social anarchism

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Social anarchism is an umbrella term used to differentiate two broad categories of anarchism, with the other being individualist anarchism. Where individualist forms of anarchism emphasize personal autonomy and the rational nature of human beings, social anarchism sees "individual freedom as conceptually connected with social equality and emphasize community and mutual aid."^[1] Social anarchism is used to specifically describe anarchist tendencies within anarchism that have an emphasis on the communitarian and cooperative aspects of anarchist theory and practice. Social anarchism includes (but is not limited to) anarcho-communism, anarcho-syndicalism and social ecology. In the United States, the term "social anarchism" is used by the circle involved in publishing Social Anarchism magazine and has been promoted by the late Murray Bookchin. Bookchin identifies social anarchism with the "left," by which he refers to the "great tradition of human solidarity and a belief in the potentiality for humanness," internationalism and confederalism, the democratic spirit, anti-militarism, and rational secularism. However, religious anarchists and those on the Religious Left in general would object to identifying the left with "rational secularism" as there are and have been many powerful left-wing religious movements such as Liberation Theology and the Civil Rights Movement.

Social anarchism aims for "free association of people living together and cooperating in free communities." ^[1]

Collectivist Anarchism

Collectivist anarchism, also known as "anarcho-collectivism," is most commonly associated with Mikhail Bakunin and the anti-authoritarian section of the First International (1864-1876). Unlike mutualists, collectivist anarchists oppose all private ownership of the means of production, instead advocating that ownership be collectivized. Workers would be compensated for their work on the basis of the amount of time they contributed to production, rather than goods being distributed "according to need" as in anarcho-communism.

Anarcho-communism

Main article: anarcho-communism

Anarchist communism is a form of social anarchism that advocates the abolition of the State and capitalism in favor of a horizontal network of voluntary associations through which everyone will be free to satisfy his or her needs.

Anarchist communism is also known as anarcho-communism, communist anarchism, or, sometimes, libertarian communism. However, while all anarchist communists are libertarian communists, some libertarian communists, such as council communists, are not anarchists. What distinguishes anarchist communism from other variants of libertarian communism is the former's opposition to all forms of political power, hierarchy and domination.

Anarcho-syndicalism

Main article: anarcho-syndicalism

Anarcho-syndicalism is a branch of social anarchism which focuses on the labour movement. Syndicalisme is a French word meaning "trade unionism" – hence, the "syndicalism" qualification. Anarcho-syndicalists view labour unions as a potential force for revolutionary social change, replacing capitalism and the State with a new society democratically self-managed by workers. Anarcho-syndicalists seek to abolish the wage system and private ownership of the means of production, which they believe lead to class divisions.

Mutualism

Whether mutualism is individualist or collectivist appears to depend on the form it takes. Some scholars place Proudhon's mutualism as a being situated somewhere between individualist and social anarchism.^[2][3] Some American individualist anarchists have proposed their own form of mutualism, which retains an individualist orientation.

Social Anarchism Magazine

Social Anarchism is a biannual journal of "community self-reliance, direct participation in political decision-making, respect for nature, and nonviolent paths to peace and justice." ^[2] Each issue contains essays on current anarchist theory, anarchist history, an exchange of hot topics, as well as one or two book reviews. The journal has been continuely published since 1981 and is currently edited by Howard Ehrlich, compiler (among other works) of "Reinventing Anarchy, Again."

Notes and references

Notes

1. ^  http://www.mutualist.org/id32.html.
2. ^  http://flag.blackened.net/liberty/miscon.html.
3. ^  http://www.socialanarchism.org/index.html.

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