Mystery and Hierarchy: On the character of anarchism

From Autonomies

In every city in the world, no matter how small, there is at least one person who calls themselves an anarchist. This solitary and unusual presence must conceal a meaning that transcends the order of politics, just as the triumphant dispersal of seeds is not limited to a mere struggle for the survival of a botanical lineage. Perhaps the “psychic” evolution of political species corresponds to the wisdom of seminal sprinkling in nature.

Six Errors Made by Anarchists About National Self-Determination

by Wayne Price

There are various debates among anarchists. One of the biggest controversies is over “national self-determination”/“national liberation”/“anti-imperialism.” This debate has become particularly intense over the Ukrainian-Russian war and the Palestinian-Israeli war. Some anarchists, such as myself, have supported the Ukrainians and the Palestinians on the basis of national self-determination. Many other anarchists have rejected support for the Ukrainians—and some, support for the Palestinians. They deny any right of national self-determination. Some even deny the reality of imperialism; they are anti-anti-imperialists.

Do Anarchists Support Democracy? The Opinion of Errico Malatesta

From Anarcho-Syndicalist Review by Wayne Price

In the current political crisis of the U.S., it is vital for anarchists and other radicals to be clear about their view of democracy. To this end, I am reviewing the opinions of the Italian revolutionary anarchist Errico Malatesta.

Anarchists Against Counter-Revolution

9/5/2024

There has been a disturbing trend within anarchism in the last few years. It could be called the right wing of anarchism, liberal anarchism, anarchism in name only, or reformism. Whatever it is called, people who believe that they are anarchists have taken positions that side with colonizers, nation-states, and western hegemony.

Malatesta’s Revolutionary Anarchism in British Exile

Review of The Armed Strike: The Long London Exile of 1900—13.  The Complete Works of Errico Malatesta.  Vol. V. (2023). by Wayne Price

The Italian Errico Malatesta (1853—1932) was a comrade and friend of Michael Bakunin and Peter Kropotkin. Calling himself an anarchist-socialist, he was respected and loved by large numbers of anarchists and workers, in Italy and other countries. He was closely watched by the police forces of several nations. He had escaped imprisonment in Italy and lived in various countries in Europe, the Middle East, the U.S.A., and Latin America. Four times he spent time in Britain. This volume has collected works from his longest stay there, from 1900 to 1913, from when he was 48 to 61.

ACTION WEEK / PRAGUE / 20 – 26 MAY 2024 /

From 20 to 26 May 2024, Prague will host the Action Week, whose motto is:
“Together against capitalist wars and capitalist peace.”

Each weekday during this week will see a different event. There will be presentations, discussions, fundraisers, protests and various types of direct action. Then the end of the week will be devoted to a bookfair and an internationalist conference, where we will try to shift from theoretical matters towards the coordination of concrete anti-war activities.

An Attempted Marxist-Anarchist Dialogue

by Wayne Price

A Review of Michael Lowy & Oliver Besancenot, Revolutionary Affinities: Toward a Marxist-Anarchist Solidarity

Michael Lowy and Oliver Besancenot, two Marxists from the Trotskyist tradition, have made an effort to discuss possible convergences and interactions between Marxism and anarchism. (The little book has been well translated from the French by David Campbell, an anarchist who did most of the work while in jail in New York City.)

Review of Tom Wetzel's Overcoming Capitalism

A Guide to Anarcho-Syndicalism and Libertarian Socialism, Review of Tom Wetzel's Overcoming Capitalism: Strategy for the Working Class in the 21st Century by Wayne Price

This is an important book. Tom Wetzel presents a vision of a free, equal, and cooperative society, without classes, states, or other forms of oppression. It would be directly managed from below in all areas, including the economy and community. He refers to this program, alternately, as “revolutionary syndicalism” or “libertarian socialism.”

Three years paradox-a.de – Some thoughts

submitted anonymously

I have been running the blog project paradox-a.de for three years now. Originally I started the blog to have a place to publish my texts and to give a contact possibility at my lectures. In the meantime, I have gained a manageable readership and have been able to somewhat influence the German-language debate on anarchist theory.

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