I’ve been enthusing about various anti-election strategies of late – Vote Nobody, None of the Above etc etc – but you just know they’ll all be an inconsequential wash out in reality and I’ve long since realised that most people who cant be arsed to vote couldnt be arsed to save you from drowning either! Theres an interesting article in the latest FREEDOM about the anarchist holy principle of not voting and arguing for a vote. It’s always amused me that many anarchists say ‘By any means necessary’ – being apparently keen to wage havoc with a machine gun but not to vote! So let’s debate the unthinkable – standing candidates at the General Election. At present theres no prospect of any united slate of Leftists standing so there’s a complete vacuum for te BNP to fill without any contest for disaffected votes apart from the Greens. Theres a few isolated local campaigns for democratic primaries to select local candidates rather than celebrities – as in SALFORD and these should be supported. It’s also true that anarchists become a bit too serious and po-faced when talking about elections – my experience is that they can be a fucking good laugh. The short lived CLASS WAR ORGANISATION was thinking of putting up a candidate in the NEWBURY by-election in the 90’s.’But we dont know anyone there’ was the counter argument – so we had an outing to Newbury – beer soaked and mob handed . I knew what had to be done. Every town has it’s ne’er do wells pub full of dope smokers,ACAB knuckles and Free the Weed denims.. I described such a pub to the first geezer we met outside Newbury station ..’ah you want the XXXXXX XXXX he obliged and bythe end of the day it was our election HQ. Now i’m not suggesting this as a role model…..but lets havesome fun for fuck sake and stand a few canidates. For a suggestion as to a united platform I say stand as ‘Peoples Republic of XXXXX ON A PROMISE TO DECLARE INDEPENDENCE FROM WESTMINSTER and ban all bankers and politicians from the town/city…and run with whatever local issues fit the bill.Simple….who’ll be first to declare for a Passport to Pimlico?
July 2, 2009...8:43 am
ANARCHISTS CANDIDATES FOR GENERAL ELECTION???
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36 Comments
July 2, 2009 at 10:41 am
I can remember the police ordering us into the Bournemouth version of that ‘chain’ of pubs after a clash with the Countryside Alliance a few years ago. ‘You can either go the scumbags pub or be nicked’ was the message!
More seriously, what of the idea, discussed at the Anarchist 09 conference, of drawing up an Anarchist manifesto. Its a chance to say what we would do, how we would do it, and the next general election would give us an idea opportunity to promote it.
We could launch the section on policing outside the revolving Scotland Yard sign, the section on the economy at the Bank of England, and the section on the environment at Shell HQ.
What more do you want!
July 2, 2009 at 10:44 am
I have no particular axe with standing in elections (as one strategy of the class war) with any elected reps acting in the manner of groups like the Rebel Labour Councillors of Poplar who said it is better to break the law than break the poor using parliament and council chamber as a platform to make propaganda against the system and amplify the voice of social movements.
Anarchist purists who are averse to holding any office could pick a ward where no other left candidate is standing (plenty) stand in elections on the kitsch promise that if elected they will not take up their seats but instead work in the community for change, donating allowances, expenses, wages or what not to community campaigns.
Council elections are quite easy to contest as you don’t need to pay a deposit just get a few signatures from local residents to be eligible as a candidate.
July 2, 2009 at 10:48 am
I’ve said it before, I don’t think your comrades in the anarchist movement would stomach it. ‘Stuntist diversion…’, ‘detracting from the real struggle…’, etc.
July 2, 2009 at 11:24 am
I’ve nothing against standing in elections — I think its a great way to chat about politics and other stuff to people you might not otherwise have an opportunity, have a laugh and insult the local worthies — it’s taking the elected positions that I cannot stand. We can’t pretend that having ‘radical’ or ‘anarchist’ councillors, MEPs, MSPs, MPs or mayors will make any difference. I’d be willing to help out, if it was clear that if we win (which frankly isn’t likely) we won’t take our seats.
I’ve had enough of bosses, especially those with radical pasts and aspirations, who turn out to be no better — and are often worse — than the other bureaucrats.
July 2, 2009 at 11:46 am
I’ve always thought that election time is a great opportunity to put forward your ideas because people are actually talking about this politics versus that politics.
Local elections are easy, because no deposit is required and it’s not that difficult to canvass a ward if there’s a couple of you.
I’ve run for council before, and would do again – if the right issues suggested themselves.
July 2, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Fucking great idea,Ian.
July 2, 2009 at 5:06 pm
personally ive long thought that for anarchism to grow in this country it should grow up a bit, present itself in a more mature way and get involved in elections.
High time to stop just appealing to punks and the converted and reach out to normal people. that said, dont look at me to stand!
July 2, 2009 at 7:28 pm
I say give it a whirl and we might be pleasantly suprised- let’s not delude ourselves, there’s more and more pissed off people out there but a lot of them don’t know what anarchy is- remember how having to put up with a load of shit (or should I say even more shit than usual) under Thatcher politicized people who normally couldn’t give a toss? The time seems ripe now to get more people involved at looking at a real change when they are so clearly pissed off with the usual ‘alternatives’..
Plus, as well as educating people about the cause and recruiting , campaigning would be a great laugh as well.
July 2, 2009 at 7:32 pm
given the parlous state of the pub because of super-exploitation, an hq would not be difficult to find, network with other pubs, and, potentially part-finance the campaign….Hasek and The Chalice spring to mind
July 2, 2009 at 8:30 pm
I like the idear.Remember anachisime is a proper political philosophy you dont need to hide behind anything.Anarchy is debated in other countries just like you’d debate anything else.They dont win often but at leased its talked about.I find in Britian your seen as “naughty” boys and girls who will one day grow out of it.( Thats the media talking)I’ve just looked up Alan Keene on wikipedia.Wow.You all have the ammo now from people like him and the time could’nt be better to try and get through to people. Whats to lose.
July 2, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Issuing (a rather authoritarian concept) an Anarchist Manifesto (getting any agreement would be a challenge) would be an eye-opener in many ways as devotees of the more pure and traditional anarchist sacred cows will be disappointed by the reaction of the masses who are generally repelled by ideas such as pacifism, no borders, giving up all the nice cheap things that globalisation makes available to them, environmental hype that will get us living in caves and eating grass, ditto anti-nuclear agitation and vegetarianism.
People are very pissed off but there is hardly any overlap with Anarchist aspirations. Personally I think that it’s narrow local issues that get peoples juices flowing – leave the macro issues to the Westminster wankers. I can’t wait for the hustings.
July 2, 2009 at 11:45 pm
‘it’s taking the elected positions that I cannot stand. We can’t pretend that having ‘radical’ or ‘anarchist’ councillors, MEPs, MSPs, MPs or mayors will make any difference’
Except it does obviously, there are plenty of examples of decent, committed people getting elected and doing loads of good work. Fine, you can have a debate about the correct revolutionary strategy and all that but don’t pretend electing a good pro- working class candidate isn’t better than electing some tory scumbag.
July 3, 2009 at 10:34 am
There was talk at a meeting on monday over in Whitechapel, that possibly for our anti-election special issue of WAG newspaper, as well as slagging off all the politicians we would also dedicate half of it on a manifesto or at least putting forward a position on how we would organise our local area on anarchist lines i.e. hospital, post office, crime, estates etc. This way we aren’t just being negative but putting forward an alternative. And not for the whole of london or UK but for our specific local area where we have influence. It’s about time that anarchists stop just slagging things off (Though it is fun) and begin moving towards offering real and tangible ideas that will actually have a positive effect on everyday working class people.
July 3, 2009 at 11:16 am
Fucking hell WAG, steady on, anyone would think we had a progressive, practical alternative to the current system!
July 3, 2009 at 11:43 am
I’ve seen a few embrionic ideas on this blog actually flourish into some sort of action but not on something as large scale as this. I think it would be brilliant to get enough behind this for something to take off in at least one area. If we manage to get a candidate somewhere, what about a Class War candidate in the London Mayoral elections?
July 3, 2009 at 12:36 pm
I’ve been looking at this site for awhile now but whats changed is more and more people trust what you lot have been saying than they would have done a few years ago.The Ian Bone/Martin Wright speeches on You Tube seems to be what alot of people are talking about now.The Keenes house in Brentford is a feather in your cap at the moment.Go out and use it,this time might not come back for years.Dont get to bogged down with should we should’nt we vote/stand for election etc and just go.Dont neglect your alcohol levels.
July 3, 2009 at 9:26 pm
Martin Wright.(Agent Ian Bone).Ian bone.Agent (Martin Wright.)
July 4, 2009 at 4:41 am
Way to go WAG
July 4, 2009 at 7:22 am
I’ve rattled on about this topic so many times on this Blog.
It is part of,the only way forward.
But,I have to add this bit in to put the whole idea into perspective.
If putting up a candidate/or candidates,in local elections is simply a stunt,with no real ideas or platform,then it should be put into the same waste basket as 60% of other anarchist actions,that are looked upon with utter bewilderment by the people we are trying to motivate.
There is a massive amount of extremely fucked off people out there,who are never going to come over to our ideas whilst they hinge upon everyone having politically correct opinions on the environment,consumerism-all the things that Louis Lingg mentioned in his rant-I couldn’t put it any better than what he said.
If we could put together some common sense ideas
on housing,transport,crime,etc-we DON’T to need to make animal cruelty,climate change and a world without borders and boundaries part of our platform.
It’s local issues that are gonna move the people we really need.Climate change and vegetarianism are not part of their daily quest for survival.
I hope that we undergo a complete and utter restructuring job on the anarchist movement to bring it into the working class’s perspective and experience.
And putting up a candidate can be a part of the beginning of it.
A brilliant excuse to meet people and talk politics-at the very least.
But we need a rethink.There is a massive void out there we can step neatly into.It will take guts and new ways of making our good ideas of self help and community empowerment;common sense easy.
Like I said once before;walk onto any estate,into any working class pub,and you will find a few people that would agree with 90% of Class War;so no silly excuses about ‘not knowing anyone in…’
All we need is some very common sense,pro- working class ideas and a local candidate with some character and staunchness,and some imaginative ways to grab the spotlight to highlight our stance-and we WILL make more significant headway than a thousand demo’s outside the Bank of England and Parliament.
First we need the manifesto-and that ain’t gonna be no easy task,because most anarchists don’t see the working class or the inherant combative nature of their culture as our greatest asset.
They also find it hard to see beyond,”Don’t vote-it only encourages them..”, rhetoric.
If anything,whether you agree with all I’ve said on this Blog over the last few years or not,most people I’m sure would agree that we are,as a movement,at the very least,left vulnerable and cul-der- sacked,because of our lack of simple common sense solutions and ideas,and our lack of contact with the working class and their culture.
Some changes,including putting up candidates up,could remedy this situation.
July 4, 2009 at 8:38 pm
We may be looking at a total labour wipe out at the next election. Tories in your council and tories in government, a fucking nightmare and no mistake. I was at the newbury election jaunt and a good time was had by all; mandleson turned up and was verbally snookered as a result. Let’s get amongst ‘em and give ‘em a good taste of real anti capitalist/ state politics. Who knows, we may even do some good for some unrepresented comrades!
malatesta would have loved the idea! By any means necessary arm your desires and so on. We’ve got the best propoganda logos ever invented so please let’s just unleash the Situationist in us and go for it.
“I am an arrow against all the tyrants, an arrow shot from the heart of righteousness into the depths of wickedness” Richard Overton, Leveller ( no not the fucking band)
July 5, 2009 at 10:33 am
Louis hit the nail on the head when he said “Personally I think that it’s narrow local issues that get peoples juices flowing – leave the macro issues to the Westminster wankers.”, but I think there’s a way to link micro and macro issues.
I’m an anarchist who stood in local elections a few years ago when the BNP threatened to stand a candidate where I lived. I wasn’t elected as a Ward Councillor but I was elected as a Town Councillor. Personal problems stopped me serving a full term, but I was there long enough to learn that – despite their so-called apathy – there are shit loads of people who care about what happens in their community, but there are no real powers available to anyone locally to change anything.
Only 5% of public money is in the hands of people who are accountable to the public. In most towns the important decisions, things like transport or housing, are made by unelected quangos and almos (arms length management organisations).
In real terms Town and Parish Councillors, who should be the front line of local democracy, can do little more than erect park benches and oppose – not stop – dodgy planning applications. Ward Councillors don’t have a whole lot more power – especially if their decisions can be overturned by an ‘elected mayor’! – and even ‘good’ MPs are fighting a very lonely fight if they want to improve the prospects of working class areas.
I believe that anarchists can work to promote ‘Direct Democracy’ (DD) without compromising any dearly held anarchist principles; purists should look upon DD as the community version of a Workers Council. As East Ham Dave said an essential element to an anarchist manifesto should reflect a commitment “to ideas of self help and community empowerment.” I think we can put forward a model for a political party/movement which intends to widen political representation.
We need to encourage participation at a street/block level. I think it would be interesting to organise TARA type meetings (though with more of a gala feel to them) where representatives from individual streets can air their views. TARAs initially attract relatively large numbers of people, but interest dwindles as people realise that nothing changes if you still act within the existing political/legal system; our movement would have to show that it is willing to answer the most pressing needs of the community “by any means necessary”. This organisation wouldn’t wait for elections to promise change, but it would help to identify potential community leaders when elections are looming. What’s more we have a document that provides something of a ready made manifesto to help us on our way.
In March, 2006 the Joseph Rowntree Trust published ‘POWER TO THE PEOPLE: The Report of Power, An Independent Inquiry into Britain’s Democracy’. Inevitably the report concludes that there isn’t any democracy in Britain, but it does provide a real insight into what can be done to change things.
This idea obviously needs a lot of work, but I think it’s achievable if we, as anarchists, can focus our collective strengths.
July 6, 2009 at 3:49 am
I don’t think it is a compromise of principle to canvass a mandate for the deconstruction of Parliament. You have my vote.
July 6, 2009 at 1:25 pm
I think that some great points have been raised above, and I don’t think that the idea is necessarily a bad one.
However, I think that we should also remember that becoming part of the government was one of the mistakes made by anarchists during the Spanish Civil War.
‘It is thought by some critics that anarchists exaggerate the corrupting effect that power has on individuals. They also maintain that those anarchists who look upon all government in the same light are being unrealistic. The argument always advanced is that from the anarchist point of view, a government which permits freedom of speech and freedom of the press is to be preferred and supported against one which crushes with a single voice. This may be true in a sense, but it is nevertheless a choice between two evils, and ignores the fact that the government which can permit the people to criticise it and attack it with words, is in reality a stronger and more secure government than one which denies all criticism of the social system and the men in power, and perhaps therefore, from a revolutionary point of view, a greater obstacle to overcome.
‘Many anarchists have been influenced by these criticisms and by those people who, whilst sympathising with the anarchist philosophy, nevertheless, consider it utopian and beyond the realms of practical application. “Perhaps in a thousand years” they say as they return to the problems of the hour. And these anarchists stung by the accusation that they are “dreamers”, seek to put forward the “practical solutions” capable of realisation in the present. But for these solutions to be “practical” they must inevitably be effected through the existing governmental and state institutions, and this can only mean one thing: a recognition that the problems of our time can be solved by governmental action. And to admit this is to destroy the whole anarchist criticism of government – a criticism not based on emotion or prejudice, buut on the accumulated knowledge of the purpose and function of governments and the State’
Vernon Ricahrds, ‘Lessons of the Spanish Revolution, 1936-39′, (1953).
July 6, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Excellent comeback,Dirty Squatter.
But,speaking for myself,I envisaged us using any means necessary to create and seize space that would be controlled by a militant working class army,that does NOT allow evictions,anti social crime,disconnections,repossesions,police intervention,etc.
This is not in any way an acknowledgement that problems need to be solved by government institutions or action.
We’d do it ourselves.
It’s called taking back power,and using anything we deam necessary to keep it.
July 7, 2009 at 3:09 am
I have to admit I’m ignorant of the subject of Spanish politics and history but I do recognise anarchists play a game of Russian roulette by entering into a ‘pact with the devil’ by participating in government. However, my justification for support of the proposal for anarchist candidature at election is the belief the aim of it is to:
1.) Canvass a mandate for the ultimate abolition of government and its’ institutions.
2.) Introduce people to economic alternatives to Western capitalist and Soviet state capitalist economies, i.e., Mutualism.
3.) To use a constituency to create a model of anarchy in microcosm to demonstrate the validity of it and thereby provide momentum for a pacific anarchic revolution without the necessity to continue to canvass for re election.
4.) And finally, the belief anarchists now can’t afford the luxury of patience in the realisation of revolution because of the failure of the Left to mitigate the capitalist model, the success of the BNP and the urgent necessity to address an environmental and ecological threat to our survival.
With reference to East Ham Dave’s and Warren’s suggestions which claim it is only logical to campaign in the local community upon local issues if anarchists want to solicit a communal mandate, I agree. However, I argue local issues include environmental concerns such as the cause and effect of local air pollution, local soil and water contamination, energy conservation and the extension of local parks, commons and allotments.
It was Proudhon who said neither air, water, light nor land can be justly appropriated because they are indispensable and consequently any appropriation of these limited resources is unacceptable. He maintained an individual’s equality of right to access to such resources is proven by equality of his necessity for the resource and where provision is limited; equality of rights can be established only by absolute equality of possession.
Yet, the capitalist regime has seized possession of the inherent birthright of access to uncontaminated air, water and soil and sold them and/ or their products to us as polluted and toxic commodities at inflated prices. Therefore, I maintain it is every anarchist’s duty to reclaim and reappropriate the resources of uncontaminated air, water and soil to the people. And it is the people who are the white working class and the ethnic minorities who are confined to or ‘interned’ in polluted cities which act as vast social concentration camps of poverty and social immobility who experience acute deprivation of these resources. Therefore, I believe it is the cities in which the anarchists have to begin.
July 7, 2009 at 5:20 am
Very eloquently put Dirty Squatter.I remember some of those old veterans from the Spanish war when I was much younger, they were pretty down to earth people.So please dont start refering to things like” Vernon Richards’Lessons of the Spanish Revolution 1936/1939(1953) “(I’m sure its out of print)but maybe its still a great read. Never having the need to read it myself and I dont think books like that were the biggest seller on my council estate,since none of my mates have heard of it either(maybe we did’t need to) “I just told you what you already know”as the old saying goes.If your going to start running around us unwashed at least give us some sort of credit when you come across one of us.I dont dout that your sincerity is real but how some of you write sounds more like an interesting school essay or project.Just write a simple fucking manifesto that me and my mates and the old women with the two carrier bags coming back from the supermarket can relate to in these modern times.Who knows you might start getting votes.
July 7, 2009 at 9:35 am
As I said before, I think some great points have been raised.
A large section of the electorate is clearly very disillusioned with politicians and with our parliamentary system. Perhaps now IS the time to reconsider our position with regard to elections and to democracy (sic)? Either way, concentrating on issues that effect the local community – issues that we can address immediately and in a tangible way – and, just as importantly, engaging the local community – letting them know about who we are and what we’re about – is THE place to start a campaign (whether it be an election campaign or an anti-election campaign).
Personally, I’ve always been keen on the idea of spoiling the ballot paper, and on the only occasions I’ve ever been to the polling station that’s the only thing I’ve been able to bring myself to do. If, somehow, we could get every single person who has a vote and who is disillusioned with the system to spoil their paper, I reckon we’d have a very significant percentage of the vote. Direct action would thereafter, in my opinion, be legitimised.
I don’t think that’s going to happen though, and realise that spoiling papers or Voting Nobody is pretty much an empty gesture. Simply regurgitating true but ultimately pointless catchphrases such as, ‘Don’t vote, it only encourages them’, or ‘Whoever you vote for the government always wins’, will not really change anything.
Whether or not to vote at elections has always been (and I would’ve thought will continue to be) a bit of a dilemma for anarchists. During the short-lived Second Republic that existed in Spain before the outbreak of civil war, anarchists always rejected the Republic but would sometimes vote at elections, depending on whether or not it was tactically advisable for them to do so. When later, during the Civil War, four anarchists became ministers in the Catalan government, they lost the initiative that they had rightly gained. Joining the government was a big mistake for them.
I only mentioned Spain because I have some knowledge of the revolution and of anarchist involvement in the civil war. Vernon Richards was probably pretty much unknown amongst the working class community that I grew up in. I read his ‘Lessons…’ and many other books about Spain when I was much older. It’s not a great read, unless you’re particularly interested in what was happening in Spain in the years leading up to the Second World War. I did think though, that the piece I quoted was fairly relevant to the discussion taking place. Not only that, it was more or less what I wanted to say but is almost certainly written more concisely and more eloquently than I could have managed!
July 7, 2009 at 1:02 pm
You’ve lost me ,Dirty Squatter.
Spoiling the ballot paper doesn’t work and doesn’t say fuck all.And wots the point in starting a campaign,if its an’anti election campaign’….we’ve tried it before,and wots the point in putting a load of effort into an anti election campaign,when we could put the same amount of energy into a campaign about standing for something-and actually initiating action,and perhaps putting over the new face of Class War that we aren’t all against every fucking thing but stand for nothing that can effect some immediate change and help people.
Everyone should take a double read of what Robert said.On the estate I live on-in the area I live-that is what would get peoples attention and would perhaps get them along to a public meeting if you called one.
I’ll say it again:
Make it simple
Make it strong
Make it about and for the people you want to get your ideas over to-fuck worrying about whether you might cop a tongue lashing or abuse of being simpletons by the left….they do not have a fucking clue.
And,Dirty Squatter,if you want to know why the Spanish anarchists failed,it might have been because they were too fucking nice to the people who fucked them-the left and right.They should have been far more aggressive about holding onto what they had taken,and attacked the leftist scum who daggered them in the back with the same degree of violence that they applied to the fascists-anyways-thats fucking history-lets start making our own.
July 7, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Yeah, I think I agree with all of that, East Ham Dave. I wasn’t suggesting that spoiling the paper is effective. As I said, ‘it’s an empty gesture’.
The reason you cite for the Spanish anarchists’ failure is certainly an important reason among several. But, as you quite rightly say, that is history, and we should now concentrate on creating our own.
And as I said right at the start, I think that an election campaign is not necessarily a bad idea. Done in the right way I think it could be far more effective, and far more worthwhile, than any anti-election campaign (which have been done before, etc).
Really, all I wanted to do was highlight the dangerous paradox of anarchists getting involved with elections, parliament and government. I thought the involvement of Spanish anarchists in the Catalan government was a good example. Had they done what you suggest, then surely they’d have never have had to even consider becoming involved with government.
The situation is obviously so completely different today, and so now might be the time for anarchists to engage with the electoral system. I don’t know, I’m still undecided. I suppose a lot depends on how much faith you have in the electoral system.
I agree with what Robert said (apart from the bit where he implied that I was a middle-class student!), and you’re right to draw our attention back to it. I really didn’t mean to sidetrack this discussion with one about the failure of the Spanish anarchists.
Anyway, I’ll shut up now!
July 7, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Yes, this open sort of open living politics is the way to go.
Up here in County Durham I am thinking about joining in with a campaign to oust a New Labour luvvie traitorous bastard MP in a safe seat.
I could try a sort of an independent anarchist in your face campaign, but I think joining in with an Independent Working Class N.U.M. candidate to try to kill new labour is the better way to go up here. That’s not to say I won’t do something differently in the future…
I’ve also been speaking to some others, including former Labour candidates, who voted ‘Socialist Labour’ recently to see if anybody got the message.
July 7, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Vote Socialist?????
July 7, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Look at this from my point of view.I’m now a grandad heading towards that age of “retirerment’.I retired at the age of 20.(Well at least in my head).I’m nearly sixty now .I like you Dirty Squatter and East Ham Dave.Ian Bone And Martin Wright,Stott and the rest of you./If you lot ever turn up at my door there’s a welcome for you.Free food and booze for three days.But will one of you please,For fucks sakes stand ánd go for it
July 7, 2009 at 10:37 pm
The Class War Organisation finally gets a mention.
Some of the comments on this site,around the idea
of putting up a class war candidate are mustard cutters.
We have to hone down our ideas and the way we put them across so that they are easier for working class digestion.
East Ham Dave,Robert,Louis..etc-it would be great to run with you-your ideas are the way forward.
July 12, 2009 at 9:42 am
Is the numbers of anarchists in this country going up year on year?
How long, at the current rate of our numbers growth will it be before we become ‘viable’?
What can be done to grow our numbers, and who has the ideas and vision to actually do it in the time available?
July 12, 2009 at 9:19 pm
I think the way to push things forward for us is to encourage the creation of anarchist social centres outside of London.
There needs to be a contact point for people in every city to help them organise. Where I am there is virtually no contact with the older generation of anarchists. We’re all about 18-25 in our group and we’re all learning to organise from scratch.
Anarchism can’t be pushed on people, you need to make the information available to people and let them come to it. Which is why I would like to push for the creation of more social centres because by organising social events you attract people not involved in anarchism and perhaps make them curious.
Is there any information available online to help people start social centres? What pitfalls to avoid, etc.
July 13, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Eddie,you’re a fucking genious-great idea-every nook and cranny in working class Britain should have at least one.
Could I also add this;By putting up candidates and setting up advice/social centres, I hope we are taking things further than just introducing people to anarchism.They’ll find that along the way if we are smart enuf here.I think we should keep it simple.Simple ideas,for working class estates,streets and lives.They’ll love it.In the process we’ll do everything we can to strengthen community,so we have somewhere to use as a concrete slab to build and fight from.We have to be street and media savy to work this.
If we don’t have sound,common sense ideas and solutions for your average working class person/family-then all we’re doing is pulling another stunt to get the name anarchism onto page 10 of the Sun.
We can go way further.
We need a manifesto….If it’s not loaded up with utter tripe,people will flock to it.-The time is right.
As one last comment,I’d like to suggest this;
There are some very charismatic,working class ‘characters’ out there that agree with working class empowerment and have an extremely entrenched hatred of all authority and all things middle and upper class.They might not have ‘Class War’ tattooed across their foreheads,but they walk and talk the working class/class war code of life and would make fucking awesome candidates.
And they are all over England… Ian,what about you standing….!!!!!