NYC: Class-struggle anarchist perspectives on the economic crisis

by Kevin S. Tue Dec 02, 2008 16:45

I'm sure this will be an interesting and important discussion, which I regrettably will not be able to attend. However, as a frustrated comrade here are a few things that ought to be said at this discussion.

First, as class-struggle anarchists we should take ourselves seriously enough to talk about real social fighting and not keep wallowing in tired rhetoric. We should also stop wasting everyone's time and interest on pointless articles about what is wrong with Obama etc. etc., and instead get to the simple point that who runs the bourgeoisie's State is the bourgeoisie's business, not revolutionaries'. Wayne is a respected and influential comrade who has made undoubtedly quite important contributions to our movement's expression in the United States, but I am quite frustrated to see so much time devoted to lengthy debates about Parecon (as though it were immediate enough to warrant such attention, or conflicted enough to demand such a painstaking effort at critique); nor am I impressed by most of the anarchist writing I've seen about Obama or the election, even by writers whom I hold in very high regard.

The recent statement on the economic crisis was a far cry from these distracted works. It is by far one of the best such statements or articles to come from our movement in recent times, and I hope its content and its quality will be reflected and expanded on in this and other discussions. But as far as what to do, the most important question, all of us are as confused and uncertain as ever. But again, I think that we should take ourselves seriously enough not to waste excessive time devising catchy formulas and slogans instead of throwing ourselves into the actual struggle. The social struggle in motion now has to be not only analyzed and udnerstood for what it is, but we have to decide defnitively on a course of action generally and locally (i.e. group-by-group) to seize upon the upsurge in social tension and take concrete actions against the bourgeoisie's economic and political power. That is to say, look closely and carefully at the social layout and determine how to strike at Capital and State as soon and as effectively as possible. In short, less generic analyzing of the same subject over again and more immediate agitation.

In short, the "way forward" is to intensify our practical efforts in terms of day-to-day agitation and of planning concrete action, rather than satisfy our rebellious instincts with a stream of "proganda" without deeds to complement. That is an urgent but difficult problem that needs to be seriously reckoned with and not in the lazy, half-assed way we've done so far.

by mitch (per. cap.) - WSA Tue Dec 02, 2008 22:55 wsany at hotmail dot com

Just a brief comment. Perhaps this might provide the begining of that broader discussion with other class struggle anarchists in the NY metro area.

by Wayne Fri Dec 05, 2008 08:49

I only half agree with Kevin S, in that he advocates more discussion on tactics and strategy and immediate things to say. But I disagree with his other comments. I do not think that the anarchist movement suffers from too much theory. Quite the contrary. One advantage the Marxists have over anarchists is their vast body of theory. It is not I who decided that Parecon is important but the many anarchists and libertarian socialists who are attracted to it. Anarchist-communists need to have something to say to them. If we believe in the "leadership of ideas," then we better have some ideas--counterposed to other ideas.

Kevin writes, "We should also stop wasting everyone's time and interest on pointless articles about what is wrong with Obama etc. etc., and instead get to the simple point that who runs the bourgeoisie's State is the bourgeoisie's business, not revolutionaries'." Well, it may be obvious to Kevin that Obama has problems, but it is hardly clear to "everyone," that is, to most people. Do you want to influence these people? Then we better have an analysis of what Obama is and what he is doing, and we better work on how to say this to radicalizing workers and young people whom we want to reach. We better make it our business to understand (and explain to others) who runs the state.

It is unclear to me which statement Kevin is referring to in, "The recent statement on the economic crisis was a far cry from these distracted works." The international statement? Or my recent essay on the crisis? This was my effort to deal with the immediate issues by putting them into a broader context.

by Kevin S. Fri Dec 05, 2008 11:26

Wayne,

First, very quickly, I was referring to the international statement, although I did mostly like your article about the world response, and more importantly it hit the issue properly. Anyway, just to be clear, what I was saying was that I thought the international statement was an excellent work which hit the mark exactly, and I want to see more work on the same par.

I agree with you about the "leadership of ideas." That is exactly why I am frustrated by the rather lazy and mediocre quality of our movement's expression in the U.S., and why this event caught my interest (I am not from New York, but the issue is relevant to any U.S. anarchists), which is to say I did not intend my comment as a retort at anarchist prespectivizing, but rather as a urgent contribution to our perspective. But leadership of ideas is a joke, first of all, as long as our movement is practically irrelevant as is the case now, because of our pathetic presence in day-to-day social struggle; and secondly, as long our analyses do not hit the mark at every point, instead devolving into lengthy personal explanations of what makes us different from non-anarchists. To put it bluntly, no one really cares whether we vote for Obama or why we don't, because our social presence is insignificant and our abstention is an irrelevant point.

The same is true, by the way, about most of the Marxist-Leninist groupings. I have had some involvement with that tendency myself, and am familiar with most of the leading Marxist and Trotskyist parties; and from my personal experience, I think they are a sad lot nearly as irrelevant as us, if not more so, although many fail to recognize it. I should point out, incidentally, that my remarks are to a large extant directed as much inwardly as outwardly, and are intended entirely in a spirit of self-criticism (hence my use of "our," "us" etc. at all points).

My point about Obama is that rather than our old focus on abstention we should simply make it clear that the election is the bourgeoisie's business, and ours is with the social struggle. I actually voted for Obama, and would do so now as well, only because there was nothing better to do and doing so did not exactly compromise the Revolution. (On that note, I think it will in fact make a difference for the better with Democrats in charge, but it does get at the fundamental point for us and I couldn't care less whether anarchists voted or abstained.) My point is that abstaining is an irrelevant point (as far as the masses are concerned anyway) unless our movement is relevant, and the way to make it relevant is to become a serious force in the social struggle rather than a mere observer. So as far as ideas go, they should focus on struggle as much as on analysis.

by WSA Mon Dec 08, 2008 22:28

Dear comrades and friends,

Just a simple reminder that this ebent will take place on Tuesday, December 9 (see above for details).

by mitch - WSA (per. cap.) Wed Dec 10, 2008 22:47

The forum went pretty well. A.J. Muste Institute packed full.

The event went for nearlly two hours, with lots of questions and answers taking a decent portion of the time. There was no flaming or wildness. Even the members of International Perspectives (ex-ICC) made some good points and were well behaved.

Also, a brief presentation was made on the Republic Window workers strike, a WSA leaflet distributed calling for folks to attend Wendesday's JwJ solidarity rally and donate to the strikers solidarity fund.

Good to see old comrades and new comrades. Both NY WSA and NY NEFAC/Open City agreed that we should schedule another public event for after the first of the year.

by jAVIER Sun Dec 14, 2008 04:15

Good to know that it went well. Do you have any notes or article to point at? It could help the movement elsewhere.

by mitch Sun Dec 14, 2008 13:10

Here's the audio of the talks/discussion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmdyTYwVCVo