[pf] excerpt from "Anarchism as a Scapegoat of the 21st century"

At 11:53 12/12/2001 -0500, someone at rcn.net sent-on:
http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=01/12/12/3759544
>Anarchism as a Scapegoat of the 21st century: violence, anarchism and
anti-globalisation protests
>
> ... we tend to overlook that the anti-globalisation movement has much
radical, anarchist potential. For a start, the movement is largely
organised along decentralised anarchist lines, a fact often completely
ignored. These big protests have largely been organised without leaders by
networks of autonomous groups. These groups network together, inform each
other of their plans, create their own actions or join in on someone
else's. A whole host of organisational forms are used, from websites
listing actions, Independent Media (IndyMedia) centres, to small affinity
groups. Affinity groups are temporary groups of like-minded people who come
together for a specific aim such as forming a carnival-like drum brigade.
  All these groups then co-ordinate their activities with one another from
the bottom up at large "spokescouncil" meetings of delegates from the
various groups.

It is assumed by many that what is needed is a central body to direct the
protests from above. ... The success of the largely non-hierarchical
organising of the anti-globalisation movement proves that such a method of
organising is possible and desirable. It allows for much flexibility and
diversity. People feel like they are actually participating in a protest of
their own creation, rather than being herded like sheep by marshalls on
loudhailers. A lack of central control does not mean every group will go
off and do their own thing in antagonism with each other, as these
autonomous groups have shown a real ability to come together and
co-ordinate their activities in massive, large-scale demonstrations.

Imagine if a whole society, and not just a protest, was organised along
such decentralised lines. People would voluntarily come together and form
and re-form groups for whatever need, whether artistic or social or
economic or whatever, and would co-ordinate their activities with other
like-minded groups. Of course, this federalist organisation run by direct
democracy is not enough
 ...

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sent-on by David.

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