[lbo-talk] Anarchism, was Cuba

[B.]

Marvin Gandall wrote:

"I've really never met anyone on the left, whether
they describe themselves as anarchists or socialists,
who doesn't support the extension of democratic rights
and social measures under capitalism pending the
deeper change in class power and property relations
they are seeking..."


B.: I have. Welcome to America's take on what it means
to be an "anarchist"! The AK Press-released
documentary "Anarchism in America," filmed in 1979,
covers a broad swath of Americans who identify
themselves as "anarchists," and some are basically "I
hate paying taxes"-type libertarians who don't think
there should labor laws, etc. The makers of the film
admitted they were just surveying the land and not
necessarily supporting any one position in the
documentary, and obviously AK Press, who reissued the
docu on DVD, are left-anarchist, not Libertarian Party
types.



Marvin Gandall continues: "What essentially
distinguishes anarchism is its refusal to participate
in bourgeois democratic electoral politics, to
organize political parties, to run in elections and
seek office - even if only, as Marxists believe(d), as
a platform for disseminating radical ideas and
organizing the masses for what they expect will
ultimately lead to a decisive, probably armed,
confrontation for state power."



B.: Dunno if this gets me out of the anarchist club,
but I believe in voting strategically. I don't think
it's an either/or thing: that is, I don't think either
you do the noble thing of grassroots community
organizing OR you "support the system" by voting. I
think you can vote strategically to hopefully stave
off the worst of the lot of ruling bastards while at
the same time doing necessary groundwork. Many
anarchists hate this view and will try to kick you out
of the clubhouse for doing it. "You VOTED!? YOU SON.
OF. A. BITCH! Now I will write an article outing you
for bing a poseur," etc.

-B.