Anarchy is more than throwing bombs (continued)

VOTING ASIDE, a greater dilemma for anarchists is the limited penetration of their ideals and practices into the larger mainstream of society. Do the actions and beliefs of a relatively few individuals and collectives make a difference, or are anarchists merely a fringe group with appeal to a narrow band of fellow travelers? This is a tricky question for anarchists, since they are not going to "run" candidates, buy TV spots, or sponsor focus groups to broaden their "base." Such actions are inimical to the DIY essence of anarchism.

Some anarchists, of course, reach out in more confrontational ways, taking part in demonstrations at meetings of such organizations as the WTO and World Bank. These protests, as well as peace rallies, social justice marches, and the phenomena of "culture jamming" — essentially subverting and craftily sabotaging advertising and mass media — attempt to promote change in the larger society. These disparate campaigns probably do little to promote anarchist sympathies in the general public, although they may cause some to question just what the IMF actually does, and if "liberation" is the correct word to describe the US invasion of Iraq.

For her part, SueEllen Kroll believes the word is getting out. "I see this idea of ‘American individualism,’ the premise of our capitalist, market-based economy, being called into question a lot now, even in the mainstream with corporate greed being exposed in scandals like Enron and WorldCom," she says. "Even my mom is bashing Halliburton, whereas a couple of years ago she wouldn’t even know who they were."

Anarchists generally favor direct local action in effecting change. The hope is that grassroots efforts, which can be linked to progressive action on a regional, national, and even international basis, will create a domino effect. The old adage, "Think Globally, Act Locally," definitely applies. Local anarchists accept that the "revolution" will not be here tomorrow, or even the next day, but most have developed their own strategies for promoting their vision of a more just society.

For Kroll, it comes down to organizing the Rhode Island Human Rights Film Festival, as a way of highlighting issues of global justice; she’s also coordinating an anarchist book fair in connection with AS220’s 20th birthday celebration in July. Chris Bull uses his passion for bicycles on behalf of Recycle-A-Bike, which works directly to increase bike riding and ownership, particularly among low-income youth. Mike Araujo, who is lying low these days after working on behalf of an anarchist community center in Austin, Texas, and serving as a Providence IWW delegate, supports the Anarchist Black Cross Network, which advocates for prisoners’ rights. David Grenier lends his support to organizations, including Jobs for Justice and Direct Action for Rights and Equality (DARE), a Providence activist group whose mission is "to organize low-income families in communities of color to win economic, social and political justice." DARE has also received wide support from a number of other Providence anarchists, including Kroll, Beatrice McGeoch, and Mimi Budnick.

Grenier says his time in Seattle taught him that organizing is hard work and not always very productive, unless significant time and resources are devoted to it. "I got frustrated with trying to build a revolution from scratch," he says. As such, Grenier says, even if he may not share all of an organization’s aims, he will contribute his time if he thinks it is working toward positive goals: "That’s why I end up doing stuff that might seem contradictory, like going to city council meetings."

Spreading the word remains difficult for those in the anarchist movement, as they often tend to be young, and it can be difficult for them to break out of the narrow circles in which they sometimes travel. Kroll laments the lack of "demographic diversity" among anarchists, something that Araujo finds particularly troubling. He suggests past battles are quickly forgotten, and that young anarchists would do well to read their history and try to work with older veterans of previous struggles. There is also the matter of the anarchist personality. While the anarchists interviewed for this story were uniformly thoughtful, anarchists are not always the most stable people. Kroll notes that alcoholism and addiction, which have done in many a collective, are completely contrary to cooperation and mutual aid. Anarchists are also often seekers and dreamers who move frequently; this transience can make organizing self-sustaining cooperative institutions difficult.

Anarchists assumed a higher national profile following the first major WTO protest in Seattle in 1999, but such demonstrations may have peaked in terms of their effectiveness. As previously reported in the Phoenix (see "Free speech and assembly on the line," News, May 14, 2004), law enforcement organizations have responded with increasingly sophisticated tactics to blunt the effectiveness of big demonstrations. As a result, there is real debate within the anarchist movement as to whether resources used in "protest-hopping" might be better spent working on local issues.

As it stands, change might come from a growing domestic crisis, financial and otherwise, that affects the middle class. "I see crisis as the breeding ground for radical political thought, like America in the ’20s," says Kroll. "It’s exciting to be approaching this crossroad, yet also terrifying hanging on waiting to see how bad things can get." Concerning the current administration and the Iraq war, Brown’s Paul Buhle suggests that we are a critical moment. "Every crisis in US society since WWII has been due to global over-reach, Vietnam to Iran, and to some extent other places. Those crises were handled successfully by drowning them in blood. This one seems different and a bigger crisis than anything since Vietnam."

Ultimately, however, the biggest hurdle for anarchists to surmount may be the passivity of most people. It’s not just how the state will bring troops out into the street to stifle dissent (although it will), but that a majority of the populace is content to enjoy its creature comforts, letting government, large institutions, and major corporations exercise their significant influence.

Noting the importance of education in social change, librarian Alexander Zimmerman also suggests that people can break through ennui and alienation by taking a stand. "This begins by getting off our asses, turning off the television, and taking action," he says. Organizing, whether focused on abolishing prisons or creating a community garden, is infectious. "People are radicalized by witnessing others passionately fighting for freedom and dignity in their lives," Zimmerman says.

Certainly, the isolation, alienation and atomization of people from one another is a great barrier to achieving anarchist goals. Asked how I could engage in self-governance and institution-building with my fellow Cranstonians, when I don’t even known the people who live next door, Chris Bull says, "Talking to your neighbors is huge — that’s the start of community." Zimmerman had a similar response, suggesting that despite the great power of the Internet as a decentralized tool for communication and education, "What is it really if I can communicate with a comrade in South Africa, or use instant messaging to organize sudden protests, if I don’t know the people in my neighborhood?"

Will we ever live in an anarchist society? It doesn’t appear likely, even if the philosophy of anarchism will continue to propel small subcultures in Rhode Island and around the country. The popular image of bomb-tossing radicals notwithstanding, little blasts of anarchy are continually breaking out without necessarily being given that name. Community gardens, farmers’ collectives, babysitting co-ops, some tenant associations, and cooperative networks of artists, musicians, and writers embody anarchist ideals. And resistance to big government and corporate power is not dead, as can be seen by the reaction to the Patriot Act, the war in Iraq, and the backlash against such companies as Wal-Mart, McDonald’s, and Microsoft. An anarchist society? Probably not. But little anarchisms, here and there? Definitely.

Tim Lehnert can be reached at timlehnert@cox.net.