The International Anarchist Congress of Amsterdam (1907)

international | history of anarchism | news report Wednesday October 14, 2009 17:56 by Nestor McNab - FdCA (personal capacity) nestor_mcnab at yahoo dot co dot uk

Edited by Maurizio Antonioli - English edition & translation by Nestor McNab

In August 1907, Amsterdam hosted an international anarchist congress with delegates from 14 different countries. Over the space of a week, it dealt with a series of questions, such as anti-militarism, anarchism and organization, anarchism and the workers’ movement, syndicalism and the general strike, etc., and also the foundation of a new anarchist international. [Nederlands]

The International Anarchist Congress

of Amsterdam (1907)

Edited by Maurizio Antonioli

English edition and translation by Nestor McNab

 

In August 1907, Amsterdam hosted an international anarchist congress with delegates from 14 different countries. Over the space of a week, it dealt with a series of questions, such as anti-militarism, anarchism and organization, anarchism and the workers’ movement, syndicalism and the general strike, etc., and also the foundation of a new anarchist international.

These were, of course, the years immediately following anarchism’s so-called “terrorist phase”, when anarchists realized that they had to go back to their roots among the working people, where anarchism was born in the days of Bakunin’s First International. Of all the matters discussed in Amsterdam, the most important for the future development of the international workers’ movement were undoubtedly the relationship between anarchism and the new syndicalist movement and between the specific anarchist organization and the mass labour organizations. How should they interact with each other? Should anarchists participate in the workers’ struggles as members of a political organization?

A century later, the various positions of anarchist militants and organizations have lost none of their value or polemic charge and serve as an excellent point of reference for all those today who are facing similar situations and asking the same questions. It is historical testimony of an indisputable value. The debates of the congress are enriched by Maurizio Antonioli’s introduction, which serves to place the congress is the correct historical context, highlighting the repercussions it would have on the social struggles at the time. The appendix on the 1905 Russian Revolution is also a mine of information and includes one of the most complete accounts available of the events in Russia.

Maurizio Antonioli is a full Professor of Contemporary History in the Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Milan. He has published numerous studies on the Italian labour movement (in particular on the metalworkers federation and on the Milanese and Lombard camere del lavoro), revolutionary syndicalism and anarchism, including: Armando Borghi e l'Unione sindacale italiana (1990), Pietro Gori, il cavaliere errante dell'anarchia (1995), Il sol dell'avvenire. L'anarchismo in Italia dalle origini alla Prima guerra mondiale (1999). He was also one of the editors of the Dizionario biografico degli anarchici italiani (2003-2004).

Nestor McNab is a teacher and translator living in Rome, Italy. He has edited La Piattaforma Organizzativa dei Comunisti Anarchici - origine, dibattito e significato (2007) and has also translated pamphlets such as Anarchist Communists: A Question of Class (2005) and other material on behalf of the FdCA, of which he is a member.
 

 

The International Anarchist Congress of Amsterdam (1907)

Edited by Maurizio Antonioli - English edition & translation by Nestor McNab

2008 - Black Cat Press, Edmonton, Canada.

$22.00

ISBN  978-0-9737827-3-8
280 pag.

 

INDEX OF CONTENTS:

Preface to the English edition

Introduction: Anarchism and/or Syndicalism, by Maurizio Antonioli

Editorial Note

The International Anarchist Congress

• The Preliminaries – 24 and 25 August

• First session – Monday 26 August – Morning session
  Drawing up the agenda. Proposal to reconvene the session on anti-militarism at the Anti-Militarist Congress.

• Second session – Monday 26 August – Afternoon session
  Reports on the state of the anarchist movement: Belgium, Bohemia, Holland, Romandy, USA, Holland (II), Vienna (Austria).

• Third session – Monday 26 August – Evening session
  Reports on the state of the anarchist movement: Germany, London's Jews, Russia, Serbia, Italy, England.

• Fourth session – Tuesday 27 August – Morning session
  Anarchism and Organization. Voting.

• Fifth session – Tuesday 27 August – Afternoon session
  Anarchism and Organization.

• Sixth session – Tuesday 27 August – Evening session
  Anarchism and Organization.

• Seventh session – Wednesday 28 August – Morning session
  Anarchism and Organization. Motions on Organization.

• Eighth session – Wednesday 28 August – Afternoon session
  The Anarchist International. Motion to found the Anarchist International.

• Ninth session – Wednesday 28 August – Evening session
  Anarchism and Syndicalism.

• Tenth session – Thursday 29 August – Morning session
  The Anarchist Congress and the press. Changes to the Agenda. The Russian Revolution.

• Eleventh session – Thursday 29 August – Afternoon session
  Motion on the Russian Revolution. Syndicalism and the General Strike.

• Twelfth session – Thursday 29 August – Evening session
  Syndicalism and the General Strike.

• Thirteenth session – Friday 30 August – Morning session
  Anarchist and syndicalist movements in Argentina. Motions on Syndicalism and the General Strike. Declaration on Individual Rebellion. Anarchist Congress vote for Motion on Anti-Militarism.

• Fourteenth session – Friday 30 August – Afternoon session
  Anarchism and Anti-Militarism. Anti-Militarist Congress vote on Anarchist Motion on Anti-Militarism.

• Fifteenth session – Friday 30 August – Evening session
  Alcoholism and Anarchism. Productive Associations and Anarchism.

• Sixteenth session – Saturday 31 August – Morning session
  Resolution of support for imprisoned French anti-militarists. Election of the Bureau of the Anarchist International.

• Seventeenth session – Saturday 31 August – Afternoon session
  The Integral Education of Children. Motion on Alcoholism and Anarchism (not voted on). Resolution on Productive Associations (not voted on). Motion on Esperanto (not voted on). Motion to study the problem of an International Language. Closing address. Singing of the Internationale.

• Two Syndicalist Meetings

Appendix: The Russian Revolution

• The Activity of Anarchists in Russia, by Orlovskiy and Rogdaev

• On the Anarchist Movement in Russia, by N. Rogdaev

• The Preachers of Individual Anarchism in Russia, by Vladimir Zabrezhnev

• The Russian Revolution, by D.A. Bullard

Index

 

You can order this book from AK Press or directly from Black Cat Press by mailing orders@blackcatpress.ca or writing to Black Cat Press, 4508 118 Avenue Edmonton, Alberta T5W 1A9 Canada.