Autonomy in the UK

[durruti02]

Well, that at the implication that anarchists don't consider the content and activity of an organisation ("the nature of the organisation") to be important. Having an organisational structure and culture that allows the members to control the organisation is important, not because the "purity" of the organisation must be preserved (what do you even mean by that?), but because we seek to establish a society which is directly controlled by it's members. Means and ends are interdependent.

er what were you just saying on the resistance! thread IB?

 

[durruti02]

I've stuck about another 100 texts up now as if anyone give a shit

hey i'm impressed .. thats good mate

 

[durruti02]

Influenced by or came to similar conclusions due to similarity of circumstances?

CW yes overtly .. most of the key individuals in the 8ts were well clued up on Italy .. one of the first CWs was actually an 'autonomist' edition .. shortly before ior after the animal rights one! i'll think a bit more about this

RA i do not know exactly but i am sure they were influenced by the opposition in the SWP who were themselves very interested in Italy .. We Are Red Action ceratinly has sections about class and party which sound autonomist ..

and both CW and RA came about at the time of the collapse of the relationship of the uk left with the w/c

 

[Urbanblues]

Autonomy in the UK

As long as it's properly supervised and all corpses are obtained legally.

 

[butchersapron]

Tribute here to Romano Alquati who died this week - one of the founders of Operaismo along with Panzieri and Tronti and one of a great group of original marxists.

 

[butchersapron]

Also, an interesting event coming up:

The high tide of workers autonomy the Workers Committee of Magneti Marelli, Milan, 1975-78
Saturday 1st May, 5pm
Housmans Bookshop
5 Caledonian Road
Kings Cross
London N1 9DX
UK


The Red Guard Tells its Story is a recently published book about the workers’ struggles in Italy in the 1970s. As of yet, it is only available in French and Italian. However, a member of the Mouvement Communiste who worked on the French translation of the book is travelling to London to bring the message of this book to a British audience. The event will involve a discussion of what is important about the struggles of that time and what we can learn from them in relation to workers’ struggles today

 

[butchersapron]

I started this thread because I had been enjoying some documents on the Class against Class website: http://www.geocities.com/cordobakaf/

I was also interested in the possibility of something that has a strong marxist core of the idea of class and class struggle but a more expansive repertoire of techniques and tactics of struggle. The campaigns in Italy such as auto-reduction of busfares, re-take the city and so forth could have a new resonance as we shift an economic gear into credit crunch blues.

(Not safe for work for some).

I've made some updates to the site recently. Apparently.

 

[Idris2002]

butchers, some of us are at work you know.

(granted, normal people wouldn't call what I do "work" but you see the problem anyway, I think)

 

[ViolentPanda]

(Not safe for work for some).

I've made some updates to the site recently. Apparently.

ern proves yet again that he's a wanker.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Notes From Below

Seems new.

Good new interview with Steve Wright Italian workerism and its enduring legacy: Steve Wright interview

Also various two page bulletins for/by renters, supermarket workers etc.

Workers Inquiry stuff bits on food platforms (Deliveroo) and Goldsmiths precarious academic staff.

A bit heavy on people involved with academia maybe, inevitably perhaps.

Not read the rest of it but worth a look.

Better than arguing about the Labour Party anyway.

 

[LDC]

Notes From Below

Seems new.

Good new interview with Steve Wright Italian workerism and its enduring legacy: Steve Wright interview

Also various two page bulletins for/by renters, supermarket workers etc.

Workers Inquiry stuff bits on food platforms (Deliveroo) and Goldsmiths precarious academic staff.

A bit heavy on people involved with academia maybe, inevitably perhaps.

Not read the rest of it but worth a look.

Better than arguing about the Labour Party anyway.

Thanks for the heads up, yeah it's very new. Some of Plan C seem to be involved in that.

 

[butchersapron]

Hmm...i seem to remember this thread being a lot more informative than a quick skim re-read suggests. Must have been another one - we did have a lot in that 2001-2008 period and not all with obvious titles. Odd that when the crisis kicked in it seems to have disappeared.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Hmm...i seem to remember this thread being a lot more informative than a quick skim re-read suggests. Must have been another one - we did have a lot in that 2001-2008 period and not all with obvious titles. Odd that when the crisis kicked in it seems to have disappeared.

Yeah I couldn't find a better one to bump - the Reading Capital Politically thread looked pretty good. There were definitely better discussions than this...

 

[butchersapron]

Yeah I couldn't find a better one to bump - the Reading Capital Politically thread looked pretty good.

There was some good stuff sort of on here but as was often the case attica/black hand etc sort of ruined it. I may have a look through old stuff when i get a chance tmw - might be a good idea to collect all the stuff on this theme.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

There was some good stuff sort of on here but as was often the case attica/black hand etc sort of ruined it. I may have a look through old stuff when i get a chance tmw - might be a good idea to collect all the stuff on this theme.

Yeah that's probably the one I was thinking of, dammit.

 

[chilango]

Notes From Below

Seems new.

Good new interview with Steve Wright Italian workerism and its enduring legacy: Steve Wright interview

Also various two page bulletins for/by renters, supermarket workers etc.

Workers Inquiry stuff bits on food platforms (Deliveroo) and Goldsmiths precarious academic staff.

A bit heavy on people involved with academia maybe, inevitably perhaps.

Not read the rest of it but worth a look.

Better than arguing about the Labour Party anyway.

Thanks. Looks interesting.

...but "Seth Wheeler is a PhD student at the University of Royal Holloway, his study is paid for by precarious labour..." Really?

 

[LDC]

Thanks. Looks interesting.

...but "Seth Wheeler is a PhD student at the University of Royal Holloway, his study is paid for by precarious labour..." Really?

I know Seth quite well. And I'm none the wiser. Plan C has enough PhDs in it to start a university.

 

[gawkrodger]

Plan C has enough PhDs in it to start a university.

 

[chilango]

I know Seth quite well. And I'm none the wiser. Plan C has enough PhDs in it to start a university.

I don't see the need of putting these mini Linked In profile bits there in the first place. But Seth's just provoked the biggest eye roll.

Whatever happened to anonymity? Huh?

Activism as job application sits wrong with with me.

 

[LDC]

Whatever happened to anonymity? Huh?

No academic career boosts in anonymity innit.

 

[equationgirl]

Thanks. Looks interesting.

...but "Seth Wheeler is a PhD student at the University of Royal Holloway, his study is paid for by precarious labour..." Really?

To be absolutely fair, he does claim he works in retail and warehouses, if his PhD is funded through a fees-only scholarship he will need those jobs to pay for his living costs, and that type of job will be 'precarious'/zero hours jobs.

 

[equationgirl]

No academic career boosts in anonymity innit.

It, the website, could even be used to boost publication records.

 

[chilango]

No academic career boosts in anonymity innit.

Indeed, and I can accept academic career boosts on their own terms as a necessary evil, but I'm not sure how claiming to be funding a PhD via precarious labour is useful for that? Is it? Would potential employers give a damn?

*shrugs*

Just reads oddly to my mind.

Though the whole thing smacks of that. Trying be simultaneously activists and boost academic careers through the same vehicle? Surely will lead to trouble down the line?

Ah well. I remain a confused old man shaking my fist at the sky....

 

[chilango]

To be absolutely fair, he does claim he works in retail and warehouses, if his PhD is funded through a fees-only scholarship he will need those jobs to pay for his living costs, and that type of job will be 'precarious'/zero hours jobs.

Of course. I'm not doubting the truth of the statement. If I go on to do my own PhD it'll likely be similar for me.

It's just reads awkwardly as trying to do two things in one statement.

 

[chilango]

I guess it boils down to audience.

Who are they writing for?

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I'm assuming that the precarious labour forms the basis of a workers inquiry which forms the basis of an academic paper which forms the basis of a CV entry.

I did agency work in factories and warehouses in the holidays when I was a student and spent the money on rent, records, gigs and beer. If only I'd known I could have been doing autonomism too...

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I'm reluctant to slag this off too much but the tone is a bit off. I'm curious about the non-academics who are "trade union organisers" but don't say in what industry...

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I guess it boils down to audience.

Who are they writing for?

Well the bulletins are obviously aimed at workers...

 

[LDC]

I'm reluctant to slag this off too much but I the tone is a bit off. I'm curious about the non-academics who are "trade union organisers" but don't say in what industry...

Yeah, a skeptical eyebrow raised perhaps, but I think it looks excellent and I'm pleased to see it. Know a few of the people involved and they do seem mostly sound politically.

BTW, Plankies is apparently the correct way to refer to Plan C members.

 

[chilango]

Yeah...

I'm pleased to see this kinda thing appear and develop, but remain skeptical about the long-term sustainability/viability of projects trying to be different things to different people at the same time.