Revolution or Reification?: A Critique of FRSO's Political Program

From 08’s Substack

A Marxist Party of a New (Old) Type

In the current evolution of the so-called radical left in the so-called United States, one concerning trend is the growing popularity of Marxist-Leninist organizations, particularly among newly-activated young people. One organization that has been a major beneficiary of such a surge has been the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), which, though around for decades, has become more visible and active on the ground and online in recent years. FRSO’s article on their 2022 congress states that “[r]eflecting the rapid growth of FRSO over the last four years, this was the first congress for most attendees. While some of the participants were veterans of the communist movement with many decades of experience, the overwhelming majority were under 35 years old.” [1] This trend has continued.

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.”

Socialism: Let’s Not Resuscitate the Worst Mistake of the 20th Century

From Surviving Leviathan with Peter Gelderloos

In the mid-19th century, socialism and communism were largely synonymous, and as often as not they referred to the dream of a future without all the institutions at the service of bankers, landlords, and factory owners; a future without the State.

Anarchism is for the contemporary working classes

From Freedom News UK

Unlike Marxism, Anarchism doesn’t demand the investment into these key theorists. It encourages education through theory, and people driving the movement do a great job distributing (almost) free leaflets, newsletters and zines promoting anarchist values, but it equally recognises and legitimises living anarchically. Anarchism is action as much as it is education.

Anarchism: Giving form to autonomy

from Autonomies

This post was born of an exchange of letters between John Holloway and Michael Hardt that focused on the issue of “anti-capitalist social movements” and their “organisation” and “institutionalisation”. The letters date from 2011, but their subject remains contemporary, as does the much older “exchange” between anarchism and Marxism by which we introduce the letters.

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