Anarchy
A work-in-progress, AnarchyinAction.org will be a resource for anyone to research and write about how and when societies, rebellions, institutions and other social phenomena can sustainably function in the absence of coercive hierarchies--and how and when they can not. Anarchy, coming from the Greek words an (without) and archos (ruler) refers to a situation without rulers, without domination.
Around the world, people are questioning and even rising up against global capitalism, a system of wage labor and private property that has always been reliant on the theft (often called "privatization" today) of commonly-owned land and resources. Robbed of these traditional means of survival, the majority of the world's people are compelled to work for out-of-touch managers and thus forgo the creativity, comradery and luxury that self-management makes possible. Outside of the workplace, people find their communal spaces and creative outlets constantly being uprooted by a homogenized culture based on passive consumption.
It gets worse. Capitalism presents its constituents with a stark grow-or-die imperative; in other words, each firm must keep expanding its output or else risk losing market share to larger competitors who can rapidly upgrade their technology, produce goods in bulk to reduce costs, and use advertising to create desires for their new products. The imperative to keep growing provides enormous incentives for military conquest and ecologically devastating forms of industrialism, as well as widening economic inequality between those who grow and those who don't. With the current spread of weapons of mass destruction, ecological crises such as climate change, and the ruling class's unprecedented power over governments, capitalism now poses a very serious threat to humanity's survival.
It is our experience that many radicals and anarchists, while strongly opposing capitalism, do not have a clear vision of what system should come next. We contend that without a clear vision, it is not possible to have clear goals or a clear strategy to build another system. Furthermore, radicals without a clear vision will have a hard time convincing many people to join them. Because we believe that a sound vision is informed by the lessons of history and current events, we have collected information about hundreds of examples of anarchy in practice.
Many of our examples of anarchy in action come from the following works, which we have uploaded onto the site for anyone to read.
An Anarchist FAQ (excerpt)
Anarchy in Action by Colin Ward
Anarchy Works by Peter Gelderloos
Cartography of Revolutionary Anarchism by Michael Schmidt
Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution by Peter Kropotkin
People Without Government: An Anthropology of Anarchy by Harold Barclay
The Politics of Social Ecology: Libertarian Municipalism by Janet Biehl with Murray Bookchin (excerpt)
We have sorted these examples into three main categories. Anarchism refers to a political theory and practice that arose in the 19th century, aimed at abolishing coercive hierarchy and establishing a libertarian socialist society in its place. Anti-authoritarianism refers to a broader category of politics including groups such as the Wobblies and Zapatistas that oppose coercive hierarchy but do not call themselves anarchists. Finally, the participatory category includes examples such as ancient Athens where a condition of anarchy is extended to many people, but not to all or even necessarily to most of society. Participatory politics encompasses anti-authoritarianism, which encompasses anarchism.
For the examples of entire societies, we aim to provide specific information on how the society approaches the following issues, based on the chapters of Gelderloos's Anarchy Works: Culture, Decisions, Economy, Environment, Crime, Revolution and Neighbouring Societies.
Eventually, people will also create pages for specific theories and tendencies and sort the examples of anarchy in action into those (overlapping) categories, such as, anarchist communism, autonomous Marxism and the broad anarchist tradition. In addition to the examples of anarchy in action, we create two additional categories. In a nod to the naturalist Peter Kropotkin, who saw cooperative activity as a factor of evolution in animal species, we add nonhuman anarchy, with the perhaps far-fetched notion that radicals may get ideas about remaking human society from studying nonhuman nature. Finally, we add the category of fictional anarchy, which would include, for example, the planet of Annares from Ursula K. LeGuin's The Dispossessed.
We do not present this resource as evidence that anarchy is possible in all situations, or to deny humans' innate potentialities for hierarchy and indeed of extreme cruelty. Instead, we present this as an attempt for curious and open-minded people to collaboratively explore the question of whether another world is possible and what this world might look like. The only limit is that we will not allow anyone to use this website to promote authoritarianism, or to purposely publish false information.
AnarchyinAction.org is a project of Capitalism vs. the Climate, a climate justice group based in Connecticut, and of our friends and comrades such as Get Libre. If you would like to get involved, please email dfischer@riseup.net.
--DFischer (talk) 16:57, 25 August 2014 (EDT)
Examples from An Anarchist FAQ
The Haymarket Martyrs
Building the Syndicalist Unions
Anarchists in the Russian Revolution
Anarchists in the Italian Factory Occupations
Anarchism and the Spanish Revolution
The May-June Revolt in France, 1968
Examples from Anarchy in Action
Vienna Psychoanalytic Society's child guidance service
Anarchism in the Cuban Revolution
Horizontal organization in British architecture
Work democracy
Swiss confederation
Medieval communes
Anarchy in the American Revolution
New England Town Meetings
Examples from Anarchy Works
(93 examples)
Grassroots Hurricane Katrina relief
Providence Plantations
Igbo
Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp
Korean Anarchist Communist Federation
Argentina horizontalidad
(-Zanon ceramics factory
-El Tigre supermarket
-barter network
-piquetero movement)
Mondragon
Gore Associates
Christiana
Boston Area Liberation Medic Squad
Bay Area Radical Health Collective
US Modern schools
Albany Free School
Quechua Farmers School
Universidad Transhumante
1969 Alcatraz occupation
Bonnot
New Guinea highlands
Open Source
Wikipedia
Free Stores
Freecycle Network
Taita Hills
Village Alternatif, Anticapitalist et AntiGuerres
Free Republic of Wendland
Stonehenge
shantytowns
(-Ghana shantytown)
El Alto
(-FEJUVE)
Mjondolo
Symphony Way
Parisian urban gardeners
Cuban agriculture decentralization
Maori
Global Ecovillage Network
(-Old Bassaisa
-Ecotop
-Earthhaven
-Tehuantepec)
Minnehaha Free State
Bilston Glen
Anti-Shell resistance
Tonga
Seattle 1919
Exarchia
Rotuman
Wapole inmates
Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo
Zapotec
Navajo
Critical Resistance
Take Back the Night
Philly's Pissed
Philly Stands Up
Makhnovist territories
Red Cloud's War
2007 Lakota declaration of independence
Mohawk road blockade, 1990
Bolivia water protests
Albania
Hamburg 1986-7
Copenhagen 1986
Can Masdeu
Gwangiu
Hungarian Revolution
Zapatistas
Tsimihety
Basque autonomous villages
(-Lakabe
-Aritzkuren
-Rala
-Uli)
La Solana autonomous villages
Longo Mai
Mas de Granier
(-Transkarpaty)
Anarchist Black Cross
RAWA
No Border Network
!Kung
Whiteway Colony
Examples from Cartography of Revolutionary Anarchism
First Wave, 1868-1894
International
International Brotherhood
International Alliance of Socialist Democracy
International Working Person's Association
Anti-Authoritarian International
Spain
Spanish Regional Federation (FRE)
Spanish Regional Labour Federation (FTRE)
Spanish Regional Anarchist Organisation (OARE)
Pact of Union & Solidarity (PUS)
National Confederation of Labor (CNT)
Spanish Regional Workers' Federation (FORE)
Cantonalist Revolt of 1873-1874
Mexico
Proletarian Circle (CP)
Grand Circle of Mexican Workers (GCO)
Uruguay
Regional Federation of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay (FRROU)
Worker's Federation (FO)
Cuba
Artisan's Central Council (JCA)
Labourer's Circle (CT)
Cuban Labour Confederation (CTC)
United States
Central Labor Union (CLU)
Russia
Northern Worker's Union (NWU)
Second Wave, 1895-1923
International
Federation of Labour Exchanges (FBT)
Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)
1903 Macedonian Revolt
1907 International Anarchist Congress
1913 Syndicalist Conference in London
Insurgent Committee of Revolutionary Partisans
Industrial Workers' Association (IWA)
Netherlands
National Labour Secretariat (NAS)
Federation of Freedom-loving Communists (FVC)
France
General Confederation of Labour (CGT)
Anarchist Communist Alliance
Anarchist Federation
Co-ordination of Anarchist Groups
Libertarian Communist Organization
Libertarian Alternative
Committee for the Defence of Revolutionary Syndicalism (CDSR, member of IWA)
Russia
1905-1907 Russian Revolt
Trans-Siberian Railway
Anarchist Federation of the Altai (AFA)
Siberian Industrial Workers of the World (IWW-Siberia)
Autonomous Industrial Commune
All-Russian Confederation of Anarcho-Syndicalists (ARKAS)
Bleikhman's Petrograd Anarchist Communist Federation (PACF)
Union of Anarcho-Syndicalist Propaganda (MFAG)
Black Guards
United States
Industrial Workers of the World-US (IWW-US)
China
Teahouse Labour Union
Guangzhou commune
Confederation of Labour Associations (GLH)
Hunan Workers' Association
Black Societies
Korea
Black Societies
Wonsan General Trade Union
Free Trade Union
Argentina
Argentine Regional Workers' Federation (FORA)
Argentine Regional Workers' Confederation (CORA)
Argentine Regional Workers' Federation of the 5th Congress (FORA-V)
Argentine Regional Workers' Federation of the 9th Congress (FORA-IX)
Argentine Libertarian Alliance (ALA)
Anarcho-Communist Port-workers' Group (ACAOP)
Resistance Society of the Port-workers of the Capital (SROPC)
Uruguay
Uruguay Regional Workers' Organisation (FORU)
Brazil
Brazilian Labour Confederation (COB)
Chile
Chilean Labourers Federation (FTCh)
Industrial Workers of the World- Chile (IWW-Chile)
Paraguay
Paraguayan Regional Workers' Organisation (FORPa)
Paraguayan Regional Workers' Centre (CORP)
National Revolutionary Alliance (ANR)
Workers' Trade Union Reorganisation Council (CORS)
Cuba
Havana Labour Federation (FOH)
Cuban Workers' Confederation (CTC)
Cuban National Labour Confederation (CNOC)
Mexico
House of the World Worker (COM)
Mexican Regional Workers' Organization (FORM)
General Confederation of Labour (CGT)
Peru
Peruvian Regional Workers' Federation (FORPe)
Local Workers' Federation of Lima (FOL)
Columbia
Columbian Workers' Federation (FOC)
Bolivia
Local Workers' Federation (FOL)
Feminine Workers' Federation
Bolivian Regional Workers' Confederation
Ecuador
Guayas Workers' Regional Federation (FORG)
Ecuadoran Regional Federation of Labor (FTRE)
Spain
National Confederation of Labour (CNT)
National Workers' Union (UON)
(renamed General Confederation of Labour (CGT))
Portugal
National Workers' Union (UON)
General Confederation of Labour (CGT, member of IWA)
Mexico
Mexican Revolution of 1910
Mexican Industrial Workers of the World (IWW-Mexico)
Mexican Liberal Party (PLM)
Industrial Union of North and South America (UIANS)
Liberation Army of the South (ELS)
National Agrarian Party (PNA)
Ireland
Industrial Syndicalist Education League (ITGWU)
Bulgaria
Federation of Anarchist-Communists of Bulgaria (FAKB)
Vlassovden Confederation
Anarcho-Syndicalist National Confederation of Labour (ASNKR)
Ukraine
Ukranian Revolution
Revolutionary Insurgent Army of the Ukraine (RPAU)
Italy
Italian Syndicalist Union (USI, member of IWA)
Italian Workers' Party (POI)
Revolutionary Anarchist Socialist Party (PSAR)
Union of Communist Anarchists (UCAI)
Italian Anarchist Union (UAI)
Germany
Free Workers' Union of Germany (FAUD)
Free Association of German Trade Unions (FvDG)
German Anarchist Federation (AFD)
Federation of Communist Anarchists of German (FKAD)
German Workers' Union of Germany (AAUD)
General Labour Union--Unity Organisation (AAU-E)
Third Wave, 1924-1949
International
Federation of Anarchist-communist Groups of Poland and Lithuania (FAGPL)
East Asian Anarchist Federation (EAAF)
American Continental Workingmen's Association (ACAT)
North African Libertarian Movement (MLNA)
Anarchist International Relations Commission (CRIA)
Continental Commission of Anarchist Relations (CCRA)
Poland
Anarchist Federation of Poland (AFP)
General Workers' Federation (GFP)
Union of Trade Unions (ZZZ, member of IWA)
Polish Syndicalist Union (ZSP)
Korea, South China, and Manchuria
Korean Anarchist Federation's Chinese Exile Section (KAF-C)
Korean Youth Federation in South China (KYFSC)
Manchurian Revolution of 1929-31
--Shinmin Prefecture (General League of Koreans or HCH)
Korean Anarchist Federation (KAF)
Korean Anarchist Communist Federation (KACF)
Korean Anarchist Federation in Manchuria
Federation of Free Society Builders (FFSB)
Korean Revolutionary Federation (KRF)
Spain
Spanish Revolution
--CNT's 1936 Zargosa Congress
Iberian Anarchist Federation (FAI)
Libertarian Youth Federation of Iberia (FIJL)
Libertarian Youth (JJLL)
Durruti Column
Friends of Durruti (AD)
France
International Revolutionary Syndicalist Federation (FISR)
National Confederation of Labour (CNT)
Francophile Anarchist Federation (FAF)
Italy
Italian Anarchist Communists (FdCAI)
General Italian Workers' Federation (CGIL)
Britain
Anarchist Federation of Britain
Syndicalist Workers' Federation (SWF)
Japan
Japanese Anarchist Federation (JAF)
Federation of Free Labour Unions (FFLU)
Conference of Labour Unions (CLU)
Japanese Anarchist Club (JAC)
Anarchist Federation
Germany
Federation of Libertarian Socialists (FFS)
Netherlands
Independent League of Trade Unions (OVB)
Mexico
General Delegation of the CNT (CNT-DG)
Venezuela
Venezuelan Regional Workers' Federation (FORV)
Examples from Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution
Khoikhoi people
Paupan people
Aleut people
Dayak people
Village community
Buryats
Kabyle people
Peoples of the Caucasus
Medieval commune
Medieval guild
Labor unions
Strikes
Worker cooperatives
Lifeboat Association
Cyclists' Alliance
Gymnasts' Societies
Alpine Clubs
Froebel Unions
pedagogical societies in Germany
religious charitable associations
scientific, literary, artistic, and educational societies
Mutual-Aid in slum-life
Examples from People Without Government: An Anthropology of Anarchy
Northwest coast indigenous peoples
Plateau Tonga
Anuak
Ibo
New Guinea indigenous peoples
Ifugao
Land Dayaks
South American Indians
Nuer
Samek or Lapps
Imazighen
Santals
medieval free city
Anabaptists
