Library

Bailouts, co-operatives or class struggle - a debate

A debate between Iain McKaye and the libcom group about an adequate workers' response to the credit crunch - should we advocate nationalisation, co-op's, or struggle?

The initial two articles were published simultaneously in Freedom newspaper, the latter responses were published online.

Constructive policy versus destructive war - Marie Louise Berneri

These two excerpts appeared originally in the anarchist paper War Commentary, and have been republished in the posthumous collection of Berneri's articles, Neither East Nor West (Freedom Press, 1952) and more recently in Robert Graham's Anarchism: A Documentary History of Libertarian Ideas Vol. 2 (Black Rose Books, 2009). Berneri puts forth a scathing criticism of the hypocrisy of "left wing" parliamentary politics and of the capitalist war machine.

A CONSTRUCTIVE POLICY

We are often accused of lacking a constructive policy. People grant that we have made a valuable analysis of the present situation, and that “our paper has a real value in pricking complacency and stimulating thought.” But we are asked to put forward “practical” solutions for the struggle against fascism and capitalism.

Propagandist - what the papers said about anarchism and G20

In the absence of a realistic threat to the status quo from Islamic fundamentalists, the state has tentatively been trying to paint anarchists as a parallel and growing internal threat to the nation.

Despite minimal evidence, the conjecture of the police that a major anarchist atrocity is inevitable has been taken almost verbatim by the mainstream media and was pushed even further during the G20, with several ludicrous stories appearing about what the movement might get up to appearing.

Rob Ray picks some of the best for Freedom.

Daily Mail

Not, for once, the most hysterical voice around – an honour which must go to the Evening Standard. However their suggestion that activists ‘pelted police with bottles as they tried to save a dying protester’, echoed uncritically from the police report by every other major paper, was among the most vicious libels to appear.

Ecology and its recuperation by capitalists

Brian Morris rings the changes for Freedom newspaper

Long ago the biologist Paul Sears described ecology as the "subversive science", and there is no doubt that when I first became involved in environmental issues in the 1960's, ecology was seen very much as a radical movement.

Masters of war

As 2007 began, Robert Walsh looked into the world of arms dealing for Freedom newspaper as pressure piled up on BAE systems over their arms sales to dictators scandal.

A second major investigation into arms sales from BAE looks likely to run aground as South African government authorities have blocked investigators looking into the sale of Hawk Jet trainers and Gripen fighters to the state.

Rebels without a pause

In May 2007, Freedom correspondent Nancy Davies reported from Oaxaca one year after the Mexican rebellion began, and found dissent alive and well.

In May 2006, the Oaxaca Popular Movement coalesced striking teachers, dominated by 60,000 from Section 22 of the National Union of Education Workers (SNTE) who covered fifty blocks with tents and sleeping bags, cookware and laundry, kids’ drawings and soda cases.