Commies have always done this kind of thing, but it’s long been a core of Anarchist thought - Small affinity groups, ad hoc organizing, mutual aid networks within the decaying corpse of the state.
I’m not talking about nihilistic ecofash crap like “Desert” or whatever, but rather how to work in these small, nimble, and responsive groups and organizations. I think that as global warming rips nation states apart and capitalism continues to fuck everything this kind of organizing is going to be very important. There may not be an industrial proletariat to organize by mid century if global warming puts enough pressure on the world to cause widespread logistical and economic collapse.
I think that’s likely enough to merit serious consideration, including working out what communist organizing would look like, and how it would work, in a post free-trade, post-international just in time logistics world.
There’s that old story where an old man is walking down the beach after a storm. The storm has washed up thousands of starfish who are stranded now. The man sees a little girl throwing starfish back in to the ocean. He says “Why are you bothering, you can’t save all of them.” and without looking up the girl says “I can save this one” and hucks another starfish in to the surf. The man thinks about that for a second and then joins the girl in hurling starfish.
As global warming continues to worsen, as the neoliberal state continues to auto-cannibalize, all these disasters are going to add up. Things that are destroyed won’t be repaired. There will be knock-on effects as the collapse of infrastructure in one region accelerates the collapse in surrounding regions. Flexible, relatively small scale organizing groups doing on the ground relief, repairs, or even outright replacing infrastructure will likely be vital for the survival of many communities.
A lot of us are already involved in projects like this in one way or another. Pooling theory, personal experiences, and other resources to apply our dialectical magic to the problem can only make us stronger.
There’s that old story where an old man is walking down the beach after a storm. The storm has washed up thousands of starfish who are stranded now. The man sees a little girl throwing starfish back in to the ocean. He says “Why are you bothering, you can’t save all of them.” and without looking up the girl says “I can save this one” and hucks another starfish in to the surf. The man thinks about that for a second and then joins the girl in hurling starfish.
This is beautiful comrade. I seriously can’t get the thought of a liberal telling me this story then asking me to vote for Kamala L3Harris out of my head though.
To the point though, you’re completely right. I think a huge weakness that the left has is simply not being visible and not having much to show people in terms of what our ideals actually mean when put into practice. In an ideal world without propaganda, we would point to China, Cuba, Burkina Fasso, etc and say that the advances those countries made to advance the position of their poor rural working classes was only possible under socialism. In America, this kind of mutual aid is probably the most realistic implementation of really existing socialist principles for the next couple of decades.
my friend told me in her county only the churches were really doing aid. and they were overwhelmed.
she’s probably the only leftist doing mutual aid work there and only as a community member not as part of an org. i really doubt any leftist org of any flavor showing up to help in the early stages would have been turned away for being “woke” or anything. that stuff goes out the window in these situations and you can leave people sold on a mutual-collectivist vision outside their normal framework
I honestly absolutely agree that comrades should read anarchy theory. I think it’s our due diligence to at least know and understand what fellow comrades understand regarding their interpretation of socialism. We don’t have to agree with each other 100% but I think it can go a long way with stuff like organizing like your Helene example. And if there is something I’ve become acutely aware of, it’s that anarchists are really fucking good at setting up mutual aid programs in stages of crises. I could have only wished my DSA chapter had had that ability when it was active, and if I ever get around to trying to start a PSL chapter where I am at, I want it to be a focus. Also from limited experience, if you just show up and help, the anarchist like that lol.
Books to read:
- Are You an Anarchist by Daniel Guerin
- An Anarchist Programme by Errico Malatesta
- Anarchy by Errico Malatesta**
- Anarchy Works by Peter Gelderloos
- Anarchy and other Essays by Emma Goldmann**
- Conquest of Bread by Peter Kropotkin**
- Mutual Aid by Peter Kropotkin**
- Anarcho-Syndicalism by Rudolf Rocker++
And Michael Bakunin but I haven’t gotten around to even organizing his works yet into a reading list so can’t really recommend yet. I am planning wrapping up this chunk of reading with him though.
** I haven’t read these yet but am working
++ currently reading
Plus one on Conquest of Bread. I’ve read it and it’s up there with the Manifesto for me. It’s a short read that really gets into the details of how anarcho communism would look.
It’s a practical book that shows what anarchy is, not just do as thou will and abolishing bedtime
Also I’ll add Now and After: The ABC of Communist Anarchism By Alexander Berkman.
It’s a good introductory read but felt a bit too simple for me after Conquest. Look around and you can pick it up for free
Are You an Anarchist is also a bit simple but I thought it was an ok one to start with. It’s super easy and touches on just enough that you will know if going further in the theory is something you might want to do. I don’t mean to knock it but it felt aimed towards angsty teens lol.
I’m gonna grab Now and After and add it to my library.
And Michael Bakunin but I haven’t gotten around to even organizing his works yet into a reading list so can’t really recommend yet. I am planning wrapping up this chunk of reading with him though.
Bakunin sucks, dont fall for him.
I’ve heard some mixed opinions on him indeed lol. I’m not super familiar with him thb, and idk when I will even get to him.
He thought Marx and communism itself was a jewish grift and commonly reffered to Marx as a ‘Jewish Parasite’ working for the Rothchilds lol, he was completely mindbroken by Marx and fell for the anti-semitism wave that swept Europe.
Should bump amber whataboutism this for visibility for these places to donate.
The VOLCEL POLICE are on the scene! PLEASE KEEP YOUR VITAL ESSENCES TO YOURSELVES AT ALL TIMES.
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