Autonomy in the UK

[Fozzie Bear]

The Revolt Against Plenty website is no more, but content is being added to Libcom:

The Death of Stuart Wise, eco-Situationist: The end is where we start from - a future affirmation?

David Wise writes in 2021 about the death of his twin brother Stuart, with contributions from close collaborators.

libcom.org

Driving Me Fekkin' Wild: Down and dirty with Extinction Rebellion - David Wise

A dense, meandering, wide-ranging theoretical-cum-practical critique of XR whilst literally stuck in the mud of an artesian well on Wormwood Scrubs Common, West London ....... written February 2023.

libcom.org

David Wise

Content on or about David Wise (1943-), writer, construction worker and member of King Mob. David was the twin brother of Stuart Wise.

libcom.org

 

[hitmouse]

Oh, and here's an article about an autonomist who's not from the UK:

The Good, the Bad, and the Militant • Ill Will

Luhuna Carvalho pays tribute to the communist life of Antonio Negri

illwill.com

 

[hitmouse]

For autonomists and anyone else interested in hospitality organising in Glasgow next week:

Notes from Below: Issue 21 Launch (Glasgow) · Luma

Join us and contributors from our latest issue, "Shift Patterns: Experiments in Hospitality Organising", for a discussion on how hospitality workers can…

lu.ma

 

[Lurdan]

Coming soon from Agit Press (x-twitter announcenment)

 

[redsquirrel]

Great cover

 

[hitmouse]

For autonomists and anyone else interested in hospitality organising in Glasgow next week:

Notes from Below: Issue 21 Launch (Glasgow) · Luma

Join us and contributors from our latest issue, "Shift Patterns: Experiments in Hospitality Organising", for a discussion on how hospitality workers can…

lu.ma

And now London as well:

Notes from Below - Issue 21 Launch (London) · Luma

We are excited to invite you to the release of our next issue, Shift Patterns: Experiments in Hospitality Organising. Join editors and contributors to our…

lu.ma

 

[hitmouse]

Not that Larry will see this, but some people were working on a book about just that, don't think it's ever come out though: A book about Big Flame

Urban's extensive cohort of 16-25 year old posters may be interested in this Big Flame-related opportunity:

Big Flame: Inspiring Community Organising Then and Now - Working Class Movement Library

Are you: 16-25 years old? Keen to learn more about politics and community organising? Interested in archives and community histories? We’re looking for young people to take part in a series of workshops centred on our archives of the 70s organising group, Big Flame. Over the course of the...

wcml.org.uk

 

[nastyned]

Urban's extensive cohort of 16-25 year old posters may be interested in this Big Flame-related opportunity:

Big Flame: Inspiring Community Organising Then and Now - Working Class Movement Library

Are you: 16-25 years old? Keen to learn more about politics and community organising? Interested in archives and community histories? We’re looking for young people to take part in a series of workshops centred on our archives of the 70s organising group, Big Flame. Over the course of the...

wcml.org.uk

There's some comedy in the comments there.

 

[hitmouse]

There's some comedy in the comments there.

eh? I can believe there's comedy in some comments somewhere but I can't see any comments on that post, where should I be looking?

 

[PTK]

Urban's extensive cohort of 16-25 year old posters may be interested in this Big Flame-related opportunity:

Big Flame: Inspiring Community Organising Then and Now - Working Class Movement Library

Are you: 16-25 years old? Keen to learn more about politics and community organising? Interested in archives and community histories? We’re looking for young people to take part in a series of workshops centred on our archives of the 70s organising group, Big Flame. Over the course of the...

wcml.org.uk

This is hard to believe. People can go on a course, with expenses paid, to find out about a left-wing group that no longer exists? I find it hard to get my head around that. Good luck to them.

 

[imposs1904]

This is hard to believe. People can go on a course, with expenses paid, to find out about a left-wing group that no longer exists? I find it hard to get my head around that. Good luck to them.

The timing's perfect. Just saw notice of this book coming out:

 

[PTK]

The timing's perfect. Just saw notice of this book coming out:

View attachment 439561

That does sound interesting. I think it is good to study the experiences of a group that it most people to seem to have a regard for, rather than one that people hate.

 

[nastyned]

eh? I can believe there's comedy in some comments somewhere but I can't see any comments on that post, where should I be looking?

Ah, sorry, wrong Big Flame post. Scroll down on this one A book about Big Flame to see Corbynism played out in about four comments.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

What is to be done… now! - Angry Workers

Developing a revolutionary strategy for the years ahead We document this text written by a comrade of ours. Enjoy! This is the text of a pamphlet written for a talk and discussion at the 30th Earth First! Summer Gathering in July 2024 by someone involved in Earth First! and various ecological...

www.angryworkers.org

Strategy presentation from the Angry Workers. A lot to agree with in the analysis of the current situation.

As usual their proposed strategy is for people to get jobs in key sectors and work in their local communities. What is new (I think?) is that they think this is best done in places where there is no political subcultural left happening.

I can see the logic in that but it seems like a big ask, except for people who place their militancy above family, friends - and material comfort for most.

 

[chilango]

What is to be done… now! - Angry Workers

Developing a revolutionary strategy for the years ahead We document this text written by a comrade of ours. Enjoy! This is the text of a pamphlet written for a talk and discussion at the 30th Earth First! Summer Gathering in July 2024 by someone involved in Earth First! and various ecological...

www.angryworkers.org

Strategy presentation from the Angry Workers. A lot to agree with in the analysis of the current situation.

As usual their proposed strategy is for people to get jobs in key sectors and work in their local communities. What is new (I think?) is that they think this is best done in places where there is no political subcultural left happening.

I can see the logic in that but it seems like a big ask, except for people who place their militancy above family, friends - and material comfort for most.

Yeah. Hard to disagree with any of that. But...

 

[Brainaddict]

What is to be done… now! - Angry Workers

Developing a revolutionary strategy for the years ahead We document this text written by a comrade of ours. Enjoy! This is the text of a pamphlet written for a talk and discussion at the 30th Earth First! Summer Gathering in July 2024 by someone involved in Earth First! and various ecological...

www.angryworkers.org

Strategy presentation from the Angry Workers. A lot to agree with in the analysis of the current situation.

As usual their proposed strategy is for people to get jobs in key sectors and work in their local communities. What is new (I think?) is that they think this is best done in places where there is no political subcultural left happening.

I can see the logic in that but it seems like a big ask, except for people who place their militancy above family, friends - and material comfort for most.

Surely the awkward question, and one they don't want to address, is why isn't (much) organising happening without the 'subcultural left'? For a long time they have been angry at 'the left' for not organising in the way they want and not being working class enough. But if the working class were organising without the help of this left that annoys them so much, they wouldn't have to expend any energy on being annoyed at 'the left'. I honestly think they are psychologically displacing their annoyance at this point. They are annoyed at the lack of working class organising and keep pointing their finger at 'middle class' people. How long are they going to carry on doing this?

 

[danny la rouge]

What is to be done… now! - Angry Workers

Developing a revolutionary strategy for the years ahead We document this text written by a comrade of ours. Enjoy! This is the text of a pamphlet written for a talk and discussion at the 30th Earth First! Summer Gathering in July 2024 by someone involved in Earth First! and various ecological...

www.angryworkers.org

Strategy presentation from the Angry Workers. A lot to agree with in the analysis of the current situation.

As usual their proposed strategy is for people to get jobs in key sectors and work in their local communities. What is new (I think?) is that they think this is best done in places where there is no political subcultural left happening.

I can see the logic in that but it seems like a big ask, except for people who place their militancy above family, friends - and material comfort for most.

It seems a big ask for the comrades in the AW, too, since they’ve been on the verge of disbanding or having been disbanded or rebanding over the last couple of years. I’m glad to see their demise is exaggerated. I have a lot of time for them.

 

[hitmouse]

What is to be done… now! - Angry Workers

Developing a revolutionary strategy for the years ahead We document this text written by a comrade of ours. Enjoy! This is the text of a pamphlet written for a talk and discussion at the 30th Earth First! Summer Gathering in July 2024 by someone involved in Earth First! and various ecological...

www.angryworkers.org

Strategy presentation from the Angry Workers. A lot to agree with in the analysis of the current situation.

As usual their proposed strategy is for people to get jobs in key sectors and work in their local communities. What is new (I think?) is that they think this is best done in places where there is no political subcultural left happening.

I can see the logic in that but it seems like a big ask, except for people who place their militancy above family, friends - and material comfort for most.

Not read it yet and not going to try and get into it at this time of night, but dunno if that bit's particularly new, I thought the original drive to get out to West London was driven by the same kind of logic?

 

[LDC]

What is to be done… now! - Angry Workers

Developing a revolutionary strategy for the years ahead We document this text written by a comrade of ours. Enjoy! This is the text of a pamphlet written for a talk and discussion at the 30th Earth First! Summer Gathering in July 2024 by someone involved in Earth First! and various ecological...

www.angryworkers.org

Strategy presentation from the Angry Workers. A lot to agree with in the analysis of the current situation.

As usual their proposed strategy is for people to get jobs in key sectors and work in their local communities. What is new (I think?) is that they think this is best done in places where there is no political subcultural left happening.

I can see the logic in that but it seems like a big ask, except for people who place their militancy above family, friends - and material comfort for most.

Just for some context, the article was a condensed version of something longer and was produced for a short presentation on a panel about political strategy at the gathering mentioned (there were 2 other people speaking).

The people at the gathering were on average younger and less anchored in one geographical area than people on here I'd guess, and are mostly unemployed or precariously so. These things make them more able to move somewhere - although I'm clear that this is only a factor to consider if you're already looking to move or 'settle down' really, not an expectation or plan that people shift their lives to another area for 'the struggle'. Employment wise most will eventually end up working in a more stable job, the suggestion is to consider the type of work they go into from a wider political and strategic perspective.

There's also a quite different dynamic among those in the scene than there was years ago, they're much less involved in existing groups and organisations, people tend to float from issue to issue or campaign to campaign. There's also very little actual discussion about the connection between what they do and how any social change might happen, something the discussion tried to address.

 

[LDC]

It seems a big ask for the comrades in the AW, too, since they’ve been on the verge of disbanding or having been disbanded or rebanding over the last couple of years. I’m glad to see their demise is exaggerated. I have a lot of time for them.

Yeah, that's partly true, the group really struggled for a number of reasons. I'd say it's in some kind of suspended animation really. The healthcare stuff (Vital Signs Magazine) is an offshoot rather than any rebranding.

It gets complicated if you have a strategy for political organising and you're committed to it, yet it fails to gain traction and/or proves to be unworkable in the current conditions. Do you change what you do to something else that you think isn't the 'right' thing, do nothing (I mean giving up makes quite a lot of 'sense' as things stand really), or find something related but slightly different to do.

 

[LDC]

Surely the awkward question, and one they don't want to address, is why isn't (much) organising happening without the 'subcultural left'? For a long time they have been angry at 'the left' for not organising in the way they want and not being working class enough. But if the working class were organising without the help of this left that annoys them so much, they wouldn't have to expend any energy on being annoyed at 'the left'. I honestly think they are psychologically displacing their annoyance at this point. They are annoyed at the lack of working class organising and keep pointing their finger at 'middle class' people. How long are they going to carry on doing this?

That's not an awkward question at all and it's been answered much better than I have by loads of people all over the place too. It wasn't in the remit of the article to answer anyway, although it mentions one reason that I'll repeat here...

"The primary reason for this is we’ve been systemically smashed over the previous decades, both by the organised ruling class with violence, and the efficiency and appeal of what capital has provided (or promised) for some."

Generally I'd say the political mystery isn't why there's a lack of collective class struggle (although give the recent strikes etc. some would also dispute that) the difficulty we face is how to reverse that.




I don't think the group was/is angry at organising in the 'way we want', although I think it's fair to say it's disappointing tbh. And as someone that's firmly petit-bourgeois (home owner, 'professional' job, etc.) I'm also not full of rage for anyone not being 'working class enough' or doing any finger pointing at middle classes, and nor has anyone expressed that kind of thing that I've seen, that sounds much more 1980s Class War tbh.

 

[LDC]

Yeah. Hard to disagree with any of that. But...

Be interested what you mean by that chilango?

 

[chilango]

Be interested what you mean by that chilango?

As always the gap between what sounds like a good idea and it actually looking like happening.

(That's no shade on AW)

 

[LDC]

As always the gap between what sounds like a good idea and it actually looking like happening.

Story of our lives innit.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Just for some context, the article was a condensed version of something longer and was produced for a short presentation on a panel about political strategy at the gathering mentioned (there were 2 other people speaking).

The people at the gathering were on average younger and less anchored in one geographical area than people on here I'd guess, and are mostly unemployed or precariously so. These things make them more able to move somewhere - although I'm clear that this is only a factor to consider if you're already looking to move or 'settle down' really, not an expectation or plan that people shift there lives to another area for 'the struggle'. Employment wise most will eventually end up working in a more stable job, the suggestion is to consider the type of work they go into from a wider political and strategic perspective.

There's also a quite different dynamic among those in the scene than there was years ago, they're much less involved in existing groups and organisations, people tend to float from issue to issue or campaign to campaign. There's also very little actual discussion about the connection between what they do and how any social change might happen, something the discussion tried to address.

That's all interesting and useful to know - thanks LDC!

I think Angry Workers have always been pretty honest about the difficulties they've faced and what hasn't worked...

 

[LDC]

Yeah, and I only speak for myself, not the dormant group obviously.

 

[hitmouse]

Yeah, I liked the text overall (apart from anything else, as someone who is mostly focused on organising in my union and in my local area it's nice to read an article basically saying I'm doing everything right and everyone just needs to be more like me). I appreciate it wasn't really written as an AW recruitment text, almost seems like the opposite, but I suppose it does kind of beg the question of whether people doing the things suggested would gain anything by stretching their time and energy even further by also contributing to a group along the lines of AW.
About the "choose rural areas, villages, mid-sized towns, or cities without large leftie or activist scenes" bit, I suppose there's perhaps a parallel to how trying to get organising going in an unorganised area is maybe more important but even more difficult than trying to organise in a unionised workplace?
Also as a pedant I felt the need to point out that: "There’s a common idea among some on the left (usually the academic or pseudo-academic commentariat) that nearly everyone works as a delivery driver, sourdough co-op baker or freelance graphic designer. In reality the total number working in the time critical sectors of health & care, power generation & infrastructure, and food production & distribution alone is around 9 million people, which works out as around 24% of working age adults in the UK" <- two of the three jobs mentioned in that first sentence are in the field of food production and distribution!

 

[hitmouse]

This is hard to believe. People can go on a course, with expenses paid, to find out about a left-wing group that no longer exists? I find it hard to get my head around that. Good luck to them.

Another update on the continuing popularity of Big Flame: the WCML are holding a meeting tomorrow linked to their Big Flame archive project, I had been considering going to it but just found out it's sold out. Nice that there's still so much interest but I hadn't expected that getting into a meeting about the Big Flame archives would be harder than getting fucking Oasis tickets.


(Context which may help explain it is that it's a meeting looking at the experience of the Troops Out Movement and comparing it to the Palestine solidarity movement today, so I suspect that's where the level of interest comes from, but still impressive that they can sell a room out in advance with that.)

 

[LDC]

Italian autonomist / modern day healthcare mash-up...

Industry and pharmaceutics, by Marco Boschetti | Vital Signs

We translated the introduction to an interesting book on the pharmaceutical industry

www.vitalsignsmag.org

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Italy in 1977 - David Wise

A personal memory... .and the link between intensifying cultural commodification, increasing state repression and the spectre of terrorism. Originally published on the Revolt Against Plenty website in 2007.

libcom.org

This is an interesting account and reflection by one of the Wise brothers (King Mob / BM Blob etc) on them visiting Italy in 1977 and getting caught up with various events.