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Marsh, Alfred 1858-1914

A short biography of Alfred Marsh, English anarchist communist who doggedly kept the Freedom newspaper going for many years

Alfred Marsh was born in Clerkenwell ( like Guy Aldred, another anarchist communist) on 3rd November 1858. His mother died whilst he was young and his father, of Radical persuasions, was a close friend of the Freethought pioneer George Holyoake. His second marriage was to a daughter of Holyoake.

Cantwell, Thomas Edward (1864-1906)

A short biography of Tom Cantwell, anarchist active in the Socialist League and with Freedom

Tom Cantwell was born on the Pentonville Road in London on the 14th December 1864, the son of a map-mounter’s clerk. He worked first as a basket-maker and then as a compositor. It was while he was working as a basket-maker that he probably joined the Socialist League in 1886. It was there that he learned the basics of the compositor’s trade.

"Anarchists had more of a stomach for the fight": interview with Juan Carlos Mechoso

2001 interview with the co-founder of the Federación Anarquista Uruguaya (FAU). From the pamphlet The Federacion Anarquista Uruguaya (FAU) : Crisis, Armed Struggle and Dictatorship, 1967-1985 available from Kate Sharpley Library.

Juan Carlos Mechoso does not need much coaxing to turn to his subject – the El Cerro district [Montevideo] – a subject that loosens his tongue and stirs him more than any other.

Subversion – the party’s over!

The dissolution statement of Subversion.

Ten years ago a group of us got together to form Subversion. Some had been in (and out of) Wildcat, others had been politically working together with those comrades for a number of years previously. We wanted to create a new organisation that could carry on the work of developing communist ideas and politics free from the need to label ourselves as either dogmatically marxist or anarchist.

Monument or movement?

Arguably the text that started it all for Subversion. Written in 1972 when some of us were still members of the SPGB. We used this as the lead article in a magazine we called Critical Theory and Revolutionary Practice. A bit pompous perhaps, the title changed eventually to Libertarian Communism.

Self improvement or social action

There’s no justice, just us! Subversion

The March for Social Justice in London, supporting the Liverpool Dockers, saw another explosion of violence against the police. In opposition to those who say the rioters 'spoilt things', we published There’s No Justice, Just Us!. From Subversion #22 (1997)

The "March for Social Justice" on April 12th illustrates well the contradictions involved in the struggle of the Liverpool Dockers and the broader movement of which it is part.

There is for instance the title of the march and the "people's charter for social justice" to which it is linked - an attempt to take the struggle down a straightforwardly reformist, i.e. bourgeois democratic path.

Dole Bondage? Up Yours! An account of Wales against the JSA

Originally a pamphlet written by a comrade who resigned from Wales Against the JSA. It chronicles the rise of the left in WAJSA and the consequent decline of that campaign. From Subversion #22 (1997)

"There was stunned disbelief at the Wales TUC organised 'Right to Work' rally in Cardiff on Saturday when an anarchist strolled from the crowd and hurled a custard pie at their deity on the stage - Tony Benn. It was almost worse than Pieing the Pope at the Vatican.

Job Seekers Allowance - only doing your job?

Letter received, addressing JSA workers and challenging their reasons for implementing the JSA. From Subversion #22 (1997)

Dear Subversion

In our opinion the articles in issues 19 and 20 on the Job Seekers Allowance were valuable contributions to an understanding of this issue. If we could contribute a few words on the dole workers who are implementing the JSA.

Northern Ireland, the IRA and Class War

Subversion #21 saw the first two parts of a discussion with a member of London Class War. This represents the third part of the correspondence. From Subversion #22 (1997)

You are still not trying to understand what I'm saying, which is amusing when you say "we have never claimed to be Marxist or Anarchist, and if that means people find it harder to put a neat label on us, tough". Your efforts to avoid a label is strange considering the absolutely dogmatic line you have got.

Green communism: responses and our reply

The article in Subversion #21, Green Communism, provoked a flurry of correspondence. Much of it attacked from a primitivist viewpoint. Here are two of the letters for publication. One was from Green Anarchist, the second was from ”JW”. Then, of course, comes Our Reply. From Subversion #22 (1997)

Letter from Green Anarchist

Dear Subversion,
Thanks for Subversion 21 - keep us on your mailing list.