Sociology of the Anarchists - Gozips.uakron.edu - The University of ...

information exchange. The Independent Media Center (“Indymedia”) movement is
another mechanism by which anarchists have used for mobilization. 41 Tilly references the
acquisition of weapons for the purpose of violent overthrow; to this point North
American anarchists have not made explicit (and perhaps never have) moves towards
amassing armaments. 42 The Anarchist Black Cross (ABC) is an example of a group that
believe in armed self-defense and could better fall under Tilly's point than most other
American anarchist organizations could.
Common interest is perhaps the best thing that has propelled anarchist organizing thus
far. There are two ways in which anarchists (and all other individuals of various political
philosophies): a) explicitly anarchist organizations or b) non-anarchist organizations.
Obviously explicitly anarchists organizations are less-relevant to Tilly's third component.
Non-anarchist organizations on the left, however, frequently have anarchists involved.
From the anti-corporate globalization movement to environmentalism/eco-defense,
multicultural movements, GLBT movement, and feminism, active, embedded anarchists
can be found. Even in what some consider to be “reform” organizations, one can find
active anarchist participation, such as in union organizing, living wage campaigns, antipolice
brutality organizations, campaign finance reform initiatives, and so on. Albert
(2001) explores the differences between what he calls non-reformist reforms and
reformism:
What's needed instead isn't to have no reforms, which
would simply capitulate the playing field to elites, but to
fight for reforms that are non-reformist, that is, to fight for
reforms that we conceive, seek, and implement in ways
leading activists to seek still more gains in a trajectory of
change leading ultimately to new institutions. (para.)
When participating in non-anarchist organizations, anarchists will try to interject antiauthoritarian
viewpoints and actions into both the internal structure of the organization
and to the external operation and goals of the organization. This influence can be most
vividly seen in the direct action movement (which is not explicitly anarchist, but heavily
anarchist influenced). It utilizes many anarchists techniques: affinity groups, consensus
decision-making, and (of course) direct action. These components can also be seen in
other progressive/left/radical organizations.
Tilly's final component, opportunity, is very difficult to comment on; there has been no
anarchist revolution to occur in the United States (and few other countries—the most
commonly offered examples of anarchist revolution are 1930s Spain and present-day
Chiapas, Mexico). Anarchist “evolution” has taken place in various ways. In considering
such evolution, one must view social change as deeply integrated into the ideals of the
Enlightenment, and very close to left-libertarianism (or anarchism). 43
41 For more information on the anarchist tendencies of the IMC movement (incidentally heavily-populated
by anarchists), please see the chapter entitled “Indymedia”.
42 Which is not to say that all anarchists are opposed to the use of “violence”. Please see the chapter
“Violence” for a deeper discussion.
43 For detailed description of the links between anarchism, classical Liberalism, and the Enlightenment, see
Noam Chomsky's seminal essay (1970) “Notes on Anarchism”.
[ Williams 47 ] [ this is a draft. do not cite. ]