Platformism & Anti-Platformism

[fa2991]

What are your thoughts on platformist anarchism and its founding document (http://www.nestormakhno.info/english/newplatform/org_plat.htm)?

I'm still trying to sort out how exactly I feel about it.

[revolution inaction]

i think it is good to read also malatesta's responses and the replies to him

[ContrarianLemming]

I think it's good to note that it really didn't bring any truly original ideas to the table.

[syndicat]

the idea of separate roles for a political organization and the mass organizations (such as unions) wasn't invented by the Platform. Italian anarchists followed this concept during World War 1 and its aftermath for example.

Nor was federalism new as a libertarian socialist concept. Theoretical and practice unity are needed in a political organization but that doesn't tell us how much unity should be aimed at. Being too stringent here could lead to unnecessary splits over doctrinal points that have no current bearing on practice. On the other hand, anarchists have often erred more in the other direction, of not having a clear basis of unity and practical orientation.

The founding document didn't really have a lot of influence in anarchist circles until more recent times. Even in the '70s and '80s I don't remember anyone in anarchist circles talking about the Platform (in North America).

I also worry about excessive emphasis on the role of the political organization whereas I think it has been historically a central libertarian socialist idea to regard the mass organizations as the means to revolution. I know platformists who I would say do not over-emphasize the political organization. I'm just saying it might be a danger.

[black magick hustla]

a good document. unfortunately, platformist groups today, atleast the ones around anarkismo, are nationalist organizations.

[MarxSchmarx]

The founding document didn't really have a lot of influence in anarchist circles until more recent times. Even in the '70s and '80s I don't remember anyone in anarchist circles talking about the Platform (in North America).


I've often wondered about that myself. Although I would have little way of assessing through first hand experience how things were like, it seems like the overwhelming majority of stuff written in English about the platform come from post-cold war eras. It's sudden rediscovery is kind of striking.

[The Feral Underclass]

If you're going to the London Anarchist Bookfair, there will be a talk by the AF called Reclaiming the Platform, that will look at the document and the neo-platformist groups that have emerged around it.

[Devrim]

The founding document didn't really have a lot of influence in anarchist circles until more recent times. Even in the '70s and '80s I don't remember anyone in anarchist circles talking about the Platform (in North America).

As I remember, it started being discussed in anarchist circles in Britain and Ireland in the 1980s. The WSM was obviously influenced by it, and the group around the magazine virus that later became the AF, now ACF were discussing it.

I think that one of the leading members of the AF speaks French, and had possibly lived in France, though I am not 100% sure about it, where I think it had influence on anarchist organisations in the 1970s.

Devrim

[Forward Union]

As I remember, it started being discussed in anarchist circles in Britain and Ireland in the 1980s. The WSM was obviously influenced by it, and the group around the magazine virus that later became the AF, now ACF were discussing it.

I think that one of the leading members of the AF speaks French, and had possibly lived in France, though I am not 100% sure about it, where I think it had influence on anarchist organisations in the 1970s.

Devrim

Yea I think that's right. Presumably influenced by Alternative Libertaire which is one of the larger Anarkismo members.


a good document. unfortunately, platformist groups today, atleast the ones around anarkismo, are nationalist organizations.

i lold

[black magick hustla]

i lold

how r the union meetings do atleast they make good drinking buddies

[Forward Union]

how r the union meetings do atleast they make good drinking buddies

What?