How to start an organization

[Mariam]

Well....

Some people I know want to start a small orgnaization, they've asked me to take part though, I dont like being involved in such things, but I thought I ask first how to start an organization, and how to keep it running, and such things??

They do have some good ideas about politics and they say they would like to change whatever bad situations in the society...I didn't want to kill their ambition from the begining ;)!

So....Any ideas, advice, or anything that helps would be great.

Thanks.

[The Feral Underclass]

The first thing you have to work out is what is the purpose and point of this organisation? What are the principles in which it is being formed?

You will probably find that such an organisation already exists. My advice would then be to associate yourselves with them. Simply because of the resources, contacts and experience older comrades can offer.

[Nachie]

I think it's important to focus on you actual activity before adopting any organizational formation, particularly not one that would rely on set meetings and a voting structure that could turn into bureaucratic burdens in the future.

Besides, until you have a serious discussion related to what you think would be good work to do in your area, you're only united by ideology. Many "organizations" form and then don't do anything other than literature distribution, for which you didn't need an organization in the first place. Then when it comes to more serious community involvement projects, the collective falls apart. Simply put, sometimes "formalizing" your affinity group is counterproductive.

It's not about killing their ambition, it's about making sure it doesn't get squandered into shit that doesn't work! It's about making sure it becomes a sustainable drive and committment that isn't going to rely upon a weekly meeting for its mandate of existence. Choosing a name to affiliate under can be a good first step, just make sure to stay fluid in terms of what "forms" you adopt under that banner. The bottom line is, it's more important to be organized than to have an organization.

Here's a short read that could help: RAAN Principles of Organization (http://www.redanarchist.org/texts/praxis/1/principlesoforganization.html)

And a slightly longer one: The Functioning of a Network: A "No Bullshit" Policy Against the Lethargy of Activism (http://www.redanarchist.org/texts/praxis/2/nobullshit.html)

G'luck, coooooooooooooooomrade ;)

EDIT ADD: I second the above advice.

[Mariam]

They want to start as an idependent organization at the uni, because all candidates in the uni's election represent political parties in the society and they are obviously a reflection of those parties, becuase they are not doing any thing rather than reaching the council.

As they told me it would be better to have members with variant ideologies to represent the diffrenet idologies in the society and to foucs the idea that there's unity despite the diversety (I like this idea!!)

They want to start at the uni in order to change some low conditions there, and then establish themselves as an active organization that truly stands for the public.

So...what do you think??

[Nachie]

Well it sounds like you all have some specific things in mind about the uni that you would like to see changed... start talking about practical solutions to those problems and the most efficient organizational form will emerge based on what you decide you actually have a chance of getting done. You can always "formalize" later, but it's hard to regain the initial momentum of informal activity.

I dunno so much about this "variant ideologies" thing... it depends specifically on what the task is that you're trying to accomplish, and WHO you'll be working with. Usually though, ideologies are variant for a reason and many groups will only participate because they see you as a recruiting ground. Moreover, while college campuses can be good breeding grounds for cross-ideological alliances on single issues, it's unlikely that you'll be able to transfer from the campus into the community without having a better idea of who you are and what you stand for. Goodwill between allied groups tends to die out, too.

Unity is inspiring, but not when the cost is reformism.

EDIT ADD: Is the main purpose of this hypothetical organization to field independent candidates in the uni's elections?

[The Feral Underclass]

Originally posted by [email protected] 21 2006, 04:57 PM
As they told me it would be better to have members with variant ideologies to represent the diffrenet idologies in the society and to foucs the idea that there's unity despite the diversety (I like this idea!!)
I don't think that would be better. What this will create is a discussion group. In my experience it is much wiser to find a group of people who share common principles and can agree on key things. Again, in my experience, if this is not the case things will ultimately fall apart.


They want to start at the uni in order to change some low conditions there, and then establish themselves as an active organization that truly stands for the public.

A noble thing to do, but I would always be wary of people who say "stands for the public".

[Mariam]

I don't think that would be better. What this will create is a discussion group. In my experience it is much wiser to find a group of people who share common principles and can agree on key things. Again, in my experience, if this is not the case things will ultimately fall apart.

....but they are all working for the same reason...



A noble thing to do, but I would always be wary of people who say "stands for the public".

For the same reason I dont feel like joining...


EDIT ADD: Is the main purpose of this hypothetical organization to field independent candidates in the uni's elections?

Something like that, and then do the same in the common elections!! ;)

[Nachie]

Originally posted by [email protected] 21 2006, 04:40 PM
Something like that, and then do the same in the common elections!! ;)
ehhhh...

oh well, good luck anyways.

[Mariam]

Thanks.. :)

But I don't think that I'll join.

[The Feral Underclass]

Originally posted by Nachie+Apr 21 2006, 05:48 PM--> (Nachie @ Apr 21 2006, 05:48 PM)
[email protected] 21 2006, 04:40 PM
Something like that, and then do the same in the common elections!! ;)
ehhhh...

oh well, good luck anyways. [/b]
Be nice.. :ph34r:

Why do you think elections, of any kind, are a valuable way of achieving your aims?

[The Feral Underclass]

Originally posted by [email protected] 21 2006, 05:53 PM
Thanks.. :)

But I don't think that I'll join.
You're probably right not to. Where do you live in the world?

[Nachie]

TAT I didn't mean it offensively towards Adonis. I took his earlier comments and the winky face to mean that he wasn't particularly sold on that method of "struggle", either. Hopefully you've got something in your political organizations contact list that could be useful to him.

Adonis, I'm going by your user icon and assuming that you are an anarchist of some sort? Be wary of groups that start on college campuses, they have a tendency to never escape! :lol:

[Mariam]

Why do you think elections, of any kind, are a valuable way of achieving your aims?

Because they think that they are the supporters of the public, and the public needs some"thing" to get things right...
For me I wont vote either in the uni's election or any other elections.


You're probably right not to. Where do you live in the world?

I don't like to say that, but I'm from Bahrain! ;)

[Mariam]

TAT I didn't mean it offensively towards Adonis. I took his earlier comments and the winky face to mean that he wasn't particularly sold on that method of "struggle", either. Hopefully you've got something in your political organizations contact list that could be useful to him.

Your right about the winky face...(That's another one for you.. ;) )

The whole thing is that they sounded to zealous to start this "whatever" organization, so I thought I ask how would any organization get started...
I'm not really a good "group" worker... ;)


Adonis, I'm going by your user icon and assuming that you are an anarchist of some sort? Be wary of groups that start on college campuses, they have a tendency to never escape!

Hehehe..

[Nachie]

Originally posted by [email protected] 21 2006, 05:11 PM
I'm not really a good "group" worker... ;)
I hear ya... or at least, most "groups" make it very hard to work with them!

Nevertheless sometimes the most effective actions are individual ones, and you can have a much greater impact than you realize - particularly if you insist on dealing with issues without going through the traditional power structure.

Are you in any way interested in joining some type of revolutionary association, or are you pretty committed to working by yourself? In light of the fact that they're interested in electoralism, when you ask how an organization gets started, I have to say that what myself and TAT have suggested here is probably much different from what the people you know have in mind.

A good number of us are involved in projects designed to experiment with ways to (hopefully) conjoin the forces, credibility, and experiences of various revolutionaries into a powerful offensive front without sacrificing the autonomy of the participants...

[Mariam]

I hear ya... or at least, most "groups" make it very hard to work with them

That's right!



Nevertheless sometimes the most effective actions are individual ones, and you can have a much greater impact than you realize - particularly if you insist on dealing with issues without going through the traditional power structure.

Yah..sometimes it's much better to work alone.


Are you in any way interested in joining some type of revolutionary association

What kind of revolutionary association??

[Nachie]

Well gee that's really up to you. I guess the better question is, what kind of model do you envision as being sufficiently "revolutionary"? Does one even exist, or is it always better to remain unaffiliated and act on your own?

There are about eighty gabillion (http://www.revolutionaryleft.com/index.php?showtopic=31615) different groups out there, some much more revolutionary than others, some involved in elections some not, etc. Most have some type of decision-making process that functions through an elected or appointed bureaucracy.

I myself am involved with a group called the Red & Anarchist Action Network (RAAN) which currently has active crews and individuals in the United States and Venezuela. Any questions you have about us, I can either answer or direct you to someone who can. A good introductory text can be found at Defining the RAAN (http://www.redanarchist.org/definition/index.html) or the "Principles of Organization" link I posted above.

Returning to the original question, the big idea is that we have to be involved in a never-ending collective discussion about what forms our movement will adopt, and we have to realize that it will adopt different ones according to different conditions. RAAN seeks to unite anarchists and non-Leninist Marxists/communists along a compatible revolutionary ideology with a fundamental respect for diversity of tactics. Within this umbrella, people have organized themselves as everything from formal collectives to individual cells, always autonomously but always cooperatively with the larger network.

[Mariam]

and we have to realize that it will adopt different ones according to different conditions


RAAN seeks to unite anarchists and non-Leninist Marxists/communists along a compatible revolutionary ideology with a fundamental respect for diversity of tactics

What you said is just great, and I found the link interesting.
Ummmm....
though I don't like working in groups, Im really trying to be active, and that is rarely happining here..
Give me a break to think about it and I hope I'll come up with something.
You know it's not just about joining and being a part of something.

Thanks again.

[Nachie]

Right on, good luck!

[Mariam]

Thanks ;)