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Critics

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| Critics of Anarcho-Syndicalism |
Every thesis has its antithesis. Every idea, concept, philosophy and
metholodgy in existence can be probed, criticised, improved upon,
contradicted, exposed or disproven. No idea is so holy that it is
somehow immune from examination and open discussion. This is
particularly true of the concept of anarcho-syndicalism in particular
and for the anarcho-syndicalist movement more generally, which
maintains the pretence (at least) of being libertarian and
revolutionary.
Ideas and concepts which have as their purpose to deceive and fool their audience
into participating in systems of exploitation, oppression,
brutalisation and degradation never allow complete discussion and
thorough criticism of their basic principles and tenets from opposing
points of view. This is as true of authoritarian and totalitarian
regimes as it is of purportedly democratic ones.
Given that the anarcho-syndicalist movement maintains the pretence of being
libertarian and revolutionary, as noted above, the onus is on it doubly
to allow outsiders the opportunity to freely decide for themselves
whether or not it offers anything better than the political doctines
which reign supreme at the present time.
To that end, below are provided links to articles and essays criticising
anarcho-syndicalism from a variety of perspectives -- communist,
democratic, fascist, trade unionist and otherwise capitalist and
statist (where, of course, an offering of such criticisms can be found;
sometimes they can't). The visitor to this page can then decide for
themselves whether anarcho-syndicalism has anything to offer them on
the basis of a full knowledge of all points of view.
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Texts :: critics |
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Defeat the resurgence of the workerist tendency |
by ANC Today Previously published: Volume ANC Today Vol 7, No. 36 | 14-20 September 2007 |
20 Oct 2007
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"In this article we reflect on some of the ideological and theoretical issues relating to anarcho-syndicalism to reinforce the understanding of our readers and members about what our movement, the ANC, must do to defend itself and the national democratic revolution." |
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Texts :: critics |
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Review of Syndicalism and the Co-operative Commonwealth |
by Jack Fitzgerald Previously published: Socialist Standard, July 1913, SPGB |
07 Sep 2007
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A critical review of book by same title by a leading member of the Socialist Party of Great Britain |
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Texts :: critics |
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American Revolutionary Industrial Unionism |
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by Albert Weissbord |
27 Mar 2007
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"VERY different from the Anarcho-Syndicalism of the French was the Syndicalism of the Americans which developed in the twentieth century (1905-1918). By the twentieth century the United States had become a vast industrial country of enormous size and titanic strength. We have pointed out the basic causes that led to such an enduring and deep-seated Liberalism in this country and those tendencies which could foster an Anarchist ideology. To these forces we must add the following to complete the picture and to show why Syndicalism grew and why it took the form that it did."
From: THE CONQUEST OF POWER:LIBERALISM, ANARCHISM, SYNDICALISM, SOCIALISM,
FASCISM AND COMMUNISM,1937, by Albert Weisbord
Weisbord was the communist leader of the Passaic,New Jersey (USA) NJ textile strike of 1926.He later fell out with the stalinists and then the trotskyists. |
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Texts :: critics |
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The Standpoint of Syndicalism |
by Louis Levine Previously published: The Outlook for Industrial Peace (Nov., 1912), pp. 114-118 |
04 Nov 2006
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"To those who are anxious to bring about peace between labor and capital on the basis of existing economic and legal institutions, the Syndicalist must necessarily appear as a disturbing factor in the situation. The Syndicalist will not deny this nor will he be forced to change his attitude either by denunciation or by persecution. From his own standpoint, the Syndicalist believes that he is merely sincere in looking facts in the face, logical in drawing the proper conclusions from them, and rationally optimistic in seeing through the mist of the contradictory present the rising sun of a socially harmonious future." |
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DISCUSSION: Anarchist Tactics in Spain |
by Syndicalist Previously published: The New International, March 1938 |
07 Aug 2006
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Critical discussion piece on CNT-AIT which appeared in the Trotskyist New International, Vol.4 No.3, March 1938, pp.80-82. |
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The Union Makes Us Strong? Syndicalism: A Critical Analysis |
by Anarchist Communist Federation (UK) Previously published: Organise! issue 46 (Summer 97) |
16 Feb 2006
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The ACF has never, despite what some of our critics may have suggested, made our criticisms of syndicalism, including its anarcho variety, a "distinguishing characteristic" (see Black Flag Issue 211) of our politics. In a world-wide “labour movement” dominated by social democratic ideas and practice and thoroughly integrated into capitalism, our focus of attack has not been on the relatively tiny syndicalist and “alternative” union structures which exist. Rather, our arguments have been against trade unionism and for working class self-organised struggle. |
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Texts :: critics |
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Anarchism in Spain |
by Felix Morrow Previously published: New International, Vol.4 No.1, January 1938, pp.6-7. |
16 Feb 2006
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Critique of Rudolf Rocker’s "The Tragedy of Spain" by the American Trotskyist Felix Morrow. Morrow was also the author of "Revolution & Counter-Revolution in Spain" (1938). |
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Errors of Workerism |
by South African Communist Party Previously published: Source: ISIZWE, Journal of the UDF. Vol 1 No 3. November 1986 |
30 Dec 2005
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The SACP argues against a strong trend sweeping South Africa in the early to mid-1980's: "workerism". The "workerist" tendency was strong among many of the emerging independent and militant unions. Often times "workerism" used many of the same tacics and organizational forms as classical anarcho-syndicalism. The SACP was against this and argued for alliances with non-workers and for engagement in the political sphere. |
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“Syndicalism“ |
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by Daniel De Leon |
28 Dec 2005
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Critique of syndicalism by American leader of the Socialist Labor Party in August of 1909. |
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Anarchy Against Capitalism and Socialism |
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by Chris Wilson |
02 Sep 2005
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"Even socialist anarchists admit that the actions of the CNT were often abusive and authoritarian, not the least of which was its leaders' decision to submit to the direction of the state and Leninist forces to "fight fascism". In various locations throughout the world, nations no less free (and in certain respects, freer) than the U.S. have successfully implemented mixed economies containing elements of both market-based exchange and socialism without the use of death squads or gulags. Needless to say, none of them abolished the role of capital or the state. These failed attempts at stateless socialism are a direct consequence of the innate hierarchy of large-scale organization combined with a refusal to realize that power always corrupts, even when delegated democratically. " |
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