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spectrum of anarchist opinion, from social anarchists involved in
community networking schemes to class struggle anarchists.
Some anarchists still feel uneasy with this form of organization
and argue that the premises on which it is based are inherently elitist.
One anti-capitalist protester has put the point thus:
For all that activist cells and secret societies have long been part of
the revolutionary tradition, they are deeply problematic for
anarchism. While Leninists and authoritarians of all descriptions
have no problems with decisions being made by an elite minority, a
central tenet of anarchism is that decisions should be made by the
people affected by them. That kind of democratic control is ruled
out if the movement, or the anarchist part of it, goes underground –
we’ll be left with small groups doing what they think is in everyone’s
interests, instead of everyone getting a chance to make their own
decisions. 11
Proponents of revolutionary organization respond that there is a
difference in principle between Bakuninism and Leninism. Stuart
Christie’s defence is based on the Bakuninist idea that anonymity
protects anarchists against a ‘vainglorious’ slide into vanguardism.
The Angry Brigade, he argues, ‘remained anonymous. It made no
bid or claim to leadership’. 12 The London-based Anarchist
Federation (AF) argue by assertion: their aim is to establish
‘semi-secretive (but never elitist) non-permanent “workplace
resistance” groups’ of dedicated revolutionaries – ‘anti-capitalist,
anti-company, anti-union and anti-party political’. 13 Alfredo
Bonanno’s more robust defence is posited on the openness of
affinity groups to non-anarchists, the avoidance of ‘generic’
programmes for change and, above all, the autonomy of groups
from political parties and trade union organizations. The ‘organizational
logic’ of what is called insurrectional anarchism is towards
permanent conflict, not towards the creation of new forms of
administration or control.
Whether or not anarchists should organize agitation groups to
foster mass insurrection remains a moot point. All three major
insurrectionary strategies that anarchists have devised provide
space for such action. These are propaganda by the deed, the
general strike and guerrilla warfare. Even practical anarchism, a
non-insurrectionary strategy, is consistent with affinity group
organization.