OscailtIncomplete memoirs of early Egyptian anarchismNOTE by Lucien van der Walt: English translation by Nestor McNab of three parts of the historical memoirs of I. U. Parrini – one of the initiators of the anarchist movement in Italy and Egypt, from the days of the First International – which were published in Italian in “La Protesta Umana” of San Francisco, nos. 36, 38 and 40 (21 Nov. and 26 Dec. 1903, and 9 Jan. 1904 respectively). This material is provided for purposes of historical recovery: it must be noted that Parrini was (according to Tony Gorman's 2010 overview of Egyptian anarchism) a "staunch anti-organisationalist, ... notorious for his uncompromising style and ... a persistent obstacle to greater cooperation among anarchists. Not until after his death in 1906 was a national program of action agreed which provided a solid basis for collaboration within the Egyptian movement." His current was in constant conflict with the growing, eventually ascendant, anarcho-syndicalists. Nonetheless, these memoirs -- despite their polemical quality and imbalances -- are a valuable testimony, deserving of wider circulation, not least for their insider view, from the perspective of one current in the movement.
The material is sourced from Leonardo Bettini, "Bibliografia dell'anarchismo, volume 2, tomo 2: periodici e numeri unici anarchici in lingua italiana pubblicati all'estero (1872-1971)" (CP editrice, Firenze, 1976), translation by Nestor McNab. Via Lucien van der Walt.2015-06-30T15:18:24+08:00Anarkismoanarkismoeditors@lists.riseup.nethttp://www.anarkismo.net/atomfullposts?story_id=27765http://www.anarkismo.net/graphics/feedlogo.gifdismayinghttp://www.anarkismo.net/article/27765#comment159562015-06-30T15:18:24+08:00AdelleIt's great to have this reference material online, but I have an extremely low o...It's great to have this reference material online, but I have an extremely low opinion of the scholarship of Lucien van der Walt. Not only is he a revisionist whose preexisting agenda puts a procrustean frame around his historical narratives, but he can't even resist adding notes in the middle of historical material that contradicts his narrative. He would like to give the impression that he knows better than the major figures of that era what was going on then, but I am not convinced, and neither should you be.scholarshiphttp://www.anarkismo.net/article/27765#comment159582015-07-01T14:25:24+08:00MamalatestaIt's true that van der Walt is, to say the least, a partisan historian. All hist...It's true that van der Walt is, to say the least, a partisan historian. All historians are, to some extent, but it's admittedly bad form to present archival material to the public with a bunch of uncited criticism of the content. I would appreciate more references for his assertions, at the least, if we are not to understand his asides as the sort of mere invective unbecoming of a historian.Sources for critique were providedhttp://www.anarkismo.net/article/27765#comment159592015-07-02T16:31:55+08:00Red and Black ActionThe sources for the comments on the very partisan memoirs *were* provided and ex...The sources for the comments on the very partisan memoirs *were* provided and explicitly cited: Gorman's history of Egyptian anarchism.