The Stars.

 

           AK Press a machine that keeps on producing gems. This From Bulletin of the Kate Sharpley Library October 2023

           

             In 2013 Barry Pateman wrote a piece about Ethel Mannin’s No More Mimosa, his contact with Spanish anarchist exiles and the contrast between the revolutionary situation they had been part of and the grim reality of defeat. ‘Exile meant the end of nearly everything they had known. […] A terrible protective dignity became their defense against a world that had cast them adrift.’ [1]
          The anarchist exiles were hardly a homogenous bloc. Different choices, experiences, attitudes and status within the movement before 1939 saw to that (never mind the difference between being exiled in, say, France or Mexico). As a child, Octavio Alberola went into exile with his family: his father was the rationalist schoolteacher José Alberola Navarro who clashed with some members of the Durruti Column: ‘The revolution’s purpose is not providing opportunities for vengeance, but rather to set an example.’ [p.20]
           In exile in Mexico, Octavio met Fidel Castro and Che Guevara before they were famous; and also fell foul of the unwritten rule that refugees should not get involved in Mexican politics. After that, Alberola was part of the anarchist resurgence (and not only within the Spanish movement) that we think of as part of the sixties. Partly this connected with the confidence of a new generation, as seen at the Limoges Congress of 1961: ‘On one side stood the “veterans,” the militants who had fought against fascism in the civil war. They were now twenty-two years older, fifty years old and up. Mature, tempered people who proceeded at a comfortable pace. On the other side were the “newcomers,” the children of exile, who had left Spain at a very young age or been born elsewhere. With no investment in the myth, they didn’t hesitate to make action the priority.’ [p.114]
          Octavio was part of this ‘activist’ current, being involved in Defensa Interior and the First of May Group. Neither group succeeded in assassinating Franco but their other strand of symbolic actions generated much negative publicity for the Spanish dictatorship. Not to mention a certain amount of controversy within the movement. After the Ussia kidnapping by the First of May Group,[2] leaders of the CNT denounced the ‘thoroughly negative initiative’ [p.176] only to be answered ‘They at least are living in the present rather in the past like some older militants who once had credibility, or in the future, like others who make anarchy the way they would construct scale models once their working hours are over or when they have time on their hands’.[3]. Some veterans, Like Cipriano Mera or Juan Garcia Oliver, were involved in the Defensa Interior, so it was not purely a difference of generations.

Continue reading. 

          The Weight of the Stars: The Life of Anarchist Octavio Alberola by Agustín Comotto with Octavio Alberola, translated by Paul Sharkey.
https://www.akpress.org/the-weight-of-the-stars.html

Visit ann arky at https://spiritofrevolt.info    

State.

          The "State", a small word with gigantic influence over our lives. A mechanism created and evolved into a forceful defender of wealth, power and privileges for the few. A self perpetuating machine for total domination over the population. However it was not God created, nor is it written in tablets of stone, never to be dismissed, it is simply a man made system of control welded to an economic system of greed and inequality. It can be dismantled and replaced with a humane system of fairness, based on co-operation, mutual aid and a driving force to see to the needs of all our people, free from the profit motive. The more we realise this, the quicker we can bring it down and create that better world for all, and relegate the state/capitalist system to history under the label of Humanity's Darkest Hour.

The following from from Anarchist Agency

A New Animated Video Primer From Agency & AK Press

        As we collectively face an increasing level of social and environmental crises around the world, many people are questioning how the State—a system that wreaks so much destruction—even came to exist and why it has such a stranglehold on us. As anarchists we feel that it is important to acknowledge that the State is the framework for ordering and controlling relations among human society, the economy, and the natural world, and that we have the power to create a better world.
        Recently, Agency’s Eric Laursen published The Operating System: An Anarchist Theory of the Modern State—a groundbreaking look at the State and how it performs like a digital operating system, providing a framework for every part of our lives and rendering itself essential to functioning in human society. Not only does Laursen’s book provide a rare anarchist analysis of the State, but it also calls on us to recognize that the State is something that was intentionally created and can just as readily be replaced with something better.
        We are excited to share with you a new animated video, What is the State? (3:44), which we produced with Eric Laursen and illustrator Seth Tobocman to capture the essence of The Operating System. We highly recommend that you check out the book from AK Press, and please share the video with your friends.

YouTube video link here:

https://youtu.be/u1y_dDfkjrc

 

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk   

Anarchy.

        It is approximately a year since Stuart Christie died and the tributes still come in, this is a tribute to Stuart Christie from Kate Sharpley Library and AK Press. I'm sure comrades will be eager to place their order.

A Life For Anarchy 

 

       Over the last year have edited (and written an introduction for) A Life for Anarchy: A Stuart Christie Reader. The book contains a selection of Stuart’s writings (shorter political pieces and biographical tributes he wrote) and some of the tributes his friends and comrades paid to him.
      ‘We hope this book will give you a sense of the richness and complexity of his life. We also hope it will act as a memorial, given that we haven’t been able to meet up and celebrate his life. […]
       ‘We know that this is not the final word on Stuart’s life. Seeing the materials that people are sharing with us and the Stuart Christie Memorial Archive, we feel as though we are constantly learning more. We hope this reader gives you a sense of the breadth of his experiences, and celebrates his humanity, his morality and his intuitive grasp of anarchism.’ (from the introduction)
        Published by AK Press, it’s 280 pages long and copies will be available later in the year. Money from each copy sold will go to Stuart’s daughter, Branwen. We’ll share more information when we have it.

Salud, comrade!

Kate Sharpley Library Collective

[Top photo: Stuart working on Sanday]

Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.info   

Shooting Us Like Partridges.

       It didn't take a crystal ball to predict the fate of anarchists in Russia after the Bolsheviks came to power. Though the Bolsheviks have gone, the persecution of anarchists continues to this day, and not just in Russia. 

From Enough Is Enough:

       Here is an extract from the new PM Press edition of Voline’s anarchist history of the Russian Revolution, The Unknown Revolution (with a new introduction by Iain McKay), describing Voline’s encounters with Leon Trotsky, before and during the Russian Revolution. It goes well with Emma Goldman’s “Trotsky Protests Too Much,” which I posted earlier. The excerpt can also be found in Daniel Guérin’s No Gods, No Masters (Ni Dieu Ni Maitre), published by AK Press.

Encounters with Trotsky

           In April 1917 I met Trotsky again. (We had known each other in Russia, and, later in France from which we were both expelled in 1916.) We met in a print shop which specialised in printing the various publications of the Russian left. He was then editor of a daily Marxist paper Novy Mir (New World). As for me, I had been entrusted with editing the last numbers of Golos Truda (Voice of Labour), the weekly organ of the anarcho-syndicalist Union of Russian Workers, shortly before it was moved to Russia. I used to spend one night a week at the print shop while the paper was being prepared. That is how I happened to meet Trotsky on my first night there.

      Naturally we spoke about the Revolution. Both of us were preparing to leave America in the near future to return home.

       In the course of our conversation I said to Trotsky: “Truly I am absolutely sure that you, the Marxists of the left, will end up by seizing power in Russia. That is inevitable, because the Soviets, having been restored, will surely enter into conflict with the bourgeois government. The government will not be able to destroy them because all the workers of the country, both industrial workers and peasants, and also most of the army, will naturally put themselves on the side of the Soviets against the bourgeoisie and the government. And once the Soviets have the support of the people and the army, they will triumph in the struggle. And once they have won it will be you, the Marxists, who will inevitably be carried into power. Because the workers are seeking the revolution in its most advanced form. The syndicalists and anarchists are too weak in Russia to attract the attention of the workers rapidly by their ideas. So the masses will put their confidence in you and you will become ‘the masters of the country.’ And then, look out anarchists! The conflict between you and us is unavoidable. You will begin to persecute us as soon as your power is consolidated. And you will finish by shooting us like partridges. . .”

        “. . .Come, come, comrade,” replied Trotsky. “You have a stubborn and incorrigible imagination. Do you think we are really divided? A mere question of method, which is quite secondary. Like us you are revolutionaries. Like you we are anarchists in the final analysis. The only difference is that you would like to establish your anarchism immediately without a preparatory transition, while we, the Marxists, do not believe it possible to ‘leap’ in one bound into the libertarian millennium. We anticipate a transitory epoch in the course of which the ground for an anarchist society will be cleared and ploughed with the help of the anti-bourgeois political powers: the dictatorship of the proletariat exercised by the proletarian party in power. In the end, it involves only a ‘shade’ of difference, nothing more. On the whole we are very close to one another. We are friends in arms. Remember now: we have a common enemy to fight. How can we think of fighting among ourselves? Moreover, I have no doubt that you will be quickly convinced of the necessity of a temporary proletarian socialist dictatorship. I don’t see any real reason for a war between you and us. We will surely march hand in hand. And then, even if we don’t agree, you are all wrong in supposing that we, the socialists, will use brutal force against the anarchists! Life itself and the judgement of the masses will resolve the problem and will put us in agreement. No! Can you really admit for a single instant such an absurdity: socialists in power shooting anarchists? Come, come, what do you take us for? Anyhow, we are socialists, comrade Voline! We are not your enemies."

         In December 1919, seriously ill, I was arrested by the Bolshevik military authorities in the Makhnovist region of the Ukraine. Considering me an important militant, the authorities advised Trotsky of my arrest by a special telegram and asked for his instructions concerning me. The reply, also by telegram, arrived quickly, clearly, laconically: “SHOOT HIM IMMEDIATELY—TROTSKY.” I was not shot, thanks to a set of circumstances particularly fortunate and entirely fortuitous.

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk

AK Press Up Date.

      An up date from AK Press, looks quite horrendous, apparently two people died in an adjoining building. Loss of stock and trading is one thing but loss of life is something else.

From AK Press:

     AK Press is currently dealing with the aftermath of a major fire. You are in the right place if you want to help. 

A lot of people have been asking what is the best way to help us recover. We still aren't sure the exact amount of stock that is ruined, or how long we will be unable to enter our warehouse building. But we do know that we've lost a lot, and that we're effectively shut down for business so we're not able to sustain ourselves without your help.

If you are able to make a financial contribution to our Fire Relief Fund, please do so. We'll see that any donated funds are divided up between AK Press, our neighbors at 1984 Printing, and building residents who have lost their homes and belongings.

Read the full article HERE:

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

AK Press Destroyed.

    Fire seems to have destroyed AK Press in Oakland, here is an appeal from them for help. Please support if you can and spread this around.

 Dear Friends,

        In the early morning of March 21, the building behind ours caught fire. Two people lost their lives. The fire spread to the mixed-use warehouse building we share with 1984 Printing and 30+ residents. Everyone in our building got out safely, but several units were completely destroyed. There was extensive water and smoke damage to other units, including the ones occupied by AK Press and our neighbors at 1984 Printing.
      Yesterday, we got more bad news when the City of Oakland red-tagged our building, which prohibits us from occupying it. We don't know how long this will last, but it obviously means we can't conduct business as usual. We are hopeful that we can recover from this tragedy but we will need your help to get through it, and to support our neighbors who have also suffered major losses.
       If you can, please consider a donation to our Fire Relief Fund. If you're not in the position to donate, please help us by sharing the campaign. We will split all contributions to this fund with 1984 Printing and our neighbors affected by the fire, and we will all be very grateful for whatever you can give.
      We'll keep you all posted as we struggle through this awful mess. Thank you all, so much, for your support thus far—we can't tell you how much it means.

—The AK Press Collective  Make a Donation

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Anarchy In Rojava.

       The latest video from The Stimulator at Submedia, is on what is happening in Rojava, among other things, plus a wee plug for AK Press.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Engines Of Domination.

      Rather long for a quick look, but interesting, well worth persevering. I liked the end conclusions. The book is available from AK Press.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

RIB On The Move.

     RIB is on the move, Glasgow's own, longstanding, Radical Independent Bookfair is on the move, reaching into the far distant nether regions of the borders and will be in Dumfries in April. However, you can enjoy this  pop-up event right here in Glasgow also in April at Kinning Park Complex.

    Home and Away -

    Two April events from the Glasgow's Radical Independent Bookfair project...

HOME

Sunday 13-20 April

Kinning Park Complex

43 Cornwall street

Glasgow.

RiB - Black BOX

       Glasgow's Radical Independent Bookfair project presents 'black box'… (physically in the form of a black fold out booth and visually as a recorder of recent and past radical events…) this week long stand will have an array of materials squeezed into it including… new titles from AK Press, Angry Artworks t-shirts, Govanhill Baths' bags, second hand Unity books, Feral Trade coffee as well as old publications to swap, Document dvds to watch, customised stickers for kids and of course an array of other free materials.

       This stall will be part of a Broth Mix Cafe event organised by the Open Jar collective. A week long event where the main hall of Kinning Park Complex will be transformed into a cafe providing homemade soup and bread along with a series of free workshops, talks and performances.

The stall is open for the duration of the Broth Mix event - detail of all these related free events click here.

<http://ns13.net-hosted.com/%7Eemilycha/openjarcollective.co.uk/Images/Broth%20Mix%20Programme.pdf>

Stall open at these times...

sun 13th - 12-7pm

mon 14th - 12-5pm

tues 15th - 12-8pm

wed 16th - 12-5pm

thur 17th - 12-8pm

fri 18th - 12-5pm

sat 19th - 12-5pm

sun 20th - 12-6pm

AWAY

Wednesday 9 April

11am-5pm

University of Glasgow, Crichton Campus.

Dumfries.

RiB - travelling stall.

      Contemporary Anarchist Theory and Practice: Critical Perspectives School of Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Glasgow, Rutherford McCowan Building, Crichton Campus Bankend Road, Dumfries, DG1 4ZL (campus is approximately 2.5 miles from Dumfries train station)

     For the first time ever - we will be doing a stall outside of the Glasgow area! Trundling down to Dumfries with a small stall at this mini conference. The mini-conference/get-together is an opportunity to share research and critical practice. With ‘critical’ playing multiple roles, meaning either important, relevant/vital, analytical, supportive, evaluative or from opposing traditions.

I'm a better anarchist than you.

Speakers include:

Morgan Gibson (Queensland University)

Vicente Ordóñez Roig (Jaume I University, Castellón, Spain)

David Lamb (Hon Reader in Bioethics, Univ. Birmingham, Council member of

the Companion Animal Wel-fare Council)

Angela McClanahan (Edinburgh University)

Dek Keenan (Independent Labour Researcher)

Hartwig Pautz (Spirit of Revolt and University of the West of Scotland)

John Crossan (University of Glasgow)

Sotiris Frantzanas (University of Glasgow)

Hamish Kallin (University of Edinburgh)

Friend RiB on facebook here...

<https://www.facebook.com/pages/Glasgows-Radical-Independent-Bookfair-Project/250139438423326>

www.ribproject.org

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

FAQ by Iain McKay.

‘Everything you ever wanted to know about Anarchism, but were afraid to ask’ with Iain McKay.

Wednesday 20^th March, 7pm
_________________________________________

    Iain McKay is the author of the encyclopaedic two-volume set ‘ An Anarchist FAQ’ which sets out to cover all aspects of the Anarchist tradition, in terms of theory, history and practice. He has also written an extensive introduction to the 2011 AK Press published ‘Property Is Theft!: A Pierre-Joseph Proudhon Reader’, and is currently completing work on a new translation of the writings of Bakunin.

    Housmans are very happy to welcome Iain, who will be starting off the evening by flying through a brief history of Anarchism and highlighting the major traditions within it, before opening it up to the floor for questions and discussion. Whatever your current understanding  of Anarchism, this is a chance to ask questions, share knowledge, and raise your and others awareness in a friendly setting.

Event informationHousmans Bookshop
5 Caledonian Road
King's Cross
London N1 9DX
Tel: 020 7837 4473www.housmans.com

Entry £3, redeemable against purchase.
Nearest tube: King's Cross

ann arky's home.