Politics in the SCW

[joroas]

Some time ago I passed a piece of graffiti that read:


"Vote Anarchist!"

[Arlequín]

The CGT (splinter group from the CNT) is still 'anarchist' and is the 3rd largest trade union in Spain... they have a heavy representation in the workforce of SEAT in Barcelona. CNT still exist, but are much less popular as they don't accept the method of choosing candidates to represent the unions (some things never change).  

Vote anarchy is not an oxymoron... Anarchism is just extreme socialism, not total absence of government and rules

Anyhoo.... Nice figures and terrain as usual. 

I like the anarchist handicap too. It was a very real problem for the anarchists initially and indeed later in those units who had less assertive leaders. How anybody got them to do anything at all is beyond me, particularly when you are talking about representatives being selected for as few as ten men. 'O Group' meetings must have been very chaotic and indeed getting your squad to accept your orders must have been a careful process of negotiation. 

[joroas]

Vote anarchy is not an oxymoron... Anarchism is just extreme socialism, not total absence of government and rules

But isn't extreme socialism a form of communism?

[Arlequín]

But isn't extreme socialism a form of communism?

Going down this road will take us very off topic and probably cause brain melt-down for me... forget I said anything. 

I meant as extreme in the sense of 'principles taken to the nth degree' rather than extreme as in the sense of Stalinist Russia. 

[Red Orc]

Joroas: in case you want a short explaination, here's one. Apologies otherwise if it's too off-topic.

In essence yes; socialism, communism and anarchism are all related (when not identical) philosophies. The Spanish Anarcho-Syndicalists (who combined the 'socialist' red flag with the anarchist black flag) were influenced by the Anarchist-Communists, who differentiated themselves from the Marxist Communists, but all of them came out of the broader socialist movement. The CNT in Spain supported the Russian Revolution, as did many other Anarchists in and outside Russia, because they argued that the Marxists ('state socialists' the anarchists called them) had come over to Anarchist ideas.

Don't get hung up on the labels; these are not necessarily exclusive terms, it's possible (some would say necessary) to be an anarchist, socialist and communist at the same time. Anarchism is a theory of socialism, it's not in opposition to it. Marxism is a theory of socialism that is different to anarchism. Both call themselves 'communist' - though there are also other schools of Anarchism, most are irrelevent historically, certainly in the War in Spain - the Anarchist-Communists and most importantly the Anarcho-Syndicalists are the main theoretical schools, though in some senses differences between the two strands are tactical or a matter of different emphasis.

[eastern barbarian]

CNT supported Russian Revolution only till their delegation actually visited Russia btw. But we are really drifting off topic now.

[joroas]

Sorry, i kind of saw Anarchists in a similar light to GW's Chaos idea.................

[Red Orc]

Imaginary immortal mutant superwarriors? I'll tell the ones I know! They might agree... 

[joroas]

That's not what I mean.......................  Although the spotty ones may be acolytes of Nurgle.......

[eastern barbarian]

Mutated super warriors- thats me then My missus always tells me that I have armoured forehead

[Red Orc]

That's not what I mean...

I'm sorry Joroas, what did you mean?

There are several people on here I think who can give you an idea of what Anarchism was and is, and probably more importantly what it isn't. If you want to know more, PM me or Eastern Barbarian or Jim Hale (or all three of us to compare our wildly different answers  ) or go over to the Back of Beyond board and start asking around there, or start a topic about 'What is Anarchism in the War in Spain?' or something. And maybe Phil Robnson can have thread, with the lovely scenery and great figures, back...

[eastern barbarian]

yeah, feel free to ask mate I promise I will not try to convert you into one of us

[Arlequín]

Ok folks I've split the topic, which explains the undulating nature of the previous posts. I'm happy for us to discuss SCW politics and factions as long as it stays strictly related to the interwar period and doesn't stray into modern politics and remains a civil debate.

I think I see where Joroas is coming from, Anarchy is essentially chaos, but Anarchism is something else entirely. The idea is to have no central government as such, nor indeed nations. Everyone contributes to society what they are able and takes from what is produced just the things they need... which is the theory underpinning all forms of socialism.

[Plynkes]

The word Anarchy simply means "without a ruler." Any connotations of violent disorder and chaos are baggage that it has picked up along the way. Whether that has been because of the actions of Anarchists or abuse of the word by people with a vested interest in there being rulers I leave for others to decide. Now an absence of rulers may or may not lead to violence and disorder, but that doesn't necessarily mean that violence and disorder are the aims of Anarchists.

[eastern barbarian]

Well, Russian Anarchists had a slogan on their banners which read "Anarchy is mother of order". It wasn't ironic just to clarify!.