Anarchism, another way of seeing: understanding, propose, imagine
Hosted by Marc and Matthias
Introducing include the presentation of the booklet entitled Normand Baillargeon The order less power: history and actuality of anarchism .
Affirm that you are an anarchist, and almost invariably you regard as a nihilist, a supporter of chaos or even a terrorist. However, it must be said: nothing is more false than this cons-meaning derived from decades of confusion carefully maintained around the idea of anarchism. As a first approximation, say that anarchism is a political theory which the vibrant heart of the idea box of anti-authoritarianism, that is to say, the rational and conscious refusal of all forms of illegitimate authority and power. An old lady who fought in the War of Spain said the simplest way: "I am an anarchist: that I do not receive or give orders." We can guess: the idea is unforgivable this ideal is unacceptable for all powers. It did neither admitted nor forgiven.
Let each of us think about what anarchism means to him. Including the left, this idea of movement is not well known and often caricatured. Outside, anarchism is not terrorism, or even chaos, is above all a different view.
What's in it for us today to talk about anarchism? We bring the perpetrators anarchists? We believe there are three answers to these questions, which may be the three guiding themes of the evening.
1. Understand how our society
Anarchists propose something else first to see how the company, a critical look at the political and economic system. It is always difficult to make an objective look at something close. Read anarchist lets take a step back, to better understand things. For example, when reading the anarchists of the 19th century, one is struck by the timeliness and clarity of their criticism of industrial society. Now as things have not evolved radically, this appears to be essential reading for us today.
2. Propose an alternative vision
Anarchists are also considering another possible society, another way to live together. The system we live in is not from a law of nature is the product of history, that it evolves and can therefore be changed. Anarchists have quite accurately described might look like another way of living together, another political and economic system. But at the same time - and unlike the Marxists - they do not want to define too precisely this "other world" because they believe in the creative capacity of revolutionary action. As Bakunin said about the political organization.
It is impossible to determine a standard concrete, universal and compulsory for the further development and political organization of nations, the existence of each being subject to a host of historical, geographical, economic backgrounds and who will never establish an organizational model, also good and acceptable to all. Such an undertaking, absolutely devoid of practical utility, would also affect the richness and spontaneity of life that thrives in the infinite diversity, and would violate the principle of freedom. Yet there are essential, absolutes without which the practical realization and organization of freedom will always be impossible.
3. Imagining the transition from current and future changes
Finally, anarchists we can consider how to move from our current system to another system. It's probably on this theme that anarchists are the most original and unfortunately also the least known. Unlike the Marxists who intend to take the state to change things from above, anarchists believe that the only way to really change people (and the system at the same time), is to do it from below, by the association of individuals who are gradually taking all decisions, participate in the political process and organize some with others.
Historically, anarchist ideas had their roots in the 18th century and the rationalism of the Enlightenment but not really develop until the 19th century with the labor movement before disappearing more or less in the 20th century where there are still large anarchist thinkers but who had no real influence on public opinion. Among the most important theorists of anarchist political philosophy are: Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, Michael Bakunin, Louise Michel, Peter Kropotkin, Bertrand Russell, Howard Zinn and Noam Chomsky. Some references to
a first approach of anarchism: the book by Normand Baillargeon, The order less power: history and actuality of anarchism Editions Agone, the film by Daniel Mermet and Olivier Azam Chomsky and Co., and the record on Anarchism in Le Monde Diplomatique January 2009. Listen
Michael Bakunin (1814-1876) explains what is its ultimate goal:
The goal of this ideal, today more than ever designed, can be summarized in these words: the triumph of Humanity is the conquest and the attainment of full freedom and full material development intellectual and moral individual, the organization absolutely spontaneous and free of economic and social solidarity as complete as possible for all human beings living on earth ...
Affirm that you are an anarchist, and almost invariably you regard as a nihilist, a supporter of chaos or even a terrorist. However, it must be said: nothing is more false than this cons-meaning derived from decades of confusion carefully maintained around the idea of anarchism. As a first approximation, say that anarchism is a political theory which the vibrant heart of the idea box of anti-authoritarianism, that is to say, the rational and conscious refusal of all forms of illegitimate authority and power. An old lady who fought in the War of Spain said the simplest way: "I am an anarchist: that I do not receive or give orders." We can guess: the idea is unforgivable this ideal is unacceptable for all powers. It did neither admitted nor forgiven.
Let each of us think about what anarchism means to him. Including the left, this idea of movement is not well known and often caricatured. Outside, anarchism is not terrorism, or even chaos, is above all a different view.
What's in it for us today to talk about anarchism? We bring the perpetrators anarchists? We believe there are three answers to these questions, which may be the three guiding themes of the evening.
1. Understand how our society
Anarchists propose something else first to see how the company, a critical look at the political and economic system. It is always difficult to make an objective look at something close. Read anarchist lets take a step back, to better understand things. For example, when reading the anarchists of the 19th century, one is struck by the timeliness and clarity of their criticism of industrial society. Now as things have not evolved radically, this appears to be essential reading for us today.
2. Propose an alternative vision
Anarchists are also considering another possible society, another way to live together. The system we live in is not from a law of nature is the product of history, that it evolves and can therefore be changed. Anarchists have quite accurately described might look like another way of living together, another political and economic system. But at the same time - and unlike the Marxists - they do not want to define too precisely this "other world" because they believe in the creative capacity of revolutionary action. As Bakunin said about the political organization.
It is impossible to determine a standard concrete, universal and compulsory for the further development and political organization of nations, the existence of each being subject to a host of historical, geographical, economic backgrounds and who will never establish an organizational model, also good and acceptable to all. Such an undertaking, absolutely devoid of practical utility, would also affect the richness and spontaneity of life that thrives in the infinite diversity, and would violate the principle of freedom. Yet there are essential, absolutes without which the practical realization and organization of freedom will always be impossible.
3. Imagining the transition from current and future changes
Finally, anarchists we can consider how to move from our current system to another system. It's probably on this theme that anarchists are the most original and unfortunately also the least known. Unlike the Marxists who intend to take the state to change things from above, anarchists believe that the only way to really change people (and the system at the same time), is to do it from below, by the association of individuals who are gradually taking all decisions, participate in the political process and organize some with others.
Historically, anarchist ideas had their roots in the 18th century and the rationalism of the Enlightenment but not really develop until the 19th century with the labor movement before disappearing more or less in the 20th century where there are still large anarchist thinkers but who had no real influence on public opinion. Among the most important theorists of anarchist political philosophy are: Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, Michael Bakunin, Louise Michel, Peter Kropotkin, Bertrand Russell, Howard Zinn and Noam Chomsky. Some references to
a first approach of anarchism: the book by Normand Baillargeon, The order less power: history and actuality of anarchism Editions Agone, the film by Daniel Mermet and Olivier Azam Chomsky and Co., and the record on Anarchism in Le Monde Diplomatique January 2009. Listen
Michael Bakunin (1814-1876) explains what is its ultimate goal:
The goal of this ideal, today more than ever designed, can be summarized in these words: the triumph of Humanity is the conquest and the attainment of full freedom and full material development intellectual and moral individual, the organization absolutely spontaneous and free of economic and social solidarity as complete as possible for all human beings living on earth ...
Paul Aries said today the News of anarchist thought in his book Voluntary Simplicity against the myth of affluence
We can not hope to exceed this wind of pessimism that if we start listening to the life forces that have always traveled social movement. We must wake up now this left antiproductiviste offspring of reading Leroux, Kropotkin, Bakunin, Proudhon, Louise Michel and Reclus .
Anarchism, a utopia? And finally what is a utopia?
- can be viewed as something that utopia has simply not yet realized. Theodore Monod
said: "Utopia is just what has not yet been tried"
In the film Heroes fragile the 1973 coup in Chile, a former companion of Allende told Emilio Pacull (the director): "And what you call utopia, it would have to become possible"
- If we do not share this idealism, we may still consider that utopia - even if she does not realize - is useful because it helps us move forward.
Bakunin says, "is trying the impossible that man has always done and acknowledged the possible, and those who have wisely limited to what they considered the possible have never advanced a single step ".
In the same vein, Charlie Chaplin: "We must strive for the impossible. The great achievements throughout history have been the conquest of what seemed impossible." Finally
René Char: "The impossible we do reach not, but it serves as our lantern. "
Matthias
paper presentation + texts of Proudhon and Bakunin:
www.lesvertsguebwiller.com / caferepaireflorival / anarchisme.pdf
