could someone explain anarchy?

[crimsonzephyr]

I understand that theres no gov

but is there more to it?

[Forward Union]

Originally posted by [email protected] 09, 2007 09:52 pm
I understand that theres no gov

but is there more to it?

Anarchy translates from the greek "No government" it refers to any state of affairs in which there is no governing body. That's all.

Anarchism however, is a political and philosophical idea that usually refers to a form of Libertarian Communism.

Anarchist communism, or Anarcho-Communism is the political belief that the workers should overthrow the state and capitalism and establish a system of free workers councils or "soviets" it rejects the idea of temporarily using the state, and centralising authority, which other forms of communism such as Leninism advocate. The famous Anarchist theorist Bakunin challenged Karl Marx in the first international arguing "Even if you took the most ardent revolutionary, vested him in absolute power, within a year he would be as murderous as the Tsar himself"

In the Russian Revolution the Anarchist-Communists took over Ukraine and ran a democratic system of workers assemblies, with a massive insurrectionary army lead by the famous Anarchist, Makhno. At times they worked with the bolsheviks but were eventually betrayed and crushed.

In spain the CNT Anarchist Union held the Aragon front against the fascists, and held power in Catalonia, the most famous anarchist millitant of that period was DURRUTI. Here is an Anarchist Propaganda reel from 1936 DURRUTI! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_SsqCOEiH8)

(You might also want to watch This short video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9L3zV-T5fI) which lists many of the most influencial anarchists in history)

Anarchism is largely symbolised by the Red and black flag. Famously used by the CNT http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e11/Koppert/blkred_flag.jpg

http://raforum.info/IMG/jpg/Collectivised-CNT-tram.jpg

[Fawkes]

Well, to say that anarchists seek a lack of government is a misnomer. We don't seek to destroy government, we seek to destroy the state and create a new form of government based on workers councils, student councils, etc.

[apathy maybe]

http://www.revleft.com/index.php?showtopic=6421 - Making sense of anarchism.
http://www.revleft.com/index.php?showtopic=28053 - What makes an anarchist.


These two threads have some very good information about anarchism. I would suggest reading these, and then asking questions based on specific areas of anarchism.

I would also suggest ignoring any idiot who says something along the lines of "an infantile disorder" (even though that is Left-Communism, the same idiots often attack anarchism).

[crimsonzephyr]

wait are anarchy and anarchism two different ideologies?

[midnight marauder]

Originally posted by hardee
wait are anarchy and anarchism two different ideologies?

No, not quite. Just like "communism" has come to mean states like North Korea in the popular media, words like "anarchism" and "anarchy" are used in ways that are very alien to the actual meanings of the terms.

Anarchism as a social, political, and economic ideology refers to the free association of equals in a stateless, classless, society without hierarchy, be it political hierarchy (like a government that rules over the people), or social hierarchy (like racism, sexism, or homophobia). Unfortunately, most people today have a very different understanding of what the words "anarchism" and "anarchy" mean. This is because the common usage of the term, popularized by the media, refers to things like chaos, destruction, and a general state of disorganization. Although they have very different meanings, they're used interchangeably as synonyms for these negative traits.

In reality, though, anarchism doesn't entail any of these things. As anarchist Alexander Berkman wrote, “I must tell you first of all what anarchism is not. It is not bombs, disorder, or chaos. It is not robbery or murder. It is not a war of each against all. It is not a return to barbarism or to the wild state of man. Anarchism is the very opposite of all that.” Of course, words used in the media often have very different meanings than what they actually mean. To answer your question, anarchy is not a political ideology. It's a word that just means "without government", which is often incorrectly taken to mean "without organisation or order". Anarchism is the ideology based on the equality of all people, and the necessity of individual autonomy.

There's a great piece from the Anarchist FAQ, a very thorough document constantly being expanded and edited by an international collaboration of writers, which talks about this:


However, "anarchism" and "anarchy" are undoubtedly the most misrepresented ideas in political theory. Generally, the words are used to mean "chaos" or "without order," and so, by implication, anarchists desire social chaos and a return to the "laws of the jungle."

This process of misrepresentation is not without historical parallel. For example, in countries which have considered government by one person (monarchy) necessary, the words "republic" or "democracy" have been used precisely like "anarchy," to imply disorder and confusion. Those with a vested interest in preserving the status quo will obviously wish to imply that opposition to the current system cannot work in practice, and that a new form of society will only lead to chaos. Or, as Errico Malatesta expresses it:

"since it was thought that government was necessary and that without government there could only be disorder and confusion, it was natural and logical that anarchy, which means absence of government, should sound like absence of order." [Anarchy, p. 16]

Anarchists want to change this "common-sense" idea of "anarchy," so people will see that government and other hierarchical social relationships are both harmful and unnecessary:

"Change opinion, convince the public that government is not only unnecessary, but extremely harmful, and then the word anarchy, just because it means absence of government, will come to mean for everybody: natural order, unity of human needs and the interests of all, complete freedom within complete solidarity." [Op. Cit., pp. 16]

[Forward Union]

Originally posted by [email protected] 10, 2007 06:10 am
wait are anarchy and anarchism two different ideologies?
Anarchy isn't an ideology it's a state of affairs. If there wasa riot at a football match you could say it's "anarchy" but you couldn't say it's anarchism.

It's a bit confusing isn't it :P

One of the better Anarchist sites is Libcom.org (http://www.libcom.org) (shorthand for Libertariancommunism) might wanna give the theory articles a browse.

Any more questions feel free to ask!