File spoon-archives/anarchy-list.archive/anarchy-list_2000/anarchy-list.0001, message 73


Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2000 03:06:14 -0600
From: Sandi and Scott Spaeth <vespass-AT-toast.net>
Subject: Re: So What the Hell is "Left Anarchy"?



At 10:00 PM 1/3/00 -0800, Jamal Hannah wrote:

>  I really see no reason
>to reject anarcho-syndicalism out of hand. It simply means anarchists who
>recognize themselves as workers, and the need to organize among the
>working class against capitalism.. is that so bad?

I think the problem's right there in your definition.  Syndicalism defines 
itself in terms of constant opposition to capitalism with the long term 
goal of superceding capitalism with workers' self management in democratic 
and non-hierarchial fashion, which sounds all good and peachy but ignores 
some serious questions; like can once-capitalist organizations and 
industries be managed significantly differently, and even if so, are there 
other harmful effects from just the continuing existence of those 
industries?  Is even defining oneself as a "worker" emotionally or 
psychologically healthy?

I don't know those answers, but I think syndicalism has a role to play 
(particularly in regards to short-term goals), it's just a much smaller 
role than the syndicalists would prefer - it's hardly the be-all, end-all 
of human relations.   That said, nothing I've read from the post-leftists 
(and the more I read, the more I realize that I'm not in their movement 
either) comes as close to being true as Carp's criticism that far too many 
syndicalists are would-be totalitarians trying to sacrifice us on the cross 
of "organization".

cheers,
Scott

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