Makhnovists
Mar 23 2005 18:14
Does anyone know where I can find evidence for the argument that the Makhnovist movement would have suceeded if it wasnt for external factors?
Cheers
Mar 24 2005 10:50
#2
little_grrl_lost wrote:
Does anyone know where I can find evidence for the argument that the Makhnovist movement would have suceeded if it wasnt for external factors?Cheers
have you read peter arshinov's history of the makhnovist movement?
As for would it have succeeded... I spose that would mean if they'd won militarily would the largely peasant anarchist society survived. You could point to examples of peasant anarchism working, like the collectives in Aragon in spain '36-39 (google it - good stuff on struggle.ws), or the zapatistas today. I'm sure there are probably some anthropological things from way back you could use (egalitarian native american communities, say). For the industry there you could maybe look at the socialised industries in Spain (again '36-39), or factories under workers' control now like argentina - dunno if this is what you were after 
Mar 24 2005 10:52
#3
added - also, Arshinov's book goes into how collectives were destroyed as the civil war raged across the country, back and forth preventing long-term work, which was the main "external" factor...
Mar 24 2005 12:15
#4
As well as Arshinov's book there's Skirda's 'Nestor Makhno - Anarchy's Cossack The Struggle for free Soviets in the Ukraine 1917-1921' - both of these are good for general overviews - if it's the militray angle you're after you'll need David Footmans Civil War in Russia or his contribution to St Antony's Papers no. VI Soviet Affairs no. 2
Other general books are Michael Palij, The Anarchism of Nestor Makhno' and 'Nestor Makhno in the Russian Civil War, 1917-1921' by M Malet.
For loads of shorter articles see the Nestor Makhno archive:
Mar 24 2005 15:28
#5
Quote:
As for would it have succeeded... I spose that would mean if they'd won militarily would the largely peasant anarchist society survived. You could point to examples of peasant anarchism working
I didn't think the majority of people taking part in the mahknovist movement were peasants, most of them were agrarian waged workers on large farms and plantations in the ukraine.
Mar 24 2005 16:22
#6
sorry I mean agricultural/rural
Apr 4 2005 15:06
#7
Hi
almost finished reading Skirda's "Anarchy's cossack" recently published by AK. excellent book. hope to write review soon.
as to whether they would have succeeded without outside intervention? quite possibly but then some of the impetus to join the makhnovistas was down to people's experiences with the various oppressive regimes that outside forces tried to impose on them. how long they would have succeeded is another question. but sitting on the bread basket of russia, not to mention the coal reserves would have put them in a strong position if they could have defined their borders and kept others out. of course being internationalists, Makhno and co didn't believe in borders.
the area was economically self-sufficient and well-placed to trade. sadly also being resiurce rich it was inevitable that others might have other plans for it..
mal
What, external factors like being vastly outnumbered and outgunned?