Platformism.

[Catbus]

I don't understand what platformism is. Could someone explain what platformism is, and also how it ties into anarcho-syndicalism?

[Tjis]

Platformism is a way of organising an anarchist organisation as outlined in the "Organizational Platform of the General Union of Anarchists", written by the Delo Trouda group. You can find it here: http://www.nestormakhno.info/english/index.htm.

The Platform argues that an anarchist group should be organized according to these points:
1. Theoretical Unity
2. Tactical Unity
3. Collective Responsibility
4. Federalism
So in the organisation all anarchists agree on the theory (why do we want anarchism, what kind of society do we want, why do we need an organisation for this) and the tactics (People in the organisation shouldn't be doing things that counter things others in the organisation are doing).
Collective responsibility means that the entire organisation is responsible for the things their members do.
Finally, federalism means that the organisation isn't hierarchical and no group has any power over any other group.

The goal of the organisation before the revolution is to spread revolutionary propaganda to help build a broad workers movement with anarchist sympathies. During the revolution the goal of the organisation would be to keep the movement anarchist, for example preventing leninist attempts to hijack the movement. But the goal is never to control the movement like a vanguard party would. The organisation would at most be a vanguard of ideas.

An example of an organisation that organizes according to this program is the Class War Federation. Their book "Unfinished Business - The Politics of Class War" contains an excellent explanation about platformism.

[Tjis]

I totally forgot to answer your question about anarcho-syndicalism.
An anarcho-syndicalist organisation is the skeleton of the future anarchist society. During and after the revolution this organisation would organize the things needed by society, such as the production, transport, electricity and water, housing, etc.
A platformist organisation is not the skeleton of the future anarchist society. Its goal is only the revolution itself.

The platform argues that a revolutionary anarchist organisation should be active within the workplace to radicalise it and help form revolutionary unions. But always with the theoretical and tactical unity of the platformist organization in mind. Because of the membership with an organisation outside of the workplace and the theoretical and tactical unity it brings, the radicalisation can be much more effective. Also, it prevents the revolutionary unions from becoming reformist. (Actually the FAI had a similar function in the CNT).

[Catbus]

Ah, thanks for the response.