Anarchist Communists: a Question of Class is a theoretical position paper of the FdCA of Italy and a key contemporary exposition of the principles of anarchist communism – the principles of, among other organisations, the FdCA and southern Africa's ZACF. This critical review of Question of Class appeared in abridged form (for space reasons) in "Zabalaza" #10 (April 2009). The review is now published in full.

Anarchism is not an abstract ideal of freedom springing out of the brain of some intellectual. It is not a dream of utopia unconnected to reality. It is a movement of the exploited workers, beginning in their daily material struggles; and its history is marked by a sustained link between anarchist theory and the continuing struggles of mass working class movements.

This was the perspective of Mikhail Bakunin, the founding theorist of anarchism, whose revolutionary ideas grew out of his experience in the 19th century working class movement of the First International. It was the perspective of the Organisational Platform of the Libertarian Communists, drafted by Ukrainian and Russian anarchists in response to the defeat of the Russian Revolution by the Bolsheviks. It is the perspective taken by long-standing ZACF militants, van der Walt and Schmidt, in their two-volume history of anarchism, Counter-power. And it is the perspective of the ZACF's Italian comrades of the Federazione dei Comunisti Anarchici (Federation of Anarchist Communists, or FdCA), in their excellent theoretical position paper “Anarchist Communists: a Question of Class”.

[Italiano]

From June 4th to 7th, European voters are called to the polls to choose who will "represent" them in the European Parliament.
As anarchist communists, we do not think elections can bring any real change, as we prefer direct democracy to representative democracy. In other words, we prefer decisions affecting all workers to be discussed and made by those workers themselves, collectively.

The European Union's functioning and goals are opposed to this self-managing model and thus to the interests of the workers and the people. Its leaders despise the people so much that, although they may ask for our opinion, the only answer allowed is one which accepts the EU's political line which has already been decided eslewhere. The EU's attitude to the rejection by referendum of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe exemplifies this fact.

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Deel I van "Vier instrumenten voor gemeenschap controle"

Wederzijdse hulp is een belangrijk en relevant anarchistisch concept. Het laat zien hoe aspecten van een betere wereld al overal bestaan, waaronder in Zuid Afrika, en hoe we deze wereld kunnen bereiken, waarbij we voortbouwen op bestaande culturele praktijken, en die uitbreiden.

Het Zulu woord masakhane, wat "laten we voor elkaar bouwen" betekent, verwijst naar het gemeenschappelijk bouwen van huizen.
Izandla ziyagezana (Zulu) betekent letterlijk "als men zijn handen wast, wast de ene hand de andere hand", en omgekeerd. Iedere hand helpt de andere hand om schoon te worden. Daarom zouden we als mensen elkaar moeten helpen zoals onze handen elkaar helpen.

In de Xhosa cultuur betekent dibanisani "laten we samenwerken voor een betere toekomst". Het is een algemene term die verwijst naar mensen die samenkomen en elkaar helpen. Bijvoorbeeld inwijdingen vinden elk jaar ergens anders plaats en mensen op een plek bereiden er alles voor voor. Als hutten verbranden helpen mensen elkaar ze weer op te bouwen. Bij begrafenissen of huwelijken helpen mensen elkaar, bijvoorbeeld om schoon te maken en te koken.

[English] [Ελληνικά]

A review of the discussion of the relationship between anarchism and the Palestinian/Israeli struggle by Uri Gordon, an Israeli anarchist, in his book "Anarchy Alive!", including a response to his attack on my views.

There has been very little written on the relation between anarchism and the Palestinian struggle against Israeli oppression. Therefore it is interesting to read the discussion of this topic by an Israeli anarchist, Uri Gordon, in his recent book, "Anarchy Alive!". Chapter 6 is titled, “HomeLand: Anarchy and Joint Struggle in Palestine/Israel.”

As he notes, most Palestinians want their own state next to Israel. He worries that anarchist opposition to this demand could be seen as “paternalism,” saying that we know what is good for the Arabs better than they do. More significantly, he is concerned that opposition to a Palestinian state leaves anarchists with nothing positive to say, except that Palestinians need anarchism. But they do not—yet?—want anarchism and it is not going to happen anytime soon. (Nor, I would add, are people likely to be persuaded of anarchism if it is seen as opposed to what they do want, namely national self-determination.) Shall anarchists say that we refuse to support the Palestinians’ struggle against a brutal national oppression until the Palestinians see the light and oppose states and capitalism?

Castellano]

Reproducimos artículos e informes de diversas actividades realizadas por los anarquistas colombianos en conmemoración del cuarto aniversario del cobarde y bestial asesinato del compañero Nicolás Neira en Bogotá. "Nico", como le llamaban sus compañeros, fue un muchacho de tan sólo 15 años, asesinado a palos durante la marcha del 1o de Mayo del 2005 por la policía anti-disturbios colombiana, la temida ESMAD.

Su asesinato ocurrió a plena luz del día, en pleno centro de Bogotá. Este crimen se suma los miles cometidos bajo las "bondades" de la "Seguridad Democrática" de Álvaro Uribe Vélez, quien preside un régimen que asesina a los muchachos antes de que logren convertirse en hombres... cosa que nos recuerdan las fosas comunes del paramilitarismo, plagados de cuerpos mutilados de niños. Pero este crimen ocurrió a plena luz del día, en pleno centro de Bogotá, a palos, por uniformados bien identificados... y sigue en la impunidad.

• ¡Nicolás Vive en la lucha libertaria! Artículo en la revista de la Red Libertaria Popular Mateo Kramer "Mech(a)", número 1, Primero de Mayo del 2009.
  
• Recordando el primero de mayo de 2005: ¡Nicolás Neira Vive! Boletín de la Red Libertaria Popular Mateo Kramer "Organización", número 1, Primero de Mayo del 2009


• Plantón "Nicolás Neira Vive" en conmemoración del Cuarto Aniversario de su asesinato, Bogotá Red Libertaria Popular Mateo Kramer


• Reseña Performance en memoria de Nicolás Neira Red Popular Libertaria Mateo Kramer
• "Para Nicolás Neira. A cuatro años de tu asesinato, segunda carta con destino a donde estés" Artículo de la Cruz Negra Anarquista de Bogotá
• Acoso a Yuri Neira, padre de "Nico" (artículo de Enero del 2009, Cruz Negra Anarquista, Bogotá)
• Exigimos "medidas de seguridad" seguras para Yury Neira (artículo de Enero del 2009, Cruz Negra Anarquista, Bogotá)
• Yuri Neira, Mataron al Hijo y ahora Persiguen al Padre (artículo de Rebelión.org)