How would you describe mutual aid to a newbie?

3 posts / 0 new
Login or register to post comments
Last post
#1
Top
boomerang
Offline
Joined: 20-01-14
Apr 26 2014 04:55
How would you describe mutual aid to a newbie?

Mutual aid is one of the core principles of anarchism. If you were discussing this with a newbie, how would you explain mutual aid? In particular, mutual aid in an anarchist society (post-revolution).

(EDIT: It doesn't HAVE to be defining mutual aid in an anarchist society, if you rather not. Just a general definition of mutual aid is fine.)

I have noticed some confusion, or at least inconsistency, in how mutual aid is described by anarchists.

#2
Top
Kureigo-San's picture
Kureigo-San
Offline
Joined: 6-06-12
Apr 26 2014 08:36

I've never bothered to try to explain how mutual aid would function in a post-revolution scenario because it seems a bit superfluous, as doing so would kind of imply that it's some kind of method or artificial tactic that one were introducing, rather than it just being a fact of the matter that was always there. My understanding is that skillful, perspicacious and rational cooperation producing the greatest results is a principle of all life. Even the violent and seemingly selfish episodes that many become myopically fixated with are just crude disguises for the bigger picture of mutual aid, or some kind of response to scarcity - real or imagined.

As I took the idea: mutual aid is not something you do or do not do, because it is you.

#3
Top
boomerang
Offline
Joined: 20-01-14
Apr 26 2014 15:57

Good points, but probably I should have been clearer about what I meant when I said I've noticed confusion or inconsistency among anarchists (including libertarian communists) when defining mutual aid.

The inconsistency is usually related to reciprocity. Some emphasize reciprocity in a way that makes it seem like they're advocating some sort of time barter. Not exactly that, but close. Like if A helps B, this isn't mutual aid unless B also helps A.

I refrained from mentioning this in the original post because I didn't want the thread to be entirely focused on the question of reciprocity. I'd be interested in a discussion on that, but I'm also hoping just to get people's definitions of mutual aid.

But yeah, it doesn't HAVE to be defining mutual aid in an anarchist society, but just a general definition of mutual aid. I'll edit my OP to clarify that.