Over 14 million people could find themselves in fuel poverty in the near future, if new figures from gas giant Centrica predicting a 70% rise in gas prices prove accurate - nearly a quarter of the population.
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A short history of the massive private sector strike that gripped Denmark for 10 days in 1998. Although ending after negotiations between the government and union leaders left workers demands largely unmet, the strike, involving about 10% of the Danish population was nonetheless a spectacular show of workers' strength.
1968
An article about French libertarian socialist group Socialisme ou Barbarie - Socialism or Barbarism. SouB had a theoretical influence on the Situationist International and others of their time.
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Tea Break
First issue of an irregular workers' bulletin put together by users of the website, libcom.org. This issue focuses on the 2008 pay dispute over sub-inflation pay offers.
July 19th marks the 70th Anniversary of the Spanish Revolution. This was the first time in history that the anarchist vision of self-management was partially implemented.
In spite of all the strengths of the anarcho-syndicalist movement
(represented by the CNT-AIT) and the militancy of the anarchist federation (FAI), the revolution and movement were not without its flaws. In spite of all its flaws and mistakes, the Spanish libertarians provided the world with a glimpse of what a self-managed society might look like.
Surely, in the 70 years that have passed since the revolution the world has changed. Yet, fundamentally, the world has not changed. The basis for militancy and social revolution remain the same. Domination, economic exploitation, racism, war and poverty still prevail around the globe. 70 years on the goal of the Spanish revolutionists, of all anarchists and anarcho-syndicalists throughout the world, remain fundamentally the same. The desire to build a "new world in our hearts" is still to be fought for --- and won.
Our Spanish comrades worked tirelessly and unselfishly for decades before the revolution to build their movement. Their movement did not spring up from nowhere. Perhaps it will take us generations to build a movement of millions. Perhaps we will see many highs and lows along the way. Defeats and victories will come. Nevertheless, the long-term struggle to achieve "the ideal" will continue until we build a self-managed society.
I am reminded of the some of closing comments made by Sam Dolgoff in his important and informative work "The Anarchist Collectives: Workers Self-Management in the Spanish Revolution":
"The contemporary significance of the Spanish Revolution lies not so much in the specific measures improvised by urban socialized industries and agrarian collective (most of them outdated by the cybernetic-technological revolution) but in the application of the fundamental constructive principles of anarchism or free socialism to the immediate practical problems of the Spanish social revolution. "
To our Spanish comrades of old, to the revolutionists who constructively
worked to build a new world, a free world based on mutual aid, direct democracy and self-management, we shall continue to accept the challenge of fulfilling the dream.
In recognition of the Revolution, please find some links to sites that have
important writings by and about this monumental event.
Salud y anarquia!
Sites in English language:
http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/spaindx.html
http://www.anarchosyndicalism.net/archive/spain36
(http://www.tvhastingschristiebooks.com/documents/homepage.html)
http://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/
http://workersolidarity.org/
In French:
http://www.fondation-besnard.org/
In Spanish:
(http://www.cnt.es/Documentos/cineyanarquismo/home.htm)