[STUDY GROUP] Anarchist theory

[anomaly]

So here is a poll. Let's decide. I used every concrete suggestion I could find in the thread and added Proudhon's Property is Theft simply because I figure some people might want to read it.

[which doctor]

I would be willing to participate in this group.

Which ones of these are available for free somewhere on the internet?

I'd like to read The Joy Of Revolution by Ken Knabb http://www.bopsecrets.org/PS/joyrev.htm

[black magick hustla]

i think most of anarchist theory is rather worthless.

the aspects that can be saved come from the situationist inspired anarchist left and the anarcho-syndicalist millieu.

[anomaly]

As far as practical issues go, and as far as what situationists think (for the most part), I largely agree with them. However, their reliance upon Marxist dialectics is something I completely disagree with. Marxist dialectics stem from a nonsensical Enlightenment philosophy, and they simply have no function in the struggle.

I certainly don't think anarchist theory is 'worthless' in any sense.

[SPK]

Please, dear god, no Chomsky.

[Black Dagger]

I voted for, 'Anarchy by Malatesta'.

[Red_Oleander]

I'd like to be apart of this study group too.
I'd be willing to read whichever one's available online.

[YSR]

I just posted, but it didn't go through for some reason. I think so. Weird.

Anyhow, I STRONGLY suggest people vote for Graeber's piece. I just read it for my study group on anarchist anthropology and it's really decent.

It doesn't have the history or influence of the "bearded guys," and it assumes at least a passing knowledge of anarchist thought, but it's really great. It's tremendously relevent to today and provides some excellent alternatives to the Marxist hegemony of the radical left.

That being said, I'll probably read whatever we choose (as well as my weekly readings for anarch-anthro. Oy vey.)

[apathy maybe]

It would be really nice if the different pieces could be linked to. Perhaps a short blurb about each ... ?

Anyway, I think that I'll be reading whichever, so long as it does not clash with exams ...

[Guevarist]

http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archi...whatis_toc.html (http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/bright/berkman/comanarchism/whatis_toc.html)

this is berkman's book online.


does anyone know if 'steal this book' from abbie hoffman is worth reading?

[Pirate Utopian]

i liked steal this book, it had some good advice, im no anarchist but the book was good.
you can get it for free here: http://www.eriswerks.org/steal.html

[moskvax]

I'm unfamiliar with all of these books, but I'd dedicate myself to study whichever one gets picked if I can get my hands on it. I know this doesn't help with the poll, just count me in the study group.

[YSR]

Guevarist, Steal This Book is a decent read, but much of the technical information is out of date. Some of the other suggestions are still feasible though.

Who voted for "Property is Theft!"? First off, the title of the book is "What is Property?" no? Second, I've read a good deal of it, and it is incredibly irrelevent to the modern day. Why it's included in this poll is beyond me. Proudhon has as much to do with anarchism as Saint-Simon does to communism: there are some passing similarities. A Proudhonist would probably barely consider a contemporary anarchist a comrade.

[Guevarist]

Ok, thanks.

[Blue Collar Bohemian]

I suggest you read some Emma Goldman, its good stuff.

[violencia.Proletariat]

For goodness sake take chomsky out of there. If we wanted to read his opinions on how to make revolution we would be registering to vote.

I suggest replacing chomsky with Rudolph Rockers Anarcho-syndicalism.

[bcbm]

No Daniel Guerin?

[Janus]

There should've at least been a suggestions thread for this.

[anomaly]

Well, I have Guerin's anthology called "No Gods No Masters." I wasn't aware he wrote some of his own shit.

By the way, I added Chomsky because it was suggested. And I added Proudhon's Property is Theft because it seems a popular one. I don't particularly like either guy myself. If you don't like them, don't vote for them.

Myself, I voted for Kropotkin's Anarchism.

[anomaly]

Originally posted by [email protected] 23, 2006 10:17 pm
There should've at least been a suggestions thread for this.
There was, and it lasted a long time. People were saying someone should make a thread with the suggestions, so I did.

[Janus]

I'm talking about an explicit suggestions thread; the thread which inspired this one was basically made up of "I'm in" posts with little to no suggestions.

[YSR]

It's true. But anomoly's taken the initiative here. If everyone thinks it sucks or something we can always run another study group.

Myself, I don't mind.

[The Feral Underclass]

Originally posted by black banner black [email protected] 23, 2006 08:57 pm
No Daniel Guerin?
I put it down to homophobia.

And I chose Anarchy by the Malatesta.

[which doctor]

I'd like to read The End of Anarchism? by Luigi Galleani but I can't find a copy of it on the internet in English.

[The Feral Underclass]

Daniel Guerin was gay by the way...

[anomaly]

Dude it's not funny when you explain it.

Since nothing is going to win a majority (most likely), we're probably going to have to go with a plurality...or we could have many tiny groups. For example, the four of us who want to read Anarchism form a group, the three who want to read Anarchy form one, etc. Either of those sound good to anyone?

[The Feral Underclass]

Originally posted by [email protected] 27, 2006 02:51 am
Dude it's not funny when you explain it.
Well shut up then! :unsure:

[YSR]

I voted for Fragments because I've read it and it's fantastic. But I will certainly go along with Kropotkin, since that's something I've been wanting to read for some time. Or Malatesta, I suppose.

[Black Dagger]

Originally posted by Young Stupid [email protected] 28, 2006 02:17 am
Or Malatesta, I suppose.
You suppose? What the fuck is 'i suppose Malatesta'?!!!

Way to sound like a Kropotkinist douche.

[YSR]

Hey bro, chill. I've never read anything of either of them except some essays. Malatesta was fucking rad, but I'm really interested in Kroptkin mostly because I want to read "Mutual Aid".

BD, you okay?

[Black Dagger]

Hehe, i'm just playin' with you bub :wub:

I'm kinda worried that you'd actually think i'd fly off the handle like that at you! :mellow:

[YSR]

Today hasn't been my day for getting jokes. Midterms kicked my ass. :blink:

[Pawn Power]

I'm going to go with Graeber because I recently bought it and have been meaning to read it soon.

[BurnTheOliveTree]

Kropotkin, I hear good things about him.

Look forward to starting me hearties.

-Alex

[anomaly]

TAT, I'm just playing with you hun. You know I love you.

So...anyone have any thoughts on what I was saying in my preceding post?

[The Feral Underclass]

Originally posted by [email protected] 28, 2006 08:36 am
TAT, I'm just playing with you hun. You know I love you.
I know!

I was being self-depricating, although apparently that doesn't travel well on the internet.

[Black Dagger]

I miss you :(

[Nex]

Kroptkin is fine, but can we do an individualistic anarchist next so we can get some contrast between the two primary schools of anarchist thought? Like maybe Stirner? Or to piss everybody off we could go through something by Rothbard.

[The Feral Underclass]

Originally posted by [email protected] 28, 2006 04:23 pm
Kroptkin is fine, but can we do an individualistic anarchist next so we can get some contrast between the two primary schools of anarchist thought? Like maybe Stirner? Or to piss everybody off we could go through something by Rothbard.
'Social Anarchism vs Lifestyle Anarchism' (http://www.spunk.org/library/writers/bookchin/sp001512/) by Murray Bookchin is the best example of understanding individualist anarchism...

[The Feral Underclass]

Originally posted by Black [email protected] 28, 2006 12:34 pm
I miss you :(
No you don't, you hate me :mellow:

[Nex]

Thanks for the link TAT... the page is making me rethink some of my views.

[The Feral Underclass]

Originally posted by [email protected] 29, 2006 11:46 am
Thanks for the link TAT... the page is making me rethink some of my views.
Plenty more where that came from ;)

[Leo]

Kropotkin was the "Karl Kautsky" of Anarchism ( <_< )

I voted for Towards a Fresh Revolution by Friends of Durruti, which is clearly the most worthy piece on the list. In fact I think it is one of the best anarchist literature ever written.

Why isn&#39;t there anything by Debord or Castoriadis on this list?

[The Feral Underclass]

Because they weren&#39;t explicitly anarchists and this selection is for the purpose of understanding anarchism specifically.

At least that&#39;s how I understand it.

[Leo]

Because they weren&#39;t explicitly anarchists and this selection is for the purpose of understanding anarchism specifically.

At least that&#39;s how I understand it.

Hmm, I see... I think Castoriadis did become explicitly anarchist eventually but oh well.

[Black Dagger]

Originally posted by The Anarchist Tension+October 29, 2006 08:33 pm--> (The Anarchist Tension @ October 29, 2006 08:33 pm)
Black [email protected] 28, 2006 12:34 pm
I miss you :(
No you don&#39;t, you hate me :mellow: [/b]
Why do you say such things? You know, i don&#39;t hate you, you were angry at me, not the other way around... i&#39;ve been waiting for you on msn :(

[Nex]

Well if being explicitly anarchist is the only necessity what about Voltairine de Cleyre? She has a unique place in anarchist history. She mostly wrote articles and shorter peices, but I don&#39;t see how that&#39;s too big of a problem. She eventually moved away from the individualists and existed in a place apart. Kind of an interesting girl really.

[moskvax]

"Anarchism by Kropotkin" is referring to this (http://www.amazon.com/Anarchism-Collection-Revolutionary-Peter-Kropotkin/dp/048641955X/) collection of writings, isn&#39;t it? Although I don&#39;t have that book, just about everything Kropotkin has written is available for free somewhere on the net (i.e. here (http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/kropotkin/KropotkinCW.html)), so I doubt that there will be something in it which others wouldn&#39;t be able to read if they wanted to. Also, if "Anarchism" was referring in particular to the 1905 article Kropotkin wrote for the 1910 Britannica, that article is available on the archive I just linked to, and surely other places as well.

It&#39;s been determined that at least six people want to study Kropotkin. To get some kind of action finally taking place, I think somebody who owns that book should open it up, pick a certain writing they like, and make a study thread on it.

The original (February&#33;) thread was directed towards people who were totally new to anarchist theory; how can such people, who just have the desire to learn something, know for certain in advance (or even care) which author they want to start with? Let&#39;s just attempt something with Kropotkin. If it doesn&#39;t work out, it&#39;s not the end of the world, after all.

[YSR]

Nex, we focus mostly on leftist theory here. While I certainly think that post-leftist and non-leftist anarchists have their place and time (and some of them are good comrades of mine) Stirner and de Cleyre (though I&#39;ve never read her, just heard of her) aren&#39;t really the kind of thing we discuss/study a lot on this site.

Not to dismiss either of them entirely. Stirner&#39;s concept of volutnary association certainly influences me a great deal.

[kaaos_af]

Perhaps it is time to expand revleft to include all non-racist/rightist anti-capitalist revolutionaries, not just those who subscribe to the narrow left/right spectrum.

[The Feral Underclass]

Originally posted by [email protected] 31, 2006 02:20 am
Perhaps it is time to expand revleft to include all non-racist/rightist anti-capitalist revolutionaries, not just those who subscribe to the narrow left/right spectrum.
Do you honestly subscribe with post-left anarchism?

[Circle A]

I would like to join the study group.

Which book would we be reading?

[The Feral Underclass]

Originally posted by Circle [email protected] 31, 2006 08:17 pm
I would like to join the study group.

Which book would we be reading?
The purpose of this poll is to decide which book.

[coda]

Hel-lo&#33; Count me in. Hope this one doesn&#39;t fizzle out&#33;

If you&#39;re still taking other suggestions, then I want to put forth Kropotkin&#39;s "Conquest of Bread" an interesting basic intro --- even enough there to hold interest if you already know all the ins and outs of anarchy. a quick read despite the size.

http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archi...nquest/toc.html (http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/kropotkin/conquest/toc.html)


To be fair, we should propose only those texts that are available online, so no one has to go out and buy. Continuously rotating the list and adding more -- to eventually get around to reading them all. That way we get our little Anarchist Theory forum anyway, that was voted down Haaaa&#33; :)


Another good book to add to the list: Rocker&#39;s "Anarchosyndicalism"
http://www.spunk.org/library/writers/rocke...ocker_as1.htmli (http://www.spunk.org/library/writers/rocker/sp001495/rocker_as1.htmli)

I heard someone mention the SI stuff. Yes&#33;&#33; Yes&#33; I would be ALL For putting that up for vote, if anyone else is. and, I, too, prefer the excellentKen Knabb translations, but it&#39;s all good&#33;

http://www.nothingness.org/SI/
http://www.bopsecrets.org/SI/index.htm

[coda]

Here is the link to Krop&#39;s "Mutual Aid" -- some one mentioned interest. http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archi...idcontents.html (http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/kropotkin/mutaidcontents.html)

"Fragments" does indeed look good Can someone link me to it?

[which doctor]

Originally posted by [email protected] 03, 2006 03:10 am
I heard someone mention the SI stuff. Yes&#33;&#33; Yes&#33; I would be ALL For putting that up for vote, if anyone else is. and, I, too, prefer the excellentKen Knabb translations, but it&#39;s all good&#33;

http://www.nothingness.org/SI/
http://www.bopsecrets.org/SI/index.htm
Yeah, I&#39;m down for that. I actually suggested Ken Knabb&#39;s The Joy of Revolution but no one responded.

[YSR]

Originally posted by [email protected] 03, 2006 02:17 am
"Fragments" does indeed look good Can someone link me to it?
I only have a hard copy, but I&#39;m sure if you looked hard enough you could find something. It&#39;s reasonably short.

Speaking of "short," how long are we gonna run this poll for? I feel like we should pick a work and start working on it soon.

[coda]

somebody should get the ball rolling (anomoly?) the poll&#39;s been up for 11 days. how about give it one more day and then pick the majority vote (looks like it&#39;s gonna be Kropotkin&#39;s "Anarchism" unless something drastic happens) assign pages or chapters to read, etc...
Start a new thread and post any comments, questions, theories about the book for discussion. so, let&#39;s get it on.... Deadline for voting Sunday, Nov. 5. Agree?

[Janus]

or we could have many tiny groups. For example, the four of us who want to read Anarchism form a group, the three who want to read Anarchy form one, etc. Either of those sound good to anyone?
I would really caution you on that. Not everyone is going to read or participate and the smaller the group, the less participation there will be.

[sav]

I&#39;d like to be in on this.

Voted Anarchism.

[rebelworker]

Though I also think he friends of durrutti peice is one of the more relevant for people looking to organise and alos the most likely to spark a good debate, I think its better for a third or fourh thing to read.

So Im gonna vote Malatesta, the chapters are short so its good for study group material.

He is also possibly the best at a real intro to anarchist ideas. easy to read and understand.

[rebelworker]

Originally posted by [email protected] 23, 2006 02:16 am
i think most of anarchist theory is rather worthless.


Although anarchism is often lacking in therory, historical analysis is good.

I think we need to serriously discuss the option, after a few intro primers, of reading modern anarchist theory from some of the many good anarchist federations out there.

This is THE most relevant thing we could do and the shit will all be online.

[Folk The System]

i would like to be in on this too if it hasn&#39;t started yet.... i voted for Property is Theft

edit* isnt the title "What is Property?"?

or am i thinking of another book?

[YSR]

Folk: Yes, it is.

I think we should wrap it up. Let&#39;s read Kropotkin then, since that&#39;s got the plurality.

[Folk The System]

i found a few kropotkin titles that started with "Anarchism" but i&#39;m assuming this (http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/kropotkin/philandideal.html) is the correct one.

[coda]

That&#39;s the one, Folk The System.

Go ahead and start reading the first section if you want..and anybody else. Check back in a few days and I&#39;ll post a new thread for the book.

[rebelworker]

One thing for us to think about is the whole burgeoise vs working class angle.

If were just gonna read a short intro to anarchism why not just go with Malatesta.

Kropotkin was burgeoise and supported WWI, Maletesta was working class, oposed the war and was way more popular with regular folks.

There were two Malatesta options in the poll which kinda split the vote, are people oposed to a new runn off vote with just the two different versions of Anarchism?

[Circle A]

I am starting to read Anarchism by Kropotkin.

[Guevarist]

I&#39;ve just read ABC of anarchism by Alexander Berkman. It&#39;s a good book to read, cause the language is easy and the chapters are not that long.

[Black Dagger]

VETO&#33;&#33;&#33;

Anarchy by Malatesta wins the poll&#33;

<_<

[Enragé]

we should read The Conquest of Bread

[Black Dagger]

Dude, i think it&#39;s pretty obvious the majority of people wanna read something by Malatesta.

[Enragé]

na-ah&#33;

[Pawn Power]

Whats going on with this? Maybe we should have a run off poll.

[Folk The System]

aw come one&#33; i already started reading kropotkin, thats what the final vote was&#33; dont you guys believe in DEMOCRACY?&#33; :P

[Cryotank Screams]

My vote goes to Fragments of an Anarchist Anthropology by David Graeber, because I haven&#39;t read it yet, and it sounds interesting, :D.

[Phalanx]

Towards a Fresh Revolution - Friends of Durruti.

[blackstone]

voted for Berkman

[UndergroundConnexion]

well when are we starting...

[The Feral Underclass]

This thread is almost a year old. I think that people just like making polls to choose books and then not read them.

[Labor Shall Rule]

I voted Torwards a Fresh Revolution by Friends of Durruti. I hope this gets off the ground, I am interested in checking it out. I think Marxists should seriously evaluate it, in order to get another perspective of anarchist theory.

[Bilan]

I picked ABC, but I totally meant to pick Towards a Fresh Revolution.
ABC of Communist-Anarchism is wicked though.
Most books up there that I&#39;ve read have been good.
Not enough Malatesta up there though.


At the Cafe&#39; by Malatesta is one of my favorites.

[Bilan]

Originally posted by [email protected] 29, 2007 09:23 am
I voted Torwards a Fresh Revolution by Friends of Durruti. I hope this gets off the ground, I am interested in checking it out. I think Marxists should seriously evaluate it, in order to get another perspective of anarchist theory.
You are officially my favorite Marxist on this board now.
:D

[blackstone]

Originally posted by Proper Tea is Theft+September 29, 2007 12:24 am--> (Proper Tea is Theft @ September 29, 2007 12:24 am)
[email protected] 29, 2007 09:23 am
I voted Torwards a Fresh Revolution by Friends of Durruti. I hope this gets off the ground, I am interested in checking it out. I think Marxists should seriously evaluate it, in order to get another perspective of anarchist theory.
You are officially my favorite Marxist on this board now.
:D [/b]
Is this available free on the internet?If so, lets start a new thread.

[UndergroundConnexion]

Anarchism by Kropotkin got the most votes. I suggest a topic will be opened for it (or i could do it ), and then let&#39;s finally start. Nice and short text aswell

[blackstone]

Start it up then. I&#39;ll participate.

[rebelworker]

Last summer (when this thread got started) I started a group around Towards a fresh Revolution...

Im sure you can still find it&#33;

PS Black Stone, are you a Zabalaza member?