudhon was himself deputy - representing the socialist party - in France's Chamber of Deputies. His views on social questions were ignored, leaving him with a disparaging attitude to parliamentary democaracy. For Proudhon 'universal suffrage is the counter-revolution', and Bakaunin argued that the revolutionary party would become corrupted once it had gained power through universal suffrage. Indeed, uinversal suffrage only undermined the possibility of attaining socialism. These views have been reiterated by numerous anarchist theorists since, and they form one of the basic tenets of anarchist opposition to the state.
My criticism of Past Tense's leaflet on the upcoming general election arises from 2 areas. Firstly the attitude that elections are joke, all parliamentarians are corrupt and libertarians (anarchists and libertarian socialists) should not touch them with a barge pole; and secondly that their use of history to support their argument is misplaced.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Past Tense Election Leaflet
The text below contains what is the traditional anarchist position on elections, written and published by Past Tense. As a general election approaches it is important that all those of the libertarian left (anarchists and libertarian socialists) discuss this important issue, please feel free to add your comments.
ALL ELECTIONS ARE A JOKE
LET'S TREAT THEM WITH THE CONTEMPT THEY DESERVE
Oh God it’s another General Erection!
We know – all elections are a waste of time. Politicians of all parties fill their pockets, you couldn’t tell their policies apart without a microscope, the power of the rich, the global corporations and financiers continues merrily whoever is elected; well-meaning do-gooders get elected, then become sucked in or ground down by the weight of the system. While the meaningless circus at Westminster rattles on, our lives are at the mercy of their economic upturns and downturns, grinding away at work just to survive. While the rich and their parliamentary puppets wine and dine, whoever gets in next time will slash the NHS and other services many of us need to get by, to balance the national debt – at our expense, again.
The question is, what do we DO? Sink into apathy and distrust, giving up even the controlled lack of interest our rulers hope to kindle in us...? or take back the power in our own lives, now, every day, at work, in the streets, in our relations with each other, not every five years on a bit of paper but for real? We could do away with all politicians, bosses, bureaucrats, and run the world ourselves for the pleasure of us all and love of each other…
ALL ELECTIONS ARE A JOKE
LET'S TREAT THEM WITH THE CONTEMPT THEY DESERVE
Oh God it’s another General Erection!
We know – all elections are a waste of time. Politicians of all parties fill their pockets, you couldn’t tell their policies apart without a microscope, the power of the rich, the global corporations and financiers continues merrily whoever is elected; well-meaning do-gooders get elected, then become sucked in or ground down by the weight of the system. While the meaningless circus at Westminster rattles on, our lives are at the mercy of their economic upturns and downturns, grinding away at work just to survive. While the rich and their parliamentary puppets wine and dine, whoever gets in next time will slash the NHS and other services many of us need to get by, to balance the national debt – at our expense, again.
The question is, what do we DO? Sink into apathy and distrust, giving up even the controlled lack of interest our rulers hope to kindle in us...? or take back the power in our own lives, now, every day, at work, in the streets, in our relations with each other, not every five years on a bit of paper but for real? We could do away with all politicians, bosses, bureaucrats, and run the world ourselves for the pleasure of us all and love of each other…
Radical Reading Collective
The Radical Reading Collective a new orgainsation devoted to reading and discussing many of the classic texts of anarchism, marxism and libertarian socialism, and will be discussing 'Organisational Platform of the Libertarian Communists' at LARC* on Sunday 11 April at 2pm, for more information visit their blog
In 1926 a group of exiled Russian anarchists in France, the Dielo Trouda group (Workers' Cause), published the 'Organisational Platform of the Libertarian Communists' or The Platform as its often referred to. It arose not from some academic study but from their experiences in the 1917 Russian revolution. They had taken part in the overthrow of the old ruling class, had been part of the blossoming of workers' and peasants' self- management, had shared the widespread optimism about a new world of socialism and freedom . . . and had seen its bloody replacement by State Capitalism and a centralist party dictatorship. What should revolutionaries learn from the Russian Revolution, how should they organise....
In 1926 a group of exiled Russian anarchists in France, the Dielo Trouda group (Workers' Cause), published the 'Organisational Platform of the Libertarian Communists' or The Platform as its often referred to. It arose not from some academic study but from their experiences in the 1917 Russian revolution. They had taken part in the overthrow of the old ruling class, had been part of the blossoming of workers' and peasants' self- management, had shared the widespread optimism about a new world of socialism and freedom . . . and had seen its bloody replacement by State Capitalism and a centralist party dictatorship. What should revolutionaries learn from the Russian Revolution, how should they organise....
Saturday, March 20, 2010
The Poll Tax and the Battle of Trafalgar Square - 20 years on
Wednesday April 14th 2010 - 7.30pm
At the North London Community House. 22 Moorefield Road, London N17 [The old Postal Sorting Office]. All welcome.
* Come along to hear about one of the largest and most successful grass-roots opposition movements of the 20th century in the UK
* Exhibition of material/posters etc from the time
* Film of the battle of Trafalgar Square
* Rub shoulders with activists from all over London who were there!
* Bring food to share..
What was it all about? How was the campaign won? What we can we learn from what was achieved?
An unfair and hated tax
At the North London Community House. 22 Moorefield Road, London N17 [The old Postal Sorting Office]. All welcome.
* Come along to hear about one of the largest and most successful grass-roots opposition movements of the 20th century in the UK
* Exhibition of material/posters etc from the time
* Film of the battle of Trafalgar Square
* Rub shoulders with activists from all over London who were there!
* Bring food to share..
What was it all about? How was the campaign won? What we can we learn from what was achieved?
An unfair and hated tax
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Tony Cliff ten years on - what did he achieve?
The Postmen's Office at the North London Community
House, 22 Moorefield Road, London, N17
Bruce Grove British Rail Station, Bruce Grove meets the High Road in Tottenham. Wheelchair accessible
Any High Road bus is OK
It is ten years since Tony Cliff died and like him or not, it has to be admitted that he was a major figure in the politics of what is called revolutionary politics in the last century. His advocacy of a return to the politics of Marx and Lenin was distinctive, rejecting the stalinism and trotskyism of the day.
House, 22 Moorefield Road, London, N17
Bruce Grove British Rail Station, Bruce Grove meets the High Road in Tottenham. Wheelchair accessible
Any High Road bus is OK
It is ten years since Tony Cliff died and like him or not, it has to be admitted that he was a major figure in the politics of what is called revolutionary politics in the last century. His advocacy of a return to the politics of Marx and Lenin was distinctive, rejecting the stalinism and trotskyism of the day.
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