Anarchism in the USSR
Sep 26 2006 14:16
So, from the early 1900s to the late 1980s, what the hell did the Libertarian Communist movements look like within the soviet union?
Sep 26 2006 15:42
#2
AFAIK essentially underground and/or dead from the mid 1920's onwards, once the Makhnovists (see http://libcom.org/library/nestor-makhno) were over and done with...
But I might be wrong, so if anyone knows more feel free to correct me.
Sep 26 2006 15:47
#3
Once again I would point people to the SelfEd 'History of anarcho-syndicalism' www.selfed.org.uk units 11 & 12
http://merlin.xssl.net/~admin75/selfed/pdf/11.pdf
http://merlin.xssl.net/~admin75/selfed/pdf/12.pdf
Sep 26 2006 17:52
#4
In the USSR proper I've gotten a lot of information from old issues of "Anarcho-syndicalist review" around the time the wall came down. In 1978 SMOT formed, which was the "free interprofessional trade unions" or something like that. Some anarchists were, or later became, involved.
In 1987, i believe, some youth in Moscow State University who had been independent socialists/trotskyists, started publishing "Commune" and became anarchists. I think in 1989 KAS, the confederation of anarcho-syndicalists, was formed around this group, which at one point had a few thousand members, and from which every anarchist group in russia today seems to descend from. The siberian section advocated revolutionary unionism and became the SKT.
Sep 26 2006 21:34
#5
In the 1920s there were a few riots, uprisings, etc in Siberia that the Bolsheviks attributed to anarchists. I'm not sure if there's any real evidence left about what happened, or indeed if anyone's ever looked for it, but its plausible given the earlier strength of Siberian anarcho-syndicalism.
During perestroika there was also a group called "Obshchina" that started up in the late 80s. They'd read some Bakunin and other stuff that you could still get your hands on and became anarchists on that basis.
I've got a book by Philip Ruff called Anarchy in the USSR - A New Beginning that has various translated documents and stuff, mostly from 1989-91, with quite a few things from KAS in it. Its quite good.
As far as stuff on the internet goes, there's also this in English, though its a bit out of date: http://users.rcn.com/ceverett.massed/Grad-Paper%201.htm
EDIT - thinking about it, "Obshchina" translates as "Commune", so I reckon me and Oliver are talking about the same thing.
Sep 26 2006 22:47
#6
Check out this website (Autonomous Action) for good current reports on Russia and Caucasus... http://avtonom.org/index.php?sid=5
It's pretty well the ex-Soviet libcom. If anyone knows Russian you could ask them for a history lesson.
Actually you'd prob get a reply if you asked in english...
Sep 26 2006 23:16
#7
We could ask the new russian poster maggid. Freedum is also from ex-USSR I believe, tho not seen him/her in a while...
Sep 27 2006 03:44
#8
Quote:
Red or dead
I choose dead.
Sep 27 2006 16:27
#9
Great links everyone, thanks!
Sep 27 2006 22:08
#10
I think I translated some of the stuff in the Phil RUff book (from French - I don't know any Russian). I did also meet some of the people from KAS, a guy from SMOT and Vadim who has posted on here via Magidd around the same time.
It's no great surprise to say that many of the ideas around at the time were confused. KAS in particular became very large but had all sorts of ideas. A participant in the barricades at the White House (which included a lot of KAS people) has written about it with quite a harsh view of it in hindsight. I've got it somewhere on email - PM me and I'll send it to you.
There's also this (written sometime ago)
link
and a collection on struggle at http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/eastern.html
This includes notes about a small group in the 50s, as well as the Novocherkassk workers uprising in 62. Piotr Siuda, a veteran of this and KAS member, was murdered by the KGB in around 1991.
Regards,
Martin
Sep 27 2006 23:10
#11
I am leaning history of Russian revolution, this is one of my professions. I don't know to much about anarhists in USSR. But i read some documants of KGB (GPU) wich were publishet some yers ago. And i tell you the thing no one among forein anarhists probably don't know.
It was a growth of anarcho-communists in 20 s after Kronshtadt. There were about 4.000 of activists or may be more.
It was the moust serious opposition to regim in 1923-1927.
Anarhists work in fomer zones of insurrections (Ist Ukrain, Vest Siberia, Kronshtadt, Boltik navy) at the factoris, among the unamploide people and with yang bolsheviks.
Nabat (organisation of Volin wich of cours work withaut him) restor thay activity and organise some strikes in the sitys of Ykrain.
It's finished in 1927-1928 becouse of repressions.
If it is not it (may be) cood cooperate with grate insurractionists pesant movements in 1930..
As for KAS they leader Isaev todey is one of the bosses in rooling party (United Rassia)...
Sep 28 2006 07:39
#12
i thought i heard rumours - perhaps in Skirda's "Anarchy's Cossack" (?) - about some small attempted insurrections in the Ukraine *during* WWII against both nazis and bolshies... possible remnants of the Makhnovists. but, even that bit of information (where ever i heard it) struck the author as extremely uncertain, i recall.
aside from that, i've just heard (again, vague) things about some Anarchists being stuck in gulags or whatnot for a long, long time...
Sep 28 2006 10:13
#13
Found a link to that piece about the White House events
http://cia.bzzz.net/lessons_of_the_august_putsch
This is very harsh on Isaev!
Magidd, what you write about the 20s is very interesting. IS there anything published about this?
Regards
Martin
Sep 28 2006 20:55
#14
As for 20-s there is 8 volumes of publisht dokuments of secret polis (GPU) about resistens in 20-s i read it. There is information about anarhists- a lot of that.
I olso have artikle about that resistens- it is not published still.
Sep 28 2006 22:13
#15
Few additions:
-Unlike many other former Eastern Block countries, there is no continuation of anarchism through totalitarian times. In 50's, an "anarchist conspiracy to assasinate Khrutshev" was uncovered, but I believe this was a total frame up. In late 80's, anarchists could find 4 persons who had been involved in anarchist movement in 20's, but as one may bet none of them was in a condition to be politically active anymore. One of them, a woman name of whom I forgot, had helped Solzhenitsyn while he gathered information for Gulag Archipelago, but she did not considered herself anarchist anymore in her 90's.
-Last hub of any anarchist activity whatsoever in Soviet Union was Kropotkin museum in Moscow, which was closed I think in 1935 (I am not sure about the year).
-First new anarchist group I am aware about was formed in Leningrad around 1978, one of the persons involved Moshe Goncharuk later became zionist and moved to Israel. He claims to be a "zionist anarchist" nowadays. He is a distinguished researcher on Yiddish anarchism though.
-Although Siuda, participator of Novocherkassk uprising of 1962 joined KAS shortly before he was murdered in 1990, most of his life he considered himself as a "true bolshevik".
-First anarchist group with a continuation to current movement was founded in Irkutsk around 1982, Igor Podshivalov who died tragically this August after being hit by a car was involved. Igor Podshivalov was one crucial figure in KAS. In Moscow University, a marxist circle formed around 1984 which later evolved to anarcho-syndicalist Obschina (community) group which became Moscow group of KAS and had a paper printout of which reached 30 000 at best.
-It is true that all anarchist movement in former USSR is rooted to KAS somehow. ADA-IFA, KRAS, Rainbow Keepers, Autonomous Action and even underground armed NRA had/have people who were in KAS in 80's.
Sep 28 2006 22:26
#16
1) We (KRAS) has no roots in KAS. Only on person was there as "ulntraleft" in opposition to "marcet socialism" of KAS.
2)"Underground armed NRA" has no roots in KAS and it is not anarhist. At list they never say in they documents they are anarhists. Who told you they are?
3)Autonomous Action has no any roots in KAS
Sep 29 2006 00:08
#17
Your organisation has just as many people who were in KAS as Autonomous Action and NRA. NRA was a crossover of bolsheviks and anarchists.
Sep 29 2006 00:32
#18
Quote:
EDIT - thinking about it, "Obshchina" translates as "Commune", so I reckon me and Oliver are talking about the same thing.
Yes indeed.
Also, I believe we discussed this awhile back, there are rumors that the Vorkuta uprising of 1956 invokved Makhno's name.
Quote:
1) We (KRAS) has no roots in KAS. Only on person was there as "ulntraleft" in opposition to "marcet socialism" of KAS.
I've read from several different places that KRAS was born of a split in KAS.
Anyways out of a group of 20, 1 former member is a "root" of a sort.
Sep 29 2006 01:13
#19
1) We (KRAS) has no roots in KAS. Only on person was there as "ulntraleft" in opposition to "marcet socialism" of KAS.
I've read from several different places that KRAS was born of a split in KAS.
Comment
I don't thing so.
Well if you want ask Vadim.
Anyways out of a group of 20, 1 former member is a "root" of a sort.
Comment
Sep 29 2006 01:18
#20
AR
Your organisation has just as many people who were in KAS as Autonomous Action
Comment
Yes
and NRA.
Comment
What for are you talking about this? There is no roots in KAS noy ideologikly not as organisatiom not as people.
NRA was a crossover of bolsheviks and anarchists.
Comment
May be. But they never publish doquments with anarhist ideas as far as i remember.
Sep 29 2006 09:19
#21
This is all very interesting, thanks for the input guys, it's very good having Russian comrades on here!
Sep 29 2006 23:27
#22
Hi people. Strange historical discussion but a couple of comments -
Magid, you weren't around at this time when things were falling apart in KAS, so rather Vadim can say definitely how it was, but you and AR have to remember that there were several groups that formed prior to KRAS - for example IREAN and GRAS. It may be hard to say exactly who came from where when in fact, as with many anarchist scenes, there were always some people who "came around" and maybe were not formally involved with something, but I have a feeling that two former members of KRAS were in KAS, so that would make 3 people. Maybe I'm not right but I think so. Perhaps I may have been among people to explain KRAS as a sort of break from KAS, but certainly this can be misunderstood because if anything it was a break with the political and ideological tradition made by a few people who founded other things. Quite a number of people broke from this tradition: I can certainly name a few, although it seems that most did not found other groups. But it is certainly true that KRAS in it's current formation is not a breakoff from KAS and that everyone except one was not from KAS and mostly were simply not around in those days.
About AA, I don't know everybody who's there, but I suppose one of them was in KAS. About NRA, the problem about it being advertised as "anarchist" is that there are things such as anarchopedia where people publish strange shit. On our pages it's a lost cause because you get in an editing war with people... and somebody likes to maintain it's an anarchist group. About who was in this group, there still should be a bit of silence because obviously some people were arrested but not all, but I can say that AR is correct that there were ex-KAS but incorrect as to numbers.
Sep 30 2006 17:15
#23
O'key, o'key i don't realy know and don't realy care 1 or 2 person from KAS were in KRAS or somewhere alse. But we are different from KAS, as AA. As for NRA - it is not anarhist organiation at all.
I am not sure this is intresting point at all.
Oct 6 2006 00:12
#24
magidd wrote:
I am leaning history of Russian revolution, this is one of my professions. I don't know to much about anarhists in USSR. But i read some documants of KGB (GPU) wich were publishet some yers ago. And i tell you the thing no one among forein anarhists probably don't know.
It was a growth of anarcho-communists in 20 s after Kronshtadt. There were about 4.000 of activists or may be more.
It was the moust serious opposition to regim in 1923-1927.
Anarhists work in fomer zones of insurrections (Ist Ukrain, Vest Siberia, Kronshtadt, Boltik navy) at the factoris, among the unamploide people and with yang bolsheviks.
Nabat (organisation of Volin wich of cours work withaut him) restor thay activity and organise some strikes in the sitys of Ykrain.
It's finished in 1927-1928 becouse of repressions.
If it is not it (may be) cood cooperate with grate insurractionists pesant movements in 1930..
As for KAS they leader Isaev todey is one of the bosses in rooling party (United Rassia)...
Fatstic stuff! Many thanks magidd.
In your opinon, was the work of anarchists one of the things the stalin-bukharin regime was scared of in the late 1920s, along with the Nepmen, and possibly amalgamated into them? (i.e. pretence that anarchists were part of a petty bourgeois/peasant conspiracy against the soviet overnment)
Was the anarchist resistance mostly in the rural or urban areas, or all of ukraine?
Hope your research goes well -we need that stuff published in enlish as soon as posible!
Oct 6 2006 10:09
#25
I have a chronology of Russian anarchism under Lenin and then Stalin in preparation. A grim story of repression but at the same time great courage and tenacity. Does libcom want this?
Oct 6 2006 10:20
#26
Battlescarred wrote:
I have a chronology of Russian anarchism under Lenin and then Stalin in preparation. A grim story of repression but at the same time great courage and tenacity. Does libcom want this?
Fuck yes!!!
Oct 12 2006 16:28
#27
Right, the chronology is complete. Should i send it to you, Jack, to put up on libcom?
Oct 12 2006 17:24
#28
Sending it to John. is probably best Battlescarred.
cheers!
Oct 13 2006 03:19
#29
Interesting. I was active in support/solidarity/information publishing with former Eastern-bloc movements since the late 1970s.
We know that there were some anarchist-leaning folks in SMOT (Inter-professional Workers Union)and always sought them out. SMOT was, of course, not anarchist but multi-tendency and existed from the 1970s until-?. The SMOT ocmrade in Paris was libertarian leaning and worked with anarcho-syndicalists (and with the IWA/AIT.
In addition to SMOT contacts, there were anarchist leaning/anarchists in the anti-nuclear/anti-militarist movements of the underground era. Out of support for these folks (and others) "Neither East/Nor West" came about here in the US.
On the original KAC (KAS), it was always my understanding that its origins were quite diverse. It was sort of the "center" for anarchist association and activities during the glasnost period. On a similiar but different level, the gravitation towards KAC was simliar (on a much smaller and lesser historical importance scale) as the CNT was after the death of Franco. That is, it was the libertarian organization that attracted the most "members". It was looked at as the "center" for anti-authoritarian thought, action and contacts.
The KAC generally seemed to have a class struggle viewpoint. Unlike the green and alternative lifestyle movements that also existed (both underground and above).
IREAN never seemed to be part of KAC as far as I could tell. IREAN was always very much a strong supporter of the IWA/AIT. I remember Vadim from the 1992 Koln IWA Congress. But I didn't speak Russian or German (or was it French)and so I never got to know him. There were some other Russian folks at the Congress as well. I wasn;t impressed by them, they seemed to want to sgo shopping for western clothes, etc. And the guy from the Ukraine seemed like a real opportunist and very much in conflict with our Russian comrades.
Anyway...
Let us not forget the Vortuka (Siberia) uprising in the mid-1950s (1956ish). It is said that some of those who rebelled were anarchists.
PS: A shout out to Laure from mitch.
Oct 23 2006 17:16
#30
Found some stuff about the Gulag uprisings in 1953:
http://www.lituanus.org/2005/05_3_1Latkovskis.htm
http://www.lituanus.org/2005/05_4_1Latkovskis.htm
http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/pubs/03jpr.html
1954:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kengir_uprising
and this about 1962 in Novocherkassk:
As far as I know it was pretty much repressed out of existence. We have some info on anarchism in USSR-occupied countries here:
Hungary:
http://libcom.org/history/1890-1924-anarchism-in-hungary
http://libcom.org/history/1944-1945-anarchists-in-the-hungarian-resistance
Poland:
http://libcom.org/history/1903-1981-anarchism-in-poland
Czech/slovakia:
http://libcom.org/history/1419-today-czech-anarchism
edit added in later - we now have a chronology of anarchism in the USSR:
http://libcom.org/history/chronology-of-russian-anarchism-1921-1953