Comments on The Pensive Quill: A Wee Black Booke of Belfast Anarchism (1867-1973)...

Yeah , I think anarchism has a lot to offer in ter...

2011-10-19T19:48:32.599+01:00

Yeah , I think anarchism has a lot to offer in terms of a systematic analysis of power and class relations in society, which could be useful in an Irish context.

Apart from yourself Mackers and the recent book published by Tommy Mckearney, there is little analysis of the Provisionals direction apart from one of merely sellouts and traiters.

Eirigi, have made some attempts to address this, but whether their ‘lip service’ to bottom up decision making is of substance remains to be seen, especially given their uncritical support to the Chavez and Castro regimes, and the fact that they carry a lot of baggage from the Provisionals.

I remember helping to organise meeting a few years ago in Belfast for ex black panther, ex Black Liberation Army member Ashanti Alston who was influenced by anarchism when in jail. He put the demise of the Black Panthers not just down to brutal state repression but also their internal organisational structure based on top centralised control, given rise to personality cults which stifled internal debate and discussion

http://www.wsm.ie/news_viewer/5325

Sean( I need to work out how to change my username)

Organise!, I always found it funny but as you sug...

2011-10-17T21:57:15.604+01:00

Organise!,

I always found it funny but as you suggest an urban myth.

I have so many books to get through, not all of them serious. But I will mark that one up for attention. Even where anarchism might not be thought applicable it is worthwhile alone for the critique it makes of power.

haha mackers, haha Ive been an anarchist since a ...

2011-10-17T21:26:50.749+01:00

haha mackers,

haha Ive been an anarchist since a teenager and never came across such meetings. You know what they say about stories and how they change and manipulated..... If there is one thing anarchism shares with 'dissident republicanism' is the bogeyman label(except in Ireland). I remember during the 2004 Mayday protests in Dublin where the lead article from the Daily Star I think it was, was on how anarchists plan to gas the citizens of Dublin.
Yeah, we would certainly share much in common with the strand of marxism you mention, than what passes itself of as 'state socialism'. If your looking for a good book on anarchism the best I have came across is Black Flame: The Revolutionary Class Politics of Anarchism and Syndicalism (Counter-Power vol 1)- written by Lucien van der Walt and Michael Schmidt which deals with "the ideas, history and relevance of the broad anarchist tradition through a survey of 150 years of global history"

Sean

'The man
Of virtuous soul commands not, nor obeys:Power, like a desolating pestilence,Pollutes whate'er it touches, and obedience,Bane of all genius, virtue, freedom, truth,
Makes slaves of men, and, of the human frame,A mechanised automaton.'-Percy Bysshe Shelley

Nuala, Tommy Gorman used to tell this story about...

2011-10-17T20:19:14.907+01:00

Nuala,

Tommy Gorman used to tell this story about the anarchists calling a meeting and anybody that turned up was suspended! I think your son in that regard is right. There is this image of anarchism as totally disorderly and anything goes. There is a strand to be found in Marx by some analysts which they call Libertarian Marxism and it deals with the principles of anarchism. Its basis ethos I believe is to prevent the concentration of power and control in the hands of any party elite. It would be highly anti-vanguardist.

Organised,

thanks for supplying that detail

The wee pamphlet is only useful in looking at anar...

2011-10-17T18:52:22.147+01:00

The wee pamphlet is only useful in looking at anarchism from local context to the 1970s.

The best online internet archive is Anarchist FAQ which examines every aspect of anarchist theory and practice.

http://www.infoshop.org/page/AnAnarchistFAQ

I also came across this guy a few years ago which is facinating
http://www.irlandeses.org/cathain.htm

Mackers, my son is of the belief that anarchism is...

2011-10-17T18:13:09.350+01:00

Mackers,
my son is of the belief that anarchism is a ideal which is totally misunderstood.
I think I would find the book quite interesting and might actually learn something.

Nuala, Funny that you should write that because w...

2011-10-16T19:39:16.835+01:00

Nuala,

Funny that you should write that because when I was uploading it for Sean I thought of you commenting on your son’s politics and felt he might find the book interesting!

Sean, always find your stuff really interesting a...

2011-10-14T23:05:21.408+01:00

Sean,
always find your stuff really interesting and I enjoyed reading this.
I will not pretend to fully understand anarchism but I know my son would really enjoy this.

Sean, thanks for sending this to us. Pleased to c...

2011-10-12T21:23:20.494+01:00

Sean,

thanks for sending this to us. Pleased to carry it. A very informative piece.