Eclipsed from the headlines by the ongoing carnage, there is an active
civil resistance in Iraq that opposes the occupation, the torture regime
it protects, and the jihadi and Ba'athist 'resistance' alike.
Submitted by The New Centrist (not verified) on Tue, 02/19/2008 - 18:04.
Those examples were not intended to be ironic. They were provided because they were minority voices at the time, even in the anarchist movement. Anarchists--at least anarcho-syndicalists and anarcho-communists--were overwhelmingly supportive of the Bolsheviks, even after Berkman's and Goldman's writings were published. It wasn't until people were being killed that they finally got a clue.
Cuba is another sad example. Dolgoff was far and away a lone voice in the wilderness. The vast majority of the libertarian left supported Castro and his revolution. When you look at the behavior and slander of the broader radical Left, the treatment he received was shameful. Have a look at Dolgoff's papers at the Tamiment Library at NYU and you'll be able to understand he experienced something similar to what you are experiencing today. Your voice--along with the folks behind Three Way Fight and a few other small groups—is a small voice on the libertarian left today. I think that's a big part of why you are so frustrated with the movement.
Spain is obviously a complicated situation. Yes, on the one hand CNT militants certainly resisted Communist attempts at destroying the anarchist collectives. But, at the same time, the anarchists also implemented pro-capitalist methods themselves. These methods including tying wages to productivity, the implementation of the piece-rate, harsh punitive measures for slackers, even forced collectivization which most anarchists fail to admit. As historian Michael Seidman writes, "A dispassionate examination of the charges and countercharges leads to the conclusion that both anarchist and Communists were correct. The former used illegal coercion to initiate collectives, and the latter used it to destroy them." (126) (see Michael Seidman Republic of Egos: A Social History of the Spanish Civil War. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 2002).
Another thing to consider is the Spanish cause was not incredibly popular among anarchists outside of Spain. That's one of the main reasons the numbers of international anarchist volunteers pales in comparison to those the Communists. Of course another major factor is the Communists were more organized but if you examine the anarchist press at the time—in France, Germany, even the United States—anarchist support for the CNT was lukewarm at the start of the conflict (Info on this in Robert Alexander's two volume The Anarchists in the Spanish Civil War. London: James Publishing, 1999).
Sorry, did not notice the typo but hope you had a chance to look at Bob's blog.
As far as my shifts in interpretation or ideology, I obviously don't think I've "allowed myself to be deceived" about anything. I do think we have a difference in interpretation regarding "the good life" and how to achieve it but thoughtful people can disagree about these matters without having to resort to insults. After all, I didn't mention anything about useful idiots or fellow travelers. ;-)
The inconvenient facts and unanswered questions surrounding the attacks are legion, but the endemic sloppiness of the self-styled "researchers" is delegitimizing the entire project of critiquing the "official version." The ostentatiously named "Truth movement" is not clearing the air, but muddying the water.
WW4 Report pamphlets
WAR AT THE CROSSROADS
An Historical Guide Through the Balkan Labyrinth
The Balkan region is intensely multicultural - a point of crossroads and clash for some of the world's major religions, cultural spheres, and economic systems. While there have been vicious wars in Balkan history, these have taken place in the context of manipulation by imperial powers and the self-serving local leaders who cater to them.
opensource technology and the people of Sundays Energy
Not intended to be ironic
Those examples were not intended to be ironic. They were provided because they were minority voices at the time, even in the anarchist movement. Anarchists--at least anarcho-syndicalists and anarcho-communists--were overwhelmingly supportive of the Bolsheviks, even after Berkman's and Goldman's writings were published. It wasn't until people were being killed that they finally got a clue.
Cuba is another sad example. Dolgoff was far and away a lone voice in the wilderness. The vast majority of the libertarian left supported Castro and his revolution. When you look at the behavior and slander of the broader radical Left, the treatment he received was shameful. Have a look at Dolgoff's papers at the Tamiment Library at NYU and you'll be able to understand he experienced something similar to what you are experiencing today. Your voice--along with the folks behind Three Way Fight and a few other small groups—is a small voice on the libertarian left today. I think that's a big part of why you are so frustrated with the movement.
Spain is obviously a complicated situation. Yes, on the one hand CNT militants certainly resisted Communist attempts at destroying the anarchist collectives. But, at the same time, the anarchists also implemented pro-capitalist methods themselves. These methods including tying wages to productivity, the implementation of the piece-rate, harsh punitive measures for slackers, even forced collectivization which most anarchists fail to admit. As historian Michael Seidman writes, "A dispassionate examination of the charges and countercharges leads to the conclusion that both anarchist and Communists were correct. The former used illegal coercion to initiate collectives, and the latter used it to destroy them." (126) (see Michael Seidman Republic of Egos: A Social History of the Spanish Civil War. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 2002).
Another thing to consider is the Spanish cause was not incredibly popular among anarchists outside of Spain. That's one of the main reasons the numbers of international anarchist volunteers pales in comparison to those the Communists. Of course another major factor is the Communists were more organized but if you examine the anarchist press at the time—in France, Germany, even the United States—anarchist support for the CNT was lukewarm at the start of the conflict (Info on this in Robert Alexander's two volume The Anarchists in the Spanish Civil War. London: James Publishing, 1999).
Sorry, did not notice the typo but hope you had a chance to look at Bob's blog.
As far as my shifts in interpretation or ideology, I obviously don't think I've "allowed myself to be deceived" about anything. I do think we have a difference in interpretation regarding "the good life" and how to achieve it but thoughtful people can disagree about these matters without having to resort to insults. After all, I didn't mention anything about useful idiots or fellow travelers. ;-)
http://newcentrist.wordpress.com/2007/08/13/forgetting-orwell...