New EventsScandinavia / Denmark / Iceland 18 Dec Stockholm, 18 december: Black Flame: Anarkismens o... more >>Other Press[Colombia, Cauca] El Inpec Aisla Veintiocho Internos Indígenas En Huelga De Hambre 17:33 Oct 23 0 comments Haiti: Now they're all dead 22:19 Aug 28 0 comments Detenido el líder campesino Húber Ballesteros en Bogotá 16:11 Aug 27 14 comments Egipto: Todos en contra de la democracia 20:53 Aug 20 0 comments [Colombia] Terror, Tortura y Suicidio en La Tramacúa 21:52 Aug 01 0 comments more >> |
Recent articles by Adrien A. Wilkins
Motmakt: En fri føderasjon! 0 comments Recent Articles about Scandinavia / Denmark / Iceland Repression / prisonersPolice repression against ecoactivists in Iceland Apr 22 08 Αλληλεγγύη σ ... Mar 13 07 Ungdomshuset Solidarity Action Mar 11 07 A Free Federation
scandinavia / denmark / iceland |
repression / prisoners |
policy statement
Saturday October 26, 2013 01:57 by Adrien A. Wilkins - Motmakt (Counterpower)
Counterpower's recent transition to federative structure The 19th and 20th of October, Motmakt (Counterpower) held its fall congress in Oslo. This congress was slightly different from previous congresses we have had. For the first time representatives from three local chapters were gathered, and the question was how we were to coordinate these chapters moving forward. The Second day of the congress Counterpower was formally founded as a federation. It's only proper that we explain what we mean by it and why we have chosen this way of organizing. [Norsk]
A Free FederationThe 19th and 20th of October Motmakt (Counterpower) held its fall congress in Oslo. This congress was slightly different from previous congresses we have had. For the first time representatives from three local chapters were gathered, and the question was how we were to coordinate these chapters moving forward. The Second day of the congress Counterpower was formally founded as a federation. But what does that mean? Now that we are one, its only proper that we explain what we mean by it and why we have chosen this way of organizing. With this short article we hope to inspire others who wish to organize themselves as democratic as possible. The one and onlyA Federation is when separate units come together to form a new whole. When we talk about nation-states we usually mean separate regions coming together to form a state, like the United States. When we are talking about organizations we often mean separate organizations coming together to form one whole.In Counterpower these units are now Counterpower Oslo, Counterpower Trondheim and our freshest chapter; Counterpower Bergen. The whole is now Counterpower the federation. What makes Counterpower unique in Norway is how far we go to insure that the local chapters have as much autonomy as possible. In fact every active member have the same amount of influence both when it comes to influencing their local chapter and the federation as a whole. We accomplish this by coordinating the local chapters in a coordinating council instead of pooling the power in a central board or in work groups. The coordinating council is comprised of delegates from each local chapter, who bring suggestions from the chapters to the council where the motion is discussed and made ready for vote. The vote itself is taken at a local level and it’s the vote at this local level that determines policy. The Challenge of different sized chaptersBecause we vote directly on the motions, instead of on who gets to decide over our heads, we realized that it would be necessary to weigh the local chapters’ votes in a way that recognizes the different size of the chapters but at the same time denies the biggest chapter the opportunity to decide the outcome of our votes through sheer size alone. What we landed on was making a system where each local chapters gets a designated amount of votes based on size.Every chapter gets a certain amount of “federation votes” depending on its size. These votes are distributed according to the vote at the local chapter. If for example there are sixteen members present at a meeting of a local chapter with four “federation votes”, and twelve of these members vote for a motion and four against, that would mean that the chapter sends three votes for and one vote against the motion to the coordinating council. As much autonomy as possibleEvery chapter will manage 80% of its own members monthly payments. The remaining 20% will be collected in federation coffers which will finance the yearly congress as well as any national campaigns.But direct democracy is not only about voting. If we want to keep the power with our membership then we need ways of preforming tasks without a central board or closed work groups. In Counterpower this is done by having several small and comprehensible mandates. Like all mandates in Counterpower all mandates must be rotated frequently, so important knowledge and experience is spread among as many members as possible. This also minimizes the risk of informal hierarchies developing as a result of one person holding a position too long. All mandates, including the delegates sent to the coordinating council are revocable in every forum of decision-making we have, so if a mandate needs to be replaced for any reason we won’t have to wait for the next congress to replace someone. We are very excited about seeing how our federative structure will work in when theory becomes praxis, and have already planned a new congress summer of 2014 to evaluate and if necessary change the structure. One does not come far without trial and error, and one accomplishes little if one is not prepared to critically examine our system and choices. Our motivation for doing this springs from our conviction that how we organize today will be mirrored in what we accomplish tomorrow. Former, non-prefigurative, movements have ended up reproducing the same undemocratic power-relations they were supposed to combat. With dire consequences. We must therefore organize ourselves in a way that corresponds with our visions of how a future society will be structured: Free, horizontal, and direct-democratic! |
Front pageAre Republican “Libertarians” Anarchists? Tareas del Anarquismo social chileno. Lo “libertario” como espacio de disputa. Brasil: Nova invasão policial do local da FAG El confederalismo democrático, propuesta libertaria del pueblo kurdo Biel-Bienne: Anarchist Bookfair 2013 A 40 años del golpe: recuperando la iniciativa, construyendo la alternativa popular Ante el Paro Nacional y la ola de desobediencia popular en Colombia La “primavera árabe”: reconfiguración del mapa del Norte de África y Oriente Medio [Colombia] 19 de Agosto, paro agrario y popular, ¿un nuevo punto de inflexión en la lucha de clases? Questões Organizativas do Anarquismo Combative Unionism: Waging Class War within Labour La democracia de masas: una apuesta libertaria para el actual período A Brief History of the Rapprochement Process of US Class Struggle Anarchist Organizations La rue égyptienne plus forte que les urnes Solidaridad contra la persecución hacia la Federación Anarquista Gaucha Tear Gas & Twitter in Taksim - an anarchist eyewitness analysis from Gezi Park, Istanbul Lutar Contra o Aumento da Tarifa Pela Força e Vontade das Ruas! Les assassins de Clément Méric devront répondre de leur crime Lo que faltaba: macartismo indigenista Chile: El Frente de Estudiantes Libertarios (FEL) cumple 10 años Latest NewsScandinavia / Denmark / Iceland | Repression / prisoners | en Sun 03 Nov, 07:47 Ungdomshuset Solidarity Action 18:50 Sun 11 Mar 0 comments Built a solidarity movement 10:25 Thu 08 Mar 0 comments Opinion and AnalysisSorry, no stories matched your search, maybe try again with different settings. Press ReleasesBuilt a solidarity movement Mar 08 Anarkismo 0 comments |