by Belfast WSM Thu Jul 09, 2009 22:56

Over the last few years, we have witnessed the Irish state deploying a huge amount of its resources including the police, navy and air force to construct a Shell pipeline in Rossport in County Mayo. Despite violent repression from Shell security guards and the state, media witch hunts, the local community continues to struggle against the this toxic pipeline which the say is a health safety hazard and offers no social or economic benefits. See http://www.wsm.ie/news_viewer/5736

As the Shell project reaches a critical stage, speakers will outline what we can do to support the struggle in Rossport and the wider question of national resources.

by mitch - (strictly personal) Wed Jul 15, 2009 11:54 wsany at hotmail dot com

"1pm- The tasks facing anarchists in Ireland

The strengths and weaknesses of anarcho-sydicalism and the relevance of the platform in the 21st century.

The WSM prides itself on the ideas of the platform based on collective responsibility, theoretical and tactical unity and federalism. Why do we identify with the platformist current within anarchism and what lessons can we learn from social revolutions in the 20th century, that can be applied to how we organise in the here and now. Organise! have been invited to send a speaker."

And some of my platformist friends wonder why some anarcho-syndicalists have issues with them.

I mean, if this is how we attract people to the class struggle anarchist movement, I think there's a problem with that. I mean, if we ever had a workshop: "The strengths of anarcho-syndicalism and the irrelevance of platformism" I think there'd be bloody flaming going on for weeks.

I mean, what does billing a public meeting in this manner actually say? I'm all for the WSM taking pride in its ideas, etc. But to base a public meeting with such a title is a bit beyond me. I'd think in 2009 we'd all seek to argue our points of view in another manner.

by Randy - NEFAC supporter Fri Jul 17, 2009 22:26 p_c at riseup dot net

Mitch,

Unless there is a subtext I am unaware of, I think you are overreacting. It is a bit of a stretch from what the text above says, “the strengths and weaknesses of anarcho-syndicalism”, to what you infer, that it calls anarcho-syndicalism irrelevant. To the contrary, I think the title implies a compatibility of views. For example, I don't think you're likely to see an anarchist communist workshop featuring the “strengths and weaknesses of Leninism.” (Some individuals might have such discussions, but i don't think a group would.) My personal opinion is that anarcho-syndicalism and anarchist communism are closer to each other than to any other ideologies. And I'll be surprised if any member of either school of thought disputes the claim.

If you think anarchist communists inspired by the platform criticize your tradition but don't listen to criticisms of their own, I can say, categorically, you are mistaken. I don't think i am divulging confidences when i say i once applied to join a discussion list hosted by the organization in question, the WSM, and *criticisms of the platform* were required reading prior to joining.

I'd hate to see progress in the direction of increased cooperation among class struggle anarchists in the USA marred by miscommunication.

Randy, personal capacity

by mitch - (strictly personal) Fri Jul 17, 2009 23:03

Randy writes: "My personal opinion is that anarcho-syndicalism and anarchist communism are closer to each other than to any other ideologies."

That was exactly my point. That's why a title which seeks to advance one perspective over the other (or at the expense of another) has no place in the anarchist world in 2009. Perhaps this did not come across clearly (obviously), but that was my main point.

"I'd hate to see progress in the direction of increased cooperation among class struggle anarchists in the USA marred by miscommunication."

I think the track record of the WSA is pretty clear on this score. We've been in the forefront (with others) in promoting closer and increased cooperation among US and North American class struggle anarchists.
There's no hidden message or agenda in my comments. Just some disappointment. And my disappointment would be the same if anarcho-syndicalists held a workshop with a similiar title.

Anyway, just a personal opinion. People are going to do what they feel best serves theor own interests and this has been the nature of politics from the start of humanity.

Forward we go.

by Randy - nefac supporter (personal capacity) Sat Jul 18, 2009 19:53 p_c at riseup dot net

"I think the track record of the WSA is pretty clear on this score. We've been in the forefront (with others) in promoting closer and increased cooperation among US and North American class struggle anarchists."

Mitch,

No quarrel here, and hats off to you.

There *are* weaknesses within anarcho-syndicalism. I'm thinking of the reductionist line put forward by the editors of ASR. I'd count the class focused, but nuanced and well-reasoned politics of the WSA among its strengths. (That's my take, and of course i wouldn't presume to speak for the organizers of the event above.)

I don't see any substantive disagreement between us, aside from you find the title inflammatory, and I don't.

Forward, yes.