I read somewhere a critique by insurrectionalist anarchist of authoritarian structures involving anarchosyndicalist idea of revolutionary union organisation ! It had some merrits or valid points - if the organisation starts to be the end in itself and not a merely tool or means to achieve the libertarian communist world free from domination of capital or hierarchies of anysorts.
IWA after second WW was in a way important as it kept true class struggle anarchist program alive in the dark times of soviet unions influence that corrupted rrevolutionary communist and socialist movements all around - red fascism one could say - after Stalin came Soviet State Capitalism in its peak- the peaceful competition between two systems . Planned economy of rea-socilalist block and market-capitalism with neo-colonialism the other side - anarchism never vanished - but it was surely silenced by maintsream.
After Francos death and "democratisation of Spain" the anachosyndicalists came out of closets and CNT -AIT had its red and black banners once again flying al over - But there were problems - CNT - had been managed by some self appointed "leadership" in exile and it had become something not to be proud of for examble its views of FIJL young anarchists actions of resistance against Franco regime were strainge - CNT exile could take stand not supportive of comrades fighting against tyranny .... CNT didn t have strenght to solve its differences between factions and so it broke into various organisations fighting in court whos right to use initials cnt and which group shall ge the historical patrimony of CNTs funds and buildings etc seized by Francos regime - and this corrupted IWA - as most of the sections were funclubs of cnt -ait - small propaganda sections supportng organisational war in spanish movement - which had it s tragic divisions - like SAC Syndikalisterna from sweden considered almost as an enemy etc.
Modern anarchosyndicalism must adobt new stategies and tactics to become a tool to create revolutionary movement for our class. In post-industrialist capitalist states like most of nordic and middle-european EU counries are there are room for organising - not among traditional unions stronghods but on the precariat and untypial and underpaid temporary wrkforce like fooddelivery workers etc ! Direct Action and solidarity as a weapon comes handy when theres a dispute where workers themselves can t go on strike as they are not recognised even emploiees - support action of fellow working class activist in various forms is the only way in thes e situations ! Then there s new horizons in developing countries in glbal south - where workers are finding anarchism and anarchosyndicalism as a program towards something thaat can be seen as brighter future ! And there s a real potential as people there have to consider thgs like job security , decent wages and pollution etc environmental quetions all of which are painfully present ever day ! I don t know if we are to thank Austraalian comrades of ASF for spreading he word in Asia but there s been some interesting developments there....
I think IWA secretary is not to blame for break and formation of CIT - it was something that had its seeds put to grow years ago when IWA and its sections were so involved with organisation-war in Spanish a-s movement - it has corrupted the IWA idea of solidarity among workers ! These only one organisation /county rules and this constant demands of not having any contacts of rival or spilt-unions - how is it practical if considered workers supporting each other in a fight against bosses ? Why can t we have links with workers having similar rank and file based unions as us - but not agreeing every point of tactics ? CGT spain might not be throuh and through revolutionary anarchosyndicalist organisation as it is a mass organisation which has real industrial presence in Catalonias area especially but also other parts of Spain and iit has quite a lot of members - CNT-CIT CNT-AIT CNT de Catalnya ja Solidaridad Obrera are anarchosyndicalist organisations - or selfproclaimed anyway - CNT-AITs curse was to get huge funds from the state as returned assets stolen by francos regime - and that money has corruptive influence - theres strange things happening - I ve read of investing cn syndicates money to hotel etc some secretary being accused of stealing money from union etc. Of course not all of CNT-CIT is rotten - nor is there any reason to fuel just another embarrassing episode of organisaton war in spanish a-s movement.
A Meltzer - is the one whos writings had me convinced of anarchism ! He wrote somewhere that anarchosyndialist union should not be a union of anarchists but organisation of and for working class - organising industrial proletariat and and all of our class to defend our interest against bosses and to be a tool to learn self-management and democracy of local autonomy, federalist strugtures and decision making based idea of consensus.... When organisation is buid so that all the power is on collectice decision of local auonoumous unions - and solidarity, mutual-aid and idea of consensus and the goal of society without hierarchies and tyranny of capital and state is kept as an ideal - that is enough! So let s forget organisational wars when it s possile - and there s no need to try to unite either - We have tremendous strugles ahead and we need to learn and adobt and remember that we don t lead - we just try to convince people to reject authoritarian answers for the future is ours only if we do that - I don t see any futue for human kind if no change of economical system of destruction of life is not happening!
Yours in solidarity- And long live IWA-AIT-IAA