breaking the chains

(1998) by Lucien van der Walt – Breaking the Chains – A History of Anarchism – via 51 pg kindle version from anarchist library [https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/lucien-van-der-walt-breaking-the-chains]

lucien via wikipedia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucien_van_der_Walt#]:

Lucien van der Walt (born 8 September 1972) is a South African writer, professor of Sociology and labour educator. His research engages the anarchist/syndicalist tradition of Mikhail Bakunin and Peter Kropotkin; trade unionism and working class history, particularly in southern Africa; and neo-liberal state restructuring. He currently teaches and researches at Rhodes University in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, and previously worked at the University of the Witwatersrand. His 2007 PhD on anarchism and syndicalism in South Africa in the early 1900s won both the international prize for the best PhD dissertation from the Labor History journal, and the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa prize for best African PhD thesis.

mikhail bakunin.. pëtr kropotkin..

Van der Walt is also involved in union and workers’ education, including for the DITSELA workers education institute, and a coordinating and teaching role in the Global Labour University, the former National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa ‘Social Theory’ course at the University of the Witwatersrand, the former Workers Library and Museum, the political schools of the South African Unemployed Peoples’ Movement and the current Eastern Cape short course program for metal workers’ unions at Rhodes University. He is the ‘former head’ of media for the Anti-Privatisation Forum (APF), a coalition of social movements, which was established in Johannesburg in July 2000 by activists and organisations involved in two key anti-privatisation struggles: the struggle against iGoli 2002, and the struggle against Wits 2001 at Wits University.

notes/quotes:

5

In the Beginning…

This is a book about the history of anarchism. It is a history of nearly 120 years of unbroken workers struggle. It is a history of sacrifice and bravery by ordinary people fighting for a world without bosses and oppression.

Anarchism – also known as libertarian socialism, syndicalism, or free communism – was not born in the mind of an intellectual or a philosopher. Instead it was born in the struggles of the working and poor people for a world free of oppression and exploitation.

This is how a group of exiled Russian militants expressed this issue:

Anarchism … (derives) from the direct struggle of workers against capitalism, from the needs and necessities of the workers, from their aspirations to liberty and equality, aspirations which become particularly alive in the best heroic period of the life and struggle of the working masses.

In place of a world based on racism and women’s oppression, anarchism stands for a world based on human equality and international unity.

In place of a world based on authority, on taking orders from the rich and powerful, anarchism stands for a world based on grassroots democracy – in the community and in the factory, power must lie with the working and poor people.

In place of a world where the workers create the wealth, but starve in the slums, anarchism stands for a world run by the workers, for the workers – a world without bosses, based on the idea “from each according to their ability, to each according to their need”.

This is what we want: democracy in the factories, food on the tables, and the good things of life for the working and poor masses.

Such a world will not come about through the kind hand of a boss and a politician. It will only come about through mass struggle by the working class to overthrow the bosses and rulers, and to tear down all forms of oppression and exploitation.

To again quote the Russian comrades we mentioned earlier:

The class struggle created by the enslavement of the workers and their aspirations to liberty gave birth, in the oppression, to the idea of anarchism: the total negation of a social system based on the principles of classes and the State, and its replacement by a free non-statist society under self-management…

This booklet traces the history of anarchism. It looks at the struggles that millions and millions of working people have waged in pursuit of this great ideal. It is not a fancy encyclopedia — it is a book written by ordinary people for ordinary people.

It is in recovering our history, through learning about the long chain of struggles and sacrifices made by earlier comrades, that we can appreciate the greatness of our movement.

It is in learning about our past that we can take heart, to face our future, and never surrender in the face of the evils and injustices of this world of bosses and rulers.

Viva the workers struggle, viva anarchism!

Lucien van der Walt
Johannesburg, 1998

7

Chapter 1: The First International Workers Association

Anarchism emerged as an organised mass movement in an organisation called the First International Workers Association.

10

From 1869 Bakunin and Marx came into open conflict.

In 1872, Marx managed to expel Bakunin from the First International.

How could this happen, given that Marx only had minority support in the First International?

Marx was only able to expel Bakunin through the use of the most dishonest and undemocratic actions.

First of all, Marx (who was an administrator in the International’s general council) helped make sure that the 1872 meeting was held in the Netherlands. This meant that Bakunin and many of his supporters could not attend, as they were banned from crossing France or Germany.

like don’t fear invoke anarchy author pounded on about

11

For the Oppressed, against the Oppressor – Always!

The split in the socialist movement that took place in 1872 still exists.

It is a split between those socialists who believe in socialism from above through government (Communist Parties, Labour Parties, Marxists) and those who believe in socialism from below (anarchists, libertarian socialists, council communists

so.. same song

12

Chapter 2: The Real Origins of May Day

May Day is the day of international working class solidarity. 

The IWPA was part of the “Anti-Authoritarian International” set up after 1877 (see previous chapter).

Its founding statement declared:

By force our ancestors liberated themselves from political oppression; by force their children will have to liberate themselves from economic bondage. It is therefore your right, your duty, to arm yourselves ….

What we would achieve is plainly and simply:

First:- Destruction of the existing class rule, by all means, i.e., by energetic, revolutionary and international action;

Second:- Establishment of a free society based on the co-operative organisation of production;

Third:- Free exchange of equivalent products by and between the productive organisations without commerce and profit-mongery;

Fourth:- Establishment of education on a secular, scientific, and equal basis for both sexes;

Fifth:- Equal rights for all without distinction to race and sex;

Sixth:- Regulation of public affairs by free contracts between the autonomous (independent) communes and associations, resting on a federative basis.

oi

13

The Fight for the 8 Hour Day

In 1886, there was a big movement among the workers to fight for an 8 hour day. Workers across the United States were calling for a general strike on May 1, 1886.

The IWPA and the Central Labour Union helped organise this strike. They did not just talk about revolution. They were with the masses in the daily struggle against Mr Fat cat, against the bosses.

Across the country, at least 340,000 workers, both Black and White, came out on strike on May 1.

In Chicago, 50,000 workers were on strike. 80,000 people attended the march organised by the IWPA and the Central Labour Union.

These demonstrations of workers militancy terrified the bosses and rulers. Like all ruling classes, they were afraid that masses would rise up against their oppressors.

The bosses decided on a plan. They decided to smash the workers’ movement through dirty tricks.

Dirty Tricks

On Monday, May 3, there was a fight between strikers and scabs at the McCormick Machine Company. At this company, unionised workers had been locked out for several months. Everyday they arrived at the factory to keep up the fight.

On May 3, the workers tried to stop scabs from taking their jobs. The cops then opened fire on the workers. Many strikers were killed or injured.

This massacre outraged the IWPA and the workers movement. Why were workers being murdered? Just because they were fighting for their jobs?

The anarchist workers newspapers called on workers to arm themselves for self-defence.

On May 4, the IWPA called a mass protest meeting in the Haymarket Square in Chicago. The notice said “Workingmen, Arm Yourselves and Appear in Full Force” and “Revenge! Workingmen to arms”.

The meeting was peaceful. But the speeches were militant. Speakers from the IWPA condemned the oppressive capitalist system and its hired thugs, the police.

As the meeting dispersed, 200 police suddenly attacked the crowd.

At this point an enemy agent threw a bomb towards the police. Some cops were hurt, and one died.

The police then opened fire. The commander, Lieutenant James Bowler, said “Fire and kill as many as you can!”. An unknown number of workers were killed and wounded.

may day

14

The Frame Up

The cops were clearly in the wrong. The meeting was already dispersing when they attacked. The workers did not throw the bomb.

But it seems like workers lives mean nothing.

The blood-crazed cops killed many workers that day.

But it was the workers and their organisations who were blamed for the violence!

There were mass arrests and raids on anarchists and other radicals across the country. Many militants were banned.

The cops arrested 8 leading activists from the IWPA and the Central Labour Union. They said that these comrades were to blame for the bomb at the Haymarket Square.

There was no evidence that the comrades were linked to the bomb. Some were not even in Chicago at the time.

But after a blatantly biased and unfair trial, these comrades were sentenced to death for murder. Isn’t this what the capitalist courts are about? Bosses’ law and rich man’s justice?

This is what the comrade August Spies said as the death sentence was handed out:

If you think you that by hanging us you can stamp out the labour movement – the movement from which the down-trodden millions, the millions who toil and live in want and misery, the wage slaves, expect salvation – if this is your opinion, then hang us!

Here you will tread upon a spark, but here, and there, and behind you, and in front of you, and everywhere, the flames of [of workers struggle] will blaze up … The ground is on fire upon which you stand.

The Hangings

There were world-wide protests by the workers movement.

But in 1887, four of the comrades were hanged: Albert Parsons, August Spies, Adolph Fischer, George Engel. A fifth militant, Louis Lingg, committed suicide the night before the hanging.

The masses showed their anger and sadness.

200,000 people lined the funeral procession in Chicago.

20,000 crowded into the cemetery.

Years later, the government admitted that the trial was false and the remaining three comrades got amnesty.

Behind the deaths of the Chicago comrades lay the evil will of bosses aiming to disorganise the workers movement.

In Memory of our fallen Fighters

In 1889, the American delegation to an International Socialist Congress in Paris proposed that May 1st be adopted as a workers’ holiday.

fitting ish for ab

This was to commemorate working class struggle and the “Martyrdom of the Chicago Eight”. This would symbolise the international struggle of the workers for a better life.

Since then Mayday has became a day for international solidarity.

Sadly, though, many socialists do not know that these martyrs of the working people were anarchists.

16

Chapter 3: Crisis and Rebirth

In the late 1870s and 1880s, anarchism seemed set to grow rapidly.

Anarchism became a mass movement in some countries, such as the United States of America. It also remained a powerful force in countries where it was already strong, such as Spain and parts of South America. And new movements emerged in countries such as Egypt.

The Crisis of the 1880s

But in the 1880s, the movement in fact entered into a crisis. It became weak, and many of its gains were lost.

There were a number of reasons for this decline.

First of all, there was great repression in many countries. For example, in France, literally tens of thousands of workers were killed by the State in 1871. This followed after a failed workers revolution called the “Paris Commune” in which workers took control of Paris and other cities. The repression in France lasted for years.

In the other countries, the bosses were afraid of the rising of the workers. So the bosses’ responded to workers resistance through violence and dirty tricks. This happened in the USA for example (see the previous chapter).

Secondly, there was an economic crisis in many countries at this time. This made it difficult to organise. Workers were afraid of becoming unemployed, and therefore became less militant. Also, in this period, the bosses became less likely to give into workers demands for better wages and conditions. This made many workers less likely to struggle.

Thirdly, the anarchists faced a growing rival in the socialist movement. These were the authoritarian socialists -the socialists who believe in socialism from above through the use of the government.

The “Second International”

Since the collapse of the First International, the authoritarian socialists had been hard at work. They helped set up an organisation called the “Second International” in 1889. The Second International was mainly made up of workers parties that aimed to stand in elections. The Second International also had links to a number of trade unions.

At first, the anarchists joined the Second International, attending the congresses in 1889, 1891 and 1893.

The anarchists said that elections and political parties would not bring freedom. That only mass action and revolutionary trade union struggle would deliver freedom.

But they were expelled in 1891, despite the objections of many delegates.

Motions were passed in 1893 and 1896 to specifically exclude those opposed to the idea that socialism could come through “political action” (socialism through elections).

In 1896, libertarian socialists were explicitly banned from the Second International. But even before the ban, anarchist speakers were physically attacked at the 1896 congress.

so far.. this is a good/brief timeline for those who want it

17

Assassinations

So the anarchist movement was being weakened by a number of factors.

There were many disagreements amongst comrades about the best way forward in this situation.

Mistakes were made.

Some comrades became very “pure” and “utopian”. Instead of being involved in mass struggle, they shut themselves away in Ivory Towers.

Other comrades argued that militant armed actions by a few would help spark a workers revolution. They argued that militant actions by a few anarchists would show that the bosses could be defeated.

It was hoped that this would help revive the workers struggle. It was hoped that this would attract the workers to anarchism.

This idea was called “propaganda by the deed”.

oi.. utopian = ivory tower ness

21

Chapter 4: Declaring War on Racism

From the start, the anarchists opposed racism.

25

Chapter 5: Anarchists in Anti-Imperialist Struggles

Anarchists/Syndicalists also played an important role in anti-colonial and anti-imperialist struggles across the world.

Again, anarchism is by its very nature opposed to colonialism and oppression.

Anarchism is based on a fundamental belief in human equality and dignity. It is opposed to oppression of whatever sort

29

Chapter 6: Fighting Women’s Oppression

31

Chapter 7: War and Revolution 1916-22

It is a tragedy that these revolts did not succeed. If the workers had won, *we would be living in a world of freedom today.

But for a variety of complex reasons the revolutionary upheaval failed.

The comrades made mistakes.

*nah.. would be same song.. if any form of m\a\p.. (which all the above is).. oi

36

A genuinely socialist and free society can only be created by the working class and working peasants acting on their own initiative to smash the chains of oppression.

oi

rather.. need a legit nother way.. for everyone.. no smashing needed

39

Chapter 8: Anarchism in the 1920s and 1930s

41

Chapter 9: The Spanish Revolution, 1936-7

The anarchists organised rent boycotts in poor areas in Barcelona.

The anarchists set up youth and women’s organisations.

The anarchists organised workers centres and workers schools.

Fascism

oi.. same song.. meaning.. all the org’s, revolts, us & them ness.. same as fascism.. ness.. any form of people telling other people what to do et al

44

As well as giving a more efficient service the workers found time to produce rockets and howitzers for the war effort.

oi.. efficiency of coop ness = more time to improve war.. oi..

People who did not want to join the collectives were not forced to. They were given enough land to farm on, but were forbidden to hire workers (because this would reintroduce a form of capitalism).

o.. already same song

Education became a central concern. Young children who had never been to school were given the education denied to them by the landlords.

oh my.. see.. same song

46

Lessons of the Spanish Revolution

Given the right conditions mutual aid and co-operation will flourish. Workers, peasants and the poor can create a new world without bosses or a government.

yeah.. but conditions have to be sans any form of m\a\p.. which mutual aid and cooperatives have/keep/perpetuate.. oi .. still have people telling other people what to do

47

Chapter 10: A World to Win

49

When oppression and exploitation are taken away, then the “goodness” that is in most of us comes through and flourishes as it did when the workers held the reigns in Russia and Spain.

oi.. dance won’t dance unless it’s all of us..

there’s a legit use of tech (nonjudgmental expo labeling).. to facil a legit global detox leap.. for (blank)’s sake.. and we’re missing it

legit freedom will only happen if it’s all of us.. and in order to be all of us.. has to be sans any form of m\a\p

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