Wednesday 24 March 2010

The Platform - 2pm Sunday 11 April

We're going to be discussing 'Organisational Platform of the Libertarian Communists' at LARC*

In 1926 a group of exiled Russian anarchists in France, the Dielo Trouda group (Workers' Cause), published the 'Organisational Platform of the Libertarian Communists' or The Platform as its often referred to. It arose not from some academic study but from their experiences in the 1917 Russian revolution. They had taken part in the overthrow of the old ruling class, had been part of the blossoming of workers' and peasants' self- management, had shared the widespread optimism about a new world of socialism and freedom . . . and had seen its bloody replacement by State Capitalism and a centralist party dictatorship. What should revolutionaries learn from the Russian Revolution, how should they organise....

IT IS NOT ESSENTIAL TO HAVE READ THIS TO PARTICIPATE.

For an historic introduction to the text visit here and for the text visit here.

Wednesday 10 March 2010

Live Working or Die Fighting, Sun 2PM - 21 March @ LARC

The book situates current globalisation of the third world alongside the early pangs of worker struggles across Europe in 19th century, so it’s ideal to understand the impact of classical radical ideas on the contemporary.

IT IS NOT ESSENTIAL TO HAVE READ THIS TO PARTICIPATE.

The book in its entirety is worth discussing but the intention is to deal with the early chapters due to time restraints, so we will be looking at
1. 'Rise like lions' – China/Peterloo Massacre
2. 'Everything connected with beauty' – India/Lyon Silk Weavers Revolt
3. 'This is the dawn...' - Nigeria/Paris Commune
7. 'Totally ignorant labourers' – India/Shanghai commune