ORGANISE! for revolutionary anarchism - Magazine of the Anarchist Federation - Spring/Summer 2007 - Issue 68

Review: REBEL ALLIANCES: The Means and Ends of Contemporary British Anarchisms by Ben Franks, AK Press, October 2006.

This is a really worthwhile read, especially for those who are interested in the ideas influencing present day anarchist organisation in Britain and the recent history of the class struggle movement, and the past, present, and hopefully future members of these organisations. Through the idea of a ‘consistent archetype’, the early part of the book makes a successful attempt to unify class struggle anarchism in Britain without losing the diversity of thought, strategy and tactics.

The ethics part of the book is likewise plausible and unifying. If these things help bring comrades in different organisations closer together that will have been a job well done, and also it will hopefully be a useful antidote to the 'post-left' view that lumps class struggle anarchists in the with rest of the Left.

A nice number of quotes from Anarchist Communist Federation (ACF) material are included! The ACF's major (we think!) contribution to bringing a ecological viewpoint into class struggle anarchism in Britain was one big omission. Likewise with the Poll Tax since the ACF was the only national organisation that was heavily involved with the twinning initiatives that helped exchange knowledge, and warning of Militant's tactics, from Scotland to England and Wales. The AF is also less adhered to Georges Fontenis’s Manifesto of Libertarian Communism than you might glean from Rebel Alliances, to the extent that we call it 'flawed', especially on the subject of vanguards.

Finally, in terms of 'location in the workplace', we can just about understand Franks putting 'none' in his table if you are meaning an explicit organisational presence - but it's worth noting this is in fact rapidly changing, since many AF members have joined the Industrial Workers of the World and a cross-organisation libertarian/anarchist education workers network is in the making. That'll be a bit of work for the second edition then!


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