Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2001 14:00:56 +0100
From: Andrew Flood <andrewflood-AT-eircom.net>
Subject: Re: AUT: Fwd: Against Platformism


Hi Scott,

actually I wrote the article you appear to think
your replying to.  That is the one you describe
as
> Remember the essay I'm slagging is at
> http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/platform.html
> if not on that actual page, then nearby. It's called
> 'Organising Against Capitalism'

Which is actually at
http://struggle.ws/rbr/rbr3_organise.html but is linked
from that page or one linked to it.

Before I start I should say presuming your the same
Scott Hamilton that was expelled from the NZ SWP
a couple of years back there is a section directed
specifically at people like you which reads

"Another legacy is that many anarchists have come through
the destructive mill of Leninist politics and are nervous
about seriously addressing organisational issues in case
this is seen as 'latent' Leninism.
This culture also arose in part as a reaction, often by ex-members,
to the manipulative practices and authoritarian internal
organisation of the left in general. This also resulted in a
tendency to shy away from anything too closely connected
with recruitment, spreading ideas (paper sales/public meetings)
or trying to advocate a strategy for a particular struggle
(as opposed to criticising someone else's).
This culture was never useful but it is entirely useless for
anarchists today in a situation where there are a vanishingly
small number of authoritarian left outfits to expose or be
mistaken for. There is a very serious need to junk a lot of the
prejudices and traditions developed in the long years under
Leninism and initiate a positive, outgoing, organising and
growing movement to take its place. We can no longer be
satisfied with being a 'pure' opposition, we must begin to
move into a position where anarchist ideas lead struggles rather
than simply explaining why they are failing or will in the
future be sold out."

I think that is the context that your remark that

>> The viability of the Platformist approach really
>> relies on the existence of a meaningful distinction
>> between the 'vanguard of ideas' the Platformists
>> propose and the run of the mill Leninist
>> 'organisational vanguard'. I don't think that such a
>> distinction can be made.

needs to be read in.  Not only do you not answer the
section of my essay which actually discusses this
point at length (From 'Stop and Think' on down)
your argument below suggests you simply have not
really bothered to try and understand the argument
that _is_ being made elsewhere, rather you are
making a knee jerk reaction to the arguments
you expect based on your previous experience.


You say
>> The vanguard of ideas is supposed to exist to make
>> arguments for anarchism in an organised, efficient
>> manner inside broad left movements.
>> Unfortunately, broad left 'forums' like trade
>> unions, united fronts and so on do not often discuss
>> abstract  ideologies like anarchism,

Which would be a good point (being true) except that
it is not at all what the article argues.  Rather then
arguing that we need to take 'abstract' ideas into
the movement it argues  "What the leadership of ideas
means is ... that the organisation ... has built up a record
of being 'right' or 'sensible' so people are inclined to
take its advice seriously and act on it. Its power lies
solely in its ability to convince people."

Or slightly earlier in the article "The anarchist organisation(s)
has to become a centre for struggle in today's society. In this
way, although it may not be possible to win a majority of workers,
it should be the case that a very large minority have either worked
alongside or in anarchist organisations and so a large minority have
experience of libertarian practice and know it can work. The organisation
needs to not just preach the need for social revolution but organise
the fight against the day to day grind of capitalism now."

It might be worth your while re-reading the article for what
is actually said rather then what you expect to be said.  As
I suggest at the start you seem to be basing your comments
on a knee jerk reaction based on your experience of Leninism
and in particular the way the IST argues its variation of
Leninism. The article was written (in part) to address people
in your position

Andrew


      ***************************
      International anarchism
     http://struggle.ws/inter.html

Issues-> http://struggle.ws/revolt.html
Me + PGP->  http://struggle.ws/andrew.html


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