THE DARK SIDE OF CHRISTIAN HISTORY

The Dark Side of Christian History

The Dark Side of Christian History by Helen Ellerbe: Morningstar and Lark, Orlando Florida, 1999 ISBN 0-9644873-4-9

     This is the sort of book that I had to force myself through. It was not so much the purported subject matter but rather the author's not-so-well-hidden agenda. This is not an overview of the crimes of the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant churches except insofar as these can be slotted into Ellerbe's real purpose. This purpose is to argue against Christianity and for pop-religious New-Age "spirituality" with a thin veneer of corrupted feminism. The author makes her intentions abundantly plain in the Introduction for fostering "sexism, racism, the intolerance of difference and the 'desecration' of the natural environment". It would be hard to find such a crystal clear expression of trendy leftism outside of the academy. Social class is conspicuous by its absence. So is the concept of hierarchy in general, the role of government and individual freedom (beyond sacred differences deified by a subculture). There is a vague bow to "self-determination" but no indication that this might extend to the infidels outside of the politically-correct charmed circle. It almost certainly doesn't.

     The author genuflects in her introduction to the fact that there were "alternative Christianities" in the early centuries of the Church. As might be expected from the blindfolded world view of the 'New-Age' she lavishes particular praise on the Gnostics. She also mentions the Essenes. As might be expected her knowledge of these theologies is incredibly superficial, probably drawn from other neo-mystic books that bear the same resemblance to reality as Stalinist propaganda does. The Gnostics, in the majority of cases amongst their crazy-quilt writings, were far more "anti-nature" than any orthodox theologian could ever be. Despite the lies of the orthodox their beliefs were quite ascetic, and their "hidden knowledge" consisted of an over-elaborated mythology the knowledge of which was supposedly the key to escaping the inevitably corrupt world. I know...consistency and facts are part of that great evil "science" that also has to be abolished for the dreaded New Age to dawn. Ellerbe gets well into this later.

     The author goes on to belabour the misogynist nature of early orthodox Christianity. No doubt true, but the Christological content of the early disputes is simply ignored. It's of no interest to her purpose. The economic interactions of Church and state in the Roman Empire are slighted in favour of ideological argument (or assertion). This assertion continues through the first part of the book, and the author's only digression from passing over heresies other than her favourite ones is a condemnation of the Church's disapproval of Origen's idea of reincarnation. There is little doubt that this is part of the author's ideology/theology. We also get a discussion of sex, free will and compulsion/authority though, once more, innocent of what the people at the time considered important. History is supposed to be history, not an ideological "read-back".

     Ellerbe then passes on to medieval times. She states rather than proves that it was the influence of the Church that led to the decline of the West in this period. Sort of extending Gibbon way beyond his wildest ambitions. She goes so far as to say that the practice of "bleeding" in medieval times was due to "the Monks". Go figure ! She mentions many of the "sins" of the medieval Church and misses many more. No doubt Christianity was not a "creative force" in this period, but the author implies that it was responsible for the vast picture of western decline. Barbarian invasions are, of course, irrelevant. The reality was that Christianity and its influence were contradictory , as the Marxists are fond of saying. Some of its actions were beneficial and some were malevolent. Such fine distinctions, however, escape the author.

     The author cites the monumental corruption of the medieval Papacy, something that is well established. The very corruption of the Renaissance Popes, however, was progressive in its own way. The logic of the times also dictated that the Papacy become a secular power, and many of its crimes were for "reasons of state" rather than the abstract motivations that Ellerbe likes to move in. In the end the Church was pretty much a mirror of the secular powers that it alternately fought and allied with, no better nor no worse. The atrocities that happened were typical of the age and might have been worse under some other sort of ideological "guidance" such as that of a more Gnostic Church. Ideology at the time was very much subservient to power politics.

     Ellerby passes a severe judgement on the Protestant Reformation. She denounces the common Protestant theories of free will (or lack thereof) and original sin without recognition of the disputes within Protestantism about such matters. She dates, strangely enough, the concept of an unitary God as opposed to a multiplicity of saints from this era. The veneration of saints is identified with the pantheistic, many faced. view of divinity that she favours. Yes, it is a bit of a stretch. She also notes the supposed rise of a more severe asceticism  which presumably is connected to the ideas of predestination and denial of free will. Once more remember the Gnostics that she has a superficial acquaintance with for how it could have been worse.

     In Chaper 8, The Witch Hunts: The End of Magic and Miracles" the author really hits her stride. Whatever she imagines the "witch craze" was actually a reversal of early Church opinion which opined that most of what was called "witchcraft" was ignorance and superstition. Pretty true actually, though such "witchcraft" was considered orthodox when properly covered with a Christian veneer. The campaign against "witchcraft" was never so extensive as the author imagines.

     The Inquisition played a prominent role in the "witch hunt". Whatever the author says however, the main motive behind this was self-interest and bureaucratic expansion. The so-called "witches" only came into the purview of the 'Holy Office' during its decline when it was running out of real victims. The author (deliberately ?) refuses to examine the extent of the Inquisition's dealing with "witches" and how they compare with its total business. She relies only on anecdote and insinuation. Whatever Ellerbe's sympathies the mass of Inquisitorial victims were "heretics" rather than "witches" if for no other reason than that the estates of heretics were a better source of plunder. I guess, however, that this would spoil the author's narrative of a contest of ideas as opposed to one of interests.

     In Chapter 9 Ellerbe makes her purpose quite clear again with the title 'Alieniation From Nature', Uh huh ! She makes the ideological assertion that a Christian view of the world as "sinful" (once more a step down from her beloved Gnostics) led to some sort of "separation" that became a leitmotif of western society. Oh well, I guess that the vast majority of people who lived in rural areas until recent decades were "obviously" alienated because of this presumed ideology. Just to be obvious the author u8ses this opportunity to sing a little paean to pre-Christian paganism. This was supposedly "non-alienated". Yes, I'm sure !

     The author moves on to the modern age in Chapter 10, 'A World Without God'. In this chapter the author outdoes any of her Jesuit opponents by attempting (and failing in my opinion) to twist facts and logic to say that the modern science that has disproved so much of dogmatic religion is itself a mere development of said religion. Yes, it is quite a stretch, and an accusation that sticks much more to New-Age religiosity than to any secular viewpoint. But if logic and facts are "bad things" and (cough, cough) "alienating" then you can "prove" anything you so damn well please.

     Of course we come face to face with the usual chintzy mystic "proof" of such a thing via a misinterpretation of the quantum world that the author has only a child's version of. Sighhhh ! It seems to occur pretty well everywhere in such a world. The author quotes a person named E.H. Walker to this effect;

     "...the universe is 'inhabited' by an almost unlimited number of conscious, usually non-thinking (oh, non-thinking consciousnesses - mm), entities that are responsible for the detailed working of the universe"

     Once more, uh-huh. God, or gods if you like, as cosmic obsessive compulsives. Ellerby fails to see the humour is such a statement. For those who are interested you can look up this "authority" that the author quotes. For instance you can see his tax-dodge "Cancer Institute" via 'Charity Navigator' where the "fund-raising" expenses are quoted as $10,149,158, the cost of "Administration" (mostly his widow actually) as $457,040 and the tiny, little beast of "programs" at the end as $290,174. There again you can look Walker up on Wikipedia. This long time US military researcher no doubt did his research in an "ant-sexist, anti-racist respect for 'difference' and the natural environment" manner. It has to be true by the worldview of the author because he is "spiritual". I hope his victims in the Third World appreciate such a refined soul.

     I guess the reader can estimate how much I disliked this book. From the opening when she presents her opinion that controlling people through "dictating and controlling their spirituality is the most (sic) insidious and damaging slavery of all" her agenda is quite clear. In a backhand way this book presents a bare-bones account of the "dark side" of Christianity, but the historical facts are treated superficially because of the much more important (to the author) need to fit them into her ideology. It would have been better to present a more thorough history rather than spend effort in trying to hammer square pegs into round holes.

What is Anarchism: An Introduction

WHAT IS ANARCHISM: AN INTRODUCTION
     By Donald Rooum, Freedom Press, London 1993 ISBN 0 900384 66 2

     It has been many years since I have read a non-historical introduction to anarchism. There are a great number of them, and to my mind they should live up to certain criteria. One is that they should be neither too short, "leafletly", nor so long and encyclopedic that they risk boring the casual reader. They should also present a wide enough vision of the many facets of the ideology without becoming bogs down in trivia. They should have a number of "hooks" to catch the interest of a varied audience.

     They should, of course, be well written and attractively laid out, not bowing to the gods of illiteracy and mess that periodically become popular amongst a minority who claim the anarchist label. Coherence is a must, a task made easier by excluding some of the more exotic blooms that nestle under the anarchist umbrella. Any introduction should be just historical enough, and attempt to place the basic ideas within a chronological narrative.

     They should both answer time-honoured objections to anarchism and present a vision of a future society that could be attractive to a reasonable person. A good introduction should be free of both trendy academic jargon and also of rhetorical overkill. Both faults repel people who are outside of closed social circles.

     How does this slim volume measure up ? First of all it should be mentioned that Rooum is more of a collator than an author. His contributions consist of an introduction and one essay on 'Selfishness and Benevolence'. He has chosen to fill the bulk of the book with excerpts from historical anarchists of note: Kropotkin, Malatesta, Rudolf Rocker, Alexander Berkman, Colin Ward and others. Despite this the book is definitely not an attempt to put anarchism in an historical context. In his fourfold division after the Introduction the author tries to select brief pieces that are, in his opinion, relative to the public presentation of the ideology. The four chapters are 'Anarchist Approaches to Anarchism', 'Anarchism and Violence', 'Arguments For Government Answered' and 'The Relevance of Anarchism'.

     This approach may or may not be useful. The selections "generally" are pertinent to the headings, and I'm sure that Rooum's long career as a publicist for anarchism has made him aware of some of the questions that repeatedly reoccur. What the author misses, however, by avoiding an historical approach is probably the greatest argument for the possibility of anarchism, an objection that definitely comes up again and again from many different quarters. This is that anarchist societies have existed, albeit briefly, in modern times in both Ukraine and Spain. Simply put, that which has or does exist is not "impossible".

     Unfortunately Rooum ignores what the vast bulk of what effective anarchism has been in practice - anarchosyndicalism. It is notable that the only essay by a syndicalist, 'Socialism and Freedom' by Rudolf Rocker, has little or nothing to do with syndicalism. It is a criticism of the Leninist conception of socialism rather than a presentation of an anarchist alternative. Flogging the corpse of the commies is something of a motherhood issue in our times. It is also significant that the only reference to the syndicalist side of anarchism is a short segment in the Introduction where Rooum is basically critical of the idea.

     The lack of a historical narrative detracts from both the utility and the coherence of the book/pamphlet. As mentioned the excerpts vary in how relevant they are to the purposes of the author/editor. How does the book measure up as simply a presentation of ideas and ideology ? Generally not so bad. Anarchism is such a diverse trend that it is naturally hard to find ways of fitting it into a popular presentation. The author, however, makes a good go of it in elucidating the "bare bones" of the tradition on which pretty well all anarchists agree. Neither too short nor too long. He tries to dispel some of the more common popular misconceptions about the movement. He is generally successful in this, and his language is refreshingly free of jargon and purple prose. He avoids the all-too-common lefty fault of "argument by insult". The presentation is properly modest and reasonable. In general the items quoted are well written and add to the points that Rooum wishes to make.

     A caveat- Rooum is obviously of the "permanent protest" school of anarchism. He does, however, at least give rather catholic mention to other trends in anarchism that are more "optimistic". He is quite realistic and honest about the strength, or lack thereof, of anarchism in his own place and time. His situation in late 20th century Britain may both explain and excuse his slighting of the more effective forms that anarchism has taken elsewhere and "elsewhen".

     Is this a useful introduction to anarchism ? In many ways yes. It certainly helps to clear up many of the myths that have accumulated in both the public and the academic mind. It does this in an admirably popular, clear manner. Rooum is a good example of what Orwell thought that political writing should be like. Because of its limited scope, however, it could not be used as "The Introduction". All that being said one should congratulate the author for a tightly argued and accessible presentation of at least one of the aspects of modern anarchism. The book, however, is not the Holy Grail of an accessible intro to the total neophyte. BUT is a good supplement to other efforts and well worth reading.

BOOKS:

PAPAL SIN AND LORD ACTON:

"The issue which has swept down the centuries and which will have to be fought sooner or later is the people versus the banks"

- Lord Acton

I thought that the above quote from Lord Acton was the most appropriate for our times, even more so than his famous "power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely". Acton is very much like the Bible; often quoted but rarely read. In recent times conservatives have tried to claim him as their own, but the more intelligent denizens of the conservative world recognize that he was actually a classical liberal. Thus they hope to claim him for their so-called commitment to liberty which is more honoured in the breech than in reality. I know, I know. There are conservatives who actually have an ideological commitment to liberty, but in order to try and carry their views into politics they have been content to ally themselves with the most illiberal segments of society. In our times the example of liberals/socialists/anarchists allying themselves with Leninist thuggery are few and almost insignificant outside of the USA. What is not insignificant is the tendency for classical liberals/libertarians to ally themselves with social conservatives of varying degrees of thuggery. As Acton says;

"At all times sincere friend of freedom have been rare, and its triumphs have been due to minorities, that have prevailed by associating themselves with auxiliaries whose objects differed from their own; and this association which is always dangerous, has sometimes been disastrous, by giving to opponents just grounds of opposition."

-Lord Acton

I have already posted on Garry Wills' book 'Papal Sin' in which Wills, as a dissident Catholic, lays out the system of deceit that underlies the modern Papacy. The book is broad-ranging, going back all the way to Augustine versus Jerome, but one point particularly grabbed my attention. After his farcical attack on the modern world in his 'Syllabus of Errors' (1864) Pope Pius IX was not satisfied with the totalitarian control he had attempted to impose on the Catholic Church. His next step was a Church Council, Vatican I, that he plotted to have his "infallibility" recognized at.

To say the least Pius' manoeuvres were conspiratorial in this case, and he managed to have his declaration accepted even despite the fact that a majority either rejected it totally or felt that such a declaration was ill advised at the time. Here is where the Anglo-Catholic Lord Acton comes into the book, and it must be said that he had a more active historical role than that of a quote mine. Moving from country to country Acton solidified the opposition to Pius. In the end he failed, but the struggle was heroic. If there were only one reason to recommend 'Papal Sin' this glimpse into Acton's life would be it. The man was far more than the common quote from him. As Acton said of his opponents;

"There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it."

I recommend the Wikipedia article on Acton highly as an enlightening glimpse into somebody who was far more than what he is remembered for.

LOCAL EVENTS:

'STOP SIGNS: CARS AND CAPITALISM' BOOK LAUNCH:

Coming up this Wednesday at Winnipeg's Infoshop the Mondragon, 92 Albert St.

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Stop Signs Book Launch with Yves Engler
Time Wednesday, July 6 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm

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Location Mondragon Bookstore & Coffee House
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More Info

Stop Signs —Cars and Capitalism
on the Road to Economic,
Social and Ecological Decay— 2011 Cars and Capitalism on the Road to Economic, Social and Ecological Decay

In North America, human beings have become enthralled by the automobile: A quarter of our working lives are spent paying for them; communities fight each other for the right to build more of them; our cities have been torn down, remade and planned with their needs as the... overriding concern; wars are fought to keep their fuel tanks filled; songs are written to praise them; cathedrals are built to worship them. In Stop Signs: Cars and Capitalism on the Road to Economic, Social and Ecological Decay, authors Yves Engler and Bianca Mugyenyi argue that the automobile’s ascendancy is inextricably linked to capitalism and involved corporate malfeasance, political intrigue, backroom payoffs, media manipulation, racism, academic corruption, third world coups, secret armies, environmental destruction and war. When we challenge the domination of cars, we also challenge capitalism. An anti-car, road-trip story, Stop Signs is a unique must-read for all those who wish to escape the clutches of auto insanity.

LOCAL EVENTS WINNIPEG:

'THE LISTENER' BOOK LAUNCH:

Coming up soon here in Winnipeg: the book launch of the graphic novel 'The Listener' about the political propaganda surrounding the rise of teh Nazis to power in Germany. Down at the Mondragon - 81 Albert St.

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David Lester & Mecca Normal Present "The Listener"
Time Wednesday, June 8 · 7:30pm - 10:30pm

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Location Mondragon Bookstore & Coffee House
91 Albert St
Winnipeg, Manitoba

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More Info

Arbeiter Ring Publishers & CKUW Present:
THE LISTENER - Book Launch By David Lester & Performance by Matador Records artists Mecca Normal.

What is THE LISTENER about:

...The Listener, a 312-page graphic novel by David Lester reveals a tragic act of spin doctoring that changed the course of history. Complacency, art and murder collide in Hitler's terrible rise to power in 1933, and in the artist Louise Shearing's search for meaning in the art of Europe after the fictional modern death of a political activist.

Who is David Lester:

David Lester is a painter, graphic designer, cartoonist, and the guitarist in the rock duo Mecca Normal (13 albums on K Records, Matador and Kill Rock Starts). His book, The Gruesome Acts of Capitalism went into a revised second printing and has been required reading in a university English course called Studies in Contemporary Literature. He has created the poster series “Inspired Agitators,” archived at The Center for the Study of Political Graphics in Los Angeles, and designed the popular t-shirt “Actually, I like crap.” Lester also does a weekly illustration, with text by Mecca Normal bandmate Jean Smith, for Magnet Magazine. His art has been published in DrippyTown #4, Warburger (Slovenia), MungBeing, Z Magazine, Reproduce & Revolt: A Graphic Toolbox for the 21st Century Activist (AK Press), Celebrate People’s History (Feminist Press), and The San Diego Reader.

Who is Jean Smith:

Jean Smith is the author of two published novels and a two-time recipient of Canada Council for the Arts awards as a professional writer of creative fiction. Excerpts of her fiction and articles on culture have appeared in Village Voice, NPR online, the American Book Award winning anthology Sounding Off!: Music as Resistance / Rebellion / Revolution, The Globe & Mail, the New York Foundation of Arts' Current magazine, Rolling Stone, Review of Contemporary Fiction, McSweeney's, and 3:AM Literary Magazine. Editors at Magnet and MungBeing Literary Magazine nominated excerpts of Smith’s fiction for the 2010 Pushcart Prize.

CANADIAN ANARCHIST MOVEMENT:

INTERVIEW WITH LARRY GAMBONE:

Larry Gambone of the Porkupine Blog and Red Lion Publishing has been an anarchist activist and historian for many decades now. He has recently been interviewed about two of his new books, 'The View From Anarchist Mountain' and 'The Impossibilists' (along with other subjects) on Radio CHLY in Nanaimo BC. You can catch the interview at this link. Great stuff and highly recommended by the Winnipeg cat (guess who ?).

ANARCHIST LITERATURE:

NEW FROM RED LION PRESS:

Hot off the presses from Larry Gambone of Red Lion Press. New titles to grace your library. Here's the info from Larry's Porkupine Blog.

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The View From Anarchist Mountain


It has been a busy year for me, publishing wise. First The Impossibilists, with my own Red Lion Press, then Nature of Human Brainwork was brought out by PM Press. Now I have two more to offer.
The View From Anarchist Mountain, 199 pages, $16.00 is a collection of my writings over the past 20 years on anarchism, society and history. It is available from AK Press. (For Canadians, order from me at redlionpress@hotmail.com )


Bill Pritchard – Revolutionary Socialist is a 36 page pamphlet that goes for $4.00. Pritchard is best known for being jailed under a bogus conspiracy charge in the aftermath of the Winnipeg General Strike. He was also a militant of the Socialist Party of Canada, the editor of its newspaper, The Western Clarion, and a founder of the OBU. After the demise of the SPC, he was an early member of the CCF and was Reeve of Burnaby for a number of years. Later in life, he returned to the “Impossibilist” socialism of his roots.

“Bill Pritchard – Revolutionary Socialist” - was taken from a talk he gave in 1973. It describes his adventures - and often hilarious misadventures – as a pioneer Socialist on speaking tours of Western Canada more than 90 years ago. He reminisces about a host of fascinating characters and also gives crucial eye-witness evidence about the murder of Ginger Goodwin. It is available so far, only from me.

ANARCHIST BOOKFAIRS:
TWIN CITIES ANARCHIST BOOKFAIR:



They're popping up here, there and everywhere; far too many to keep track of. Anarchist Bookfairs have become a favoured method of gathering and exchange between the ever expanding anarchist communities. Here's a new one ( at least I think it's their first ), the 'Twin Cities Anarchist Bookfair' being held on September 11 and 12 in Minneapolis, MN.



Minneapolis is not that far from Winnipeg, 621 km to be exact. The internet says that is 7 hours, 4 minutes driving time. Leadfoot Molly would bet she could make it in 6 easy. The twin cities are actually the closest real city to the dreaded 'Peg'. The even more dreaded Regina is 572 km away, but it takes a certain masochistic impulse to go to Regina for any reason. So, if you're interested Peg People this might actually be a somewhat legitimate excuse to visit Minneapolis and St. Paul. Here's the schedule for the event. Check the website for other details.
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Schedule/Locations
The bookfair will take place at the Powderhorn Park building located at 34th st and 15th ave s., Minneapolis.


Saturday 9/11: Noon-6pm
First Workshop Block: 1-2pm

-EXCO and Anarchist Education

http://www.excotc.org/

Featured Speaker: 2-4pm- Diana Block

Diana Block has been a social justice/feminist activist for forty years. She was a founder of San Francisco Women Against Rape and of the anti-imperialist group Prairie Fire Organizing Committee in the seventies. She spent thirteen years underground in connection with her solidarity activities with the Puerto Rican independence and Black liberation movements, including two years living in Minneapolis. After returning to public life in 1995, she was a founding member of the California Coalition for Women Prisoners, the Jericho Movement and the San Francisco 8 Defense Committee and continues to be active in prison abolitionist work focused on women and transgender prisoners. In 2009 she published her memoir, *Arm the Spirit – A Woman’s Journey Underground and Back.* She lives in San Francisco with her partner, Claude Marks, and has two children.

She will read excerpts from her book and reflect on her experiences.

Featured Speaker: 4-6pm- Cindy Milstein

Cindy Milstein is a board member of the Institute for Anarchist Studies, and a former teacher at the Institute for Social Ecology. She does grassroots political work at home and public speaking anywhere else, and has long been involved in anarchist projects and social movements. She recently released a book on AK Press, “Anarchism and its Aspirations.”

Other Events:
1pm- Anti-War Committee “End the War on Terror” Protest (Hennepin Ave and Lagoon Ave)

7pm- Diana Block at the Friends Meeting House in St. Paul

Sunday 9/12: 2:30- 8pm
First Workshop Block: 3-4pm

-Anarchism and Fiction

-Money: Where do we go from here? Presented by Tony Hunnicut

A full schedule of workshops and speakers will be posted soon.

Other Events:
2pm- Really Really Free Market- Powderhorn Park (by stage)

LOCAL EVENTS WINNIPEG:
BOOK SIGNING OF 'MOSAIC VILLAGE', A HISTORY OF WINNIPEG'S NORTH END:




Coming up this Thursday at Pollock's Hardware Co-op 1407 Main St., Winnipeg MB...meet the author of 'Mosaic Village'. Celebrate the North End's history at the local cooperative alternative to the big box stores.
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Mosaic Village book signing w/author Russ Gourluck‏


Hi everyone
We have an upcoming event here at Pollock'sRuss Gourluck well known Winnipeg author will be signing copies of his new book " The Mosaic Village " an illustrated history of Winnipeg's North End.
Time : Thursday June 24 @ 7:00pm here at the store
We will have lots of copies available price is 29.95 plus taxes.
Hope to see you!

LOCAL EVENTS- WINNIPEG

PUBLIC SERVICE, PRIVATE PROFITS:

Coming up next Tuesday at the Mondragon, 91 Albert St the book launch of 'Public Service, Private Profits'. All about the dreaded P3s. There's much plunder to be taken in this new frontier. The answers to questions you were afraid to ask. As mentioned below especially appropriate for Winnipeg as agreements for private participation in water management is pushed through city council when even our beloved Mayor 'Sneaky Sammy' claims that he doesn't know the details of what is being agreed to. If you believe that then I have a Salisbury House bridge that I'd like to sell to you. Meanwhile see Fernwood Publishing for more details on the book.

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Public Service, Private Profits Book Launch
Date: Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Time: 7:00pm - 9:30pm
Location: Mondragon Bookstore & Coffeehouse
Street: 91 Albert St.
Winnipeg, MB

Description.

Join us for the launch of Public Service, Private Profits, Prof. John Loxley's latest book from Fernwood Publishers. Timely book, what with our water services being sold down the river.

ANARCHIST PUBLICATIONS/CANADIAN ANARCHIST MOVEMENT:

MAKHNO MEMOIRS VOLUME TWO:

Black Cat Press of Edmonton has brought out Volume Two of a three volume series of the memoirs of Nestor Makhno, the famous anarchist commander in the Russian Revolution. This is the first time the series has appeared in English. Here's the promo and how to order.

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"Under the Blows of the Counterrevolution" by Nestor Makhno

"Under the Blows of the Counterrevolution" is the second volume of Nestor Makhno's memoirs which describes Makhno's odyssey through revolutionary Russia in the spring of 1918. It is the first English translation of this book.
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Under the Blows of the Counterrevolution

by Nestor Ivanovich Makhno

Nestor Makhno (1888-1934) was a peasant anarcho-communist who organized an experiment in anarchist values in practice in southeast Ukraine during the Russian Revolution and Civil War.
This is the second volume of his memoirs, originally published in France in 1936 and published in English here for the first time.

"Under the Blows of the Counterrevolution describes Makhno's odyssey through revolutionary Russia in the spring of 1918. Driven from his Ukrainian village by a German invasion, he wandered through a nation torn by civil war, encountered various remarkable personalities, and survived hair-raising adventures.

This volume has interested historians mainly because of Makhno's account of his interview with Lenin, but it also contains much valuable eye-witness information about a period of Soviet history which was later almost completely rewritten in officially sanctioned accounts.

The book (214 pp.) includes the original preface and notes by Makno's sometime colleague Vsevolod Volin together with photos, maps, glossary, explanatory notes, appendix, etc. English translation and editing by Malcolm Archibald..

ISBN 978-0-9737827-5-2

$22.00 Can or US

Price does not include tax or shipping. Publications may be ordered from:

Black Cat Press, 4508 118 Avenue Edmonton, Alberta T5W 1A9 Canada

Order by email from orders@blackcatpress.ca

(we can send you an estimate of the cost of your order)

We accept Visa and Mastercard. Inquiries from bookstores/distributors welcome.



Related Link: http://www.blackcatpress.ca

LOCAL EVENTS WINNIPEG:
PAUL KRASSNER AT THE DRAG:




Molly is pretty well dating herself here, but she is old enough to remember that "brief shining moment" in the late sixties and early 70s when the "left" actually had both a sense of humour and a sense of fun. It was a time when the old Stalinism of the traditional Communist Parties was an object of ridicule rather than attraction and the new Stalinism of the Leninist groupuscles and the hordes of those who came to make a living out of political correctness hadn't yet buried what was called the 'New Left'. It was a time when guilt was considered a sign of ignorance rather than a sign of enlightenment. Certainly the seeds of the end were there, but they were at least held partially at bay.


Now, like old Father Christmas returning from banishment by the puritans, here comes Paul Krassner to speak this April 10 at the Mondragon, Winnipeg's infoshop. See the wikipedia article and his website you you are not old enough to remember. Yeah, I know that that time has long since passed, but it's nice to see him still doing his stand-up routine after all these years. Here's the details.
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Paul Krassner "Who's to Say What's Obscene?" Book Launch
Date: Saturday, April 10, 2010
Time: 12:00pm - 1:30pm
Location: Mondragon Bookstore & Coffeehouse
91 Albert St.
Winnipeg, MB

Description.
Hey folks, exciting news here at the Drag. Paul Krassner, co-founder of the Yippies, editor of Lenny Bruce's autobiography, youngest person to perform at Carnegie Hall, stand-up comedian, prolific writer and founder of the Realist, and all around amazing human being will be launching his latest book "Who's to Say What's Obscene?" Check out the bio below, it's ridiculous.

"Who's to Say What's Obscene?" Book Launch with Paul Krassner
Saturday April 10th
12 noon
Mondragon Bookstore and Coffeehouse

Paul Krassner calls himself an investigative satirist. Don Imus labeled him “one of the comic geniuses of the 20th century.” (Imus has since apologized for that quote.) And, according to the Los Angeles Reader, “Krassner delivers 90 minutes of the funniest, most intelligent social and political commentary in town.”

On the other hand, a couple of FBI agents went to one of his performances and stated in their report, “He purported to be humorous about government policies.” His FBI files indicate that after Life magazine published a favorable profile of him, the FBI sent a poison-pen letter to the editor, complaining: “To classify Krassner as a social rebel is far too cute. He’s a nut, a raving, unconfined nut.”

“The FBI was right,” says George Carlin. “This man is dangerous--and funny; and necessary.”

ABC newscaster Harry Reasoner wrote in his memoirs, “Krassner not only attacks establishment values; he attacks decency in general.” So Krassner named his one-person show Attacking Decency in General, receiving awards from the L.A. Weekly and DramaLogue. He is the only person in the world ever to win awards from both Playboy (for satire) and the Feminist Party Media Workshop (for journalism). When People magazine called Krassner “Father of the underground press,” he immediately demanded a paternity test. Actually, he had published The Realist magazine from 1958 to 1974. He reincarnated it as a newsletter in 1985. “The taboos may have changed,” he wrote, “but irreverence is still our only sacred cow.” The final issue was published in Spring 2001.

His style of personal journalism constantly blurred the line between observer and participant. He interviewed a doctor who performed abortions when it was illegal; Krassner then ran an underground abortion referral service. He covered the antiwar movement; then co-founded the Yippies with Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin (writing a few animated re-enactment scenes for the documentary "Chicago 10" four decades later). He published material on the psychedelic revolution; then took LSD with Tim Leary, Ram Dass and Ken Kesey, later accompanying Groucho Marx on his first acid trip (The mind boggles-Molly ).

He edited Lenny Bruce’s autobiography, How to Talk Dirty and Influence People, and with Lenny’s encouragement, became a stand-up comic himself, opening at the Village Gate in New York in 1961. Ten years later--five years after Lenny’s death--Groucho said, “I predict that in time Paul Krassner will wind up as the only live Lenny Bruce.” He was nominated for a 2005 Grammy Award in the Album Notes category for his 5,000-word essay accompanying a 6-CD package, Lenny Bruce: Let the Buyer Beware. Krassner rarely works the comedy-club circuit, preferring to perform on campuses, at theaters and in art galleries.

He has been a guest on Late Night with Conan O’Brien and Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher; on Air America Radio with Janeane Garofalo and with Marc Maron. He hosted his own radio call-in show in San Francisco.

Paul writes columns for High Times, AVN [Adult Video News], and is an occasional contributor to the Huffington Post. His articles have appeared in Rolling Stone, Spin, Playboy, Penthouse, Mother Jones, the Nation, New York, National Lampoon, Utne Reader, the Village Voice, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Los Angeles Times, the L.A. Weekly, New York Press, and Funny Times.

His venues have ranged from the New Age Expo to the Skeptics Conference, from a Neo-Pagan Festival to the L.A. County Bar Association, from a Swingers Convention to the Brentwood Bakery, where members of the audience were each given a free pastry of their choice. Over the years, he has built up a cult following that has steadily been edging into mainstream awareness.

His reviews have been highly complimentary. The New York Times: “He is an expert at ferreting out hypocrisy and absurdism from the more solemn crannies of American culture.” The Los Angeles Times: “He has the uncanny ability to alter your perceptions permanently.” The San Francisco Chronicle: “Krassner is absolutely compelling. He has lived on the edge so long he gets his mail delivered there.”

He was head writer for an HBO special satirizing the 1980 presidential election campaign, did on-air commentary for the Fox network’s Wilton-North Report, and — a decade after poking fun at Ronald Reagan — was a writer on Ron Reagan’s syndicated late-night TV talk show.

Mercury Records released his first two comedy albums, We Have Ways of Making You Laugh and Brain Damage Control. Artemis Records released his next four: Sex, Drugs and the Antichrist: Paul Krassner at MIT, Campaign in the Ass, Irony Lives! and The Zen Bastard Rides Again.

His autobiography, Confessions of a Raving, Unconfined Nut: Misadventures in the Counter-Culture, published by Simon & Schuster, sold 30,000 copies. An expanded online issue is being published by New World Digital.

His other books include: The Winner of the Slow Bicycle Race: The Satirical Writings of Paul Krassner, with an introduction by Kurt Vonnegut; a trilogy of anthologies--Pot Stories For the Soul, with an introduction by Harlan Ellison, Psychedelic Trips For the Mind and Magic Mushrooms and Other Highs: From Toad Slime to Ecstasy--Sex, Drugs and the Twinkie Murders: 40 Years of Countercultural Journalism; Impolite Interviews; Murder At the Conspiracy Convention and Other American Absurdities, with an introduction by George Carlin; One Hand Jerking: Reports From an Investigative Satirist, with a foreword by Harry Shearer and an introduction by Lewis Black; In Praise of Indecency: Dispatches From the Valley of Porn; and Who's to Say What's Obscene: Politics, Culture & Comedy in America Today, with a foreword by Arianna Huffington.

In May 2004, he received an ACLU Uppie (Upton Sinclair) Award for dedication to freedom of expression. At the 14th annual Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam, Paul Krassner was inducted into the Counterculture Hall of Fame--“my ambition,” he claims, “since I was three years old.”

CANADIAN ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-ONTARIO:

BLACK FLAME BOOK TOUR:

Molly has previously mentioned the book tour of Ontario and Quebec by author Michael Schmidt to promote his book 'Black Flame:The Revolutionary Politics of Anarchism and Syndicalism'. The tour is sponsored by the Ontario platformist organization Common Cause. Here's an update on the stops during the tour.

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“Black Flame” Ontario Book Tour - March 15-21 kicks off tonight!‏
March 15, 2010 3:01:51 PM
South African writer and activist Michael Schmidt, co-author of “Black Flame: The Revolutionary Class Politics of Anarchism and Syndicalism” will be in several Ontario cities between March 15 and March 21 to promote and discuss this important new book on the global history of anarchist movements and ideas. The tour, organized by Common Cause with support from AK Press and several local sponsors, is scheduled to pass through the following cities listed below.

To promote the tour Common Cause has also produced a short video which can be seen here and set up a Facebook page. Copies of "Black Flame" will be available for purchase at each tour stop.
March 15

- Waterloo,

4PM to 6PM

School of Business and Economics,

Room 2260

Wilfrid Laurier University

75 University Avenue West
Sponsored the Communication Studies and Global Studies departments.
London - March 16,
2pm to 4pm
Sommerville House Rm. 2348
University of Western Ontario Campus
7pm

Tonda Room, Central Library

251 Dundas St.
March 17 - Hamilton

McMaster University,

12-2pm

MUSC Rooms 311 and 313

1280 Main St. West

Limited seating.

Please RSVP at commoncauseontario@gmail.com
Sponsored by the LIUNA-Mancinelli Professorship in Global Labour Issues and the School of Labour Studies.
Sky Dragon Centre,

7-9pm

27 King William Street

Hamilton, ON

Organized by Common Cause Hamilton

commoncausehamilton@gmail.com
March 18 - Montreal

6:30pm

DIRA

2035 St-Laurent
Organized by Common Cause Ontario, the Union Communiste Libertaire (UCL) with support from AK Press.
March 19 - Ottawa

two separate times/venues
3:00pm

Desmarais Building room 3120 (DMS),

University of Ottawa

(the newer building at 'Laurier Station' on the Transitway)
7:00pm

Exile Infoshop,

256 Bank St 2nd floor (at corner of Cooper)
Ottawa stops co-sponsored by Common Cause Ottawa, Exile Infoshop, OPIRG/GRIPO-Ottawa and PIDSSA (Univ of Ottawa)
March 20 - Toronto

3:00p.m. - 5:00p.m.

Bahen Centre,

Room 1220,

40 St. George Street(University of Toronto)
Co-sponsored by the Pan African Solidarity Network, CUPE 3902 & 3907, IWW Toronto GMB, and the Work and Labour Studies Program, York University.
For more information contact commoncauseontario@gmail.com and check www.linchpin.ca for updates.
About the book from AK Press:
“Black Flame (Counter-Power, Volume 1) is the first of a two-volume set examining the democratic class politics of the worldwide anarchist movement, its vision of a decentralized planned economy, and its impact on popular struggles on five continents over the course of the past 150 years. From anarchism's first glimmers as a nineteenth-century ideology to today's anticapitalist struggles, Black Flame traces anarchism's lineage and contemporary relevance, outlining the movement's insights into questions of race, gender, class, and imperialism. With Black Flame, Michael Schmidt and Lucien van der Walt, both writers and activists in South Africa, have begun what promises to be the definitive synthetic account of the international anarchist tradition. Nearly exhaustive in scope, and rigorous in its scholarly detail, this first volume significantly reframes the work of previous historians and, especially, examines coherent alternatives to Marxist and nationalist approaches to revolutionary theory and practice. An indispensable conceptual roadmap to the history and continuing relevance of anarchist praxis”
Reviews:
“In recent years, there has been an upsurge in class struggle anarchism or social anarchism. In these circumstances, there is a need for a clear and more forceful theoretical statement of principles, and Black Flame serves as an excellent opening statement of the relevance of class struggles anarchism in a twenty-first century context...this book is an impressive introduction to the history of anarchist theory and anarchist movements.” Sean Benjamin, Upping the Anti no. 9, November 2009.

"This highly worthwhile book represents the fruit of considerable scholarship and deep reflection. The authors have done a remarkable job in drawing together a vast international body of literature. They show convincingly that anarchism and syndicalism were far more significant political forces in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century world than historians have generally given them credit for. They provide excellent accounts of the movement's global political reach, supported by an impressive knowledge of disparate literatures. Schmidt and van der Walt also make a powerful and lucidly written case for anarchism as a serious and coherent political philosophy." —Jonathan Hyslop, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
"This book fulfills a daunting task. Covering anarchism in all parts of the world and emphatically tying it to class struggle, the authors present a highly original and challenging account of the movement, its actions and ideas. This work is a must for everybody interested in non-authoritarian social movements." —Bert Altena, Rotterdam University

"A well-thought out and nuanced study of the intellectual, political, and social history of anarchism." —Steven Hirsch, University of Pittsburgh
About the authors:
Michael Schmidt is a Johannesburg-based investigative journalist and journalism trainer, with more than twenty years experience in the field as a reporter for South Africa's leading newspapers including the Sunday Times and This Day, and as a co-editor of the anarchist news and analysis website anarkismo.net. A seasoned activist, his work has taken him to Chiapas, to Guatemala during the civil war, to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Rwanda, Darfur, Lebanon, and beyond.

Lucien van der Walt is based at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, where he teaches in development, economic sociology, and labor studies. His recently completed PhD on the history of anarchism and syndicalism in early twentieth-century South Africa was awarded the prestigious Labor History international prize for the best doctoral thesis of 2007. He has written and lectured widely on contemporary working-class struggles and the relationship between race and class, and, together with Steven Hirsch, he is the editor of the forthcoming volume, Anarchism in the Colonial and Postcolonial World, 1880-1940 (Brill 2009).

-- Common Cause

P.O. Box 347,

Station E

772 Dovercourt Rd.

Toronto, ON,

Canada,

M6H 4E3

Email:

commoncauseontario@gmail.com

Web:

http://linchpin.ca

Online Forum:

http://anarchistblackcat.org/viewforum.php?f=61

MOUVEMENT ANARCHISTE DU CANADA/CANADIAN ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-MONTRÉAL:
MICHAEL SCHMIDT TOUR-CONFÉRENCE EN MONTRÉAL/MICHAEL SCHMIDT TOUR MEETING IN MONTRÉAL:
Molly a été mentionné précédemment la tournée livre pour promouvoir > en Ontario. Il y aura également une réunion à Montréal. Voici nouvelles du le blog Voix De Faits.
Molly has previously mentioned the book tour to promote 'Black Flame' in Ontario. There will also be a meeting in Montréal. Here's the news from the Voix De Faits blog.
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De la visite sud-africaine à Montréal
Pour les gens de Montréal, une activité qui risque fort d'être intéressante (tiré du blogue La Commune).
Black Flame tour-Conférence montréalaise avec l'auteur Michael Schmidt.
L'UCL-Montréal vous convie à une conférence de l'auteur sud-africain Michael Schmidt qui présentera son livre Black Flame: The Revolutionary Class Politics of Anarchism and Syndicalism. La tournée ontarienne organisée par nos camarades de Common Cause s'arrêtera pour une seule conférence au Québec. La conférence montréalaise organisée par l'UCL aura lieu vendredi le 19 mars. Nous aurons plus de détails à vous fournir dans les prochains jours. Inscrivez donc cette soirée dès maintenant à votre agenda...
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The South African Visit to Montréal
For the people in Montreal, an activity that is likely to be interesting (from the La Commune blog).
Black Flame Montreal conference tour with author Michael Schmidt.
The UCL-Montréal invites you to a conference with the South African writer Michael Schmidt, who will present his book Black Flame: The Revolutionary Class Politics of Anarchism and Syndicalism. The Ontario tour organized by our comrades of Common Cause will stop for a single conference in Québec. The Montreal conference organized by the UCL will be held Friday, March 19. We'll have more details for you in the coming days. Mark this evening now on your calendar ...

INTERNATIONAL ANARCHIST MOVEMENT - SOUTH AFRICA:

BLACK FLAME: CAPE TOWN LAUNCH:

This is one book that is sure to become immensely influential in the international anarchist movement in years to come. What it may be styled as is something of a manifesto of international class struggle anarchism in opposition to many of the the distortions of anarchism that have been promulgated by both its opponents and some who claim to be "anarchists", particularly in the USA. I can't say that I agree with everything the authors say, especially as I am a rather convinced gradualist who sees the benefit in the cooperative model of mutualism (one thing that the authors attempt to "read out" of the mainstream of anarchism, with at least some justification). Still, I find it interesting that the anti-social wing of those who like to call themselves anarchist have yet to launch one of their usual vituperative attacks. Maybe I am missing something as I am not a member of the cult and don't follow the cult writings very closely.

Still, what the authors have done is impressive, whether I agree with all of it or not. To put forward a rational basis for the international anarchist movement based on the actual struggles of real people and showing how this has manifested itself across the world is a great achievement. Personally I am still in the process of reading the book. One of the authors, Michael Schmidt, is presently engaged in a book promotion tour of Ontario and Quebec, as has been mentioned previously on this blog.The book has been launched before in numerous countries across the world, including in the authors' native country of South Africa.

Here's an announcement of yet another book launch in South Africa, this time in the city of Cape Town. From the Anarkismo website:

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Cape Town Launch of 'Black Flame: The Revolutionary Class Politics of Anarchism and Syndicalism'
The Book Lounge presents the Cape Town launch of 'BLACK FLAME: revolutionary class politics of anarchism and syndicalism' by Lucien Van Der Walt & Michael Schmidt

'Black Flame' examines the anti-authoritarian class politics of the anarchist/syndicalist movement, and its 150 years of popular struggle on 5 continents. An indispensable conceptual and historical road map, with close attention to Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America, looking at its:
* Opposition to hierarchy, capitalism and the state

* Strategy: building revolutionary counter-power

* History: labour, community, anti-imperialism

* Agenda: participatory, cooperative economics

* Revolutions: Mexico, Spain, Ukraine, Korea

* Revival: today's struggles

This groundbreaking volume has been praised by reviewers as "deeply impressive", "fascinating, revealing and often startling", "a grand work of synthesis", "remarkable" "outstanding", "inspired" and "a welcome antidote to Eurocentric accounts".
THURSDAY 11 MARCH 2010 @ 5.30 for 6.00
The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street (corner of Buitenkant), Cape Town
ALL WELCOME!
With thanks to Leopard's Leap Wines.Please RSVP to booklounge@gmail.com

021 462 2425.
MORE INFO:

http://black-flame-anarchism.blogspot.com/

The LAUNCH POSTER:

http://www.mediafire.com

Related Link: http://black-flame-anarchism.blogspot.com/

ANARCHIST PUBLICATIONS:

THE IMPOSSIBILISTS:

The history of the Socialist Party of Canada and the OBU (One Big Union) in western Canada is an often forgotten chapter of Canadian history. Red Lion Press has now corrected this with a collection of the writings of these two organizations. Here's the promo for this new book.

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The Impossibilists‏
Hot off the press, THE IMPOSSIBILISTS is a collection of writings from the Socialist Party of Canada and the One Big Union from 1906 to 1938. There is also an introductory essay which describes the growth of the party in Western Canada and how the OBU developed out of it. Articles were chosen both for contemporary relevance and historical interest. Of interest today is their insistence that socialism be of a libertarian nature and not statism and the holistic philosophy that underlay this view. Of historical interest are the origins of the OBU, the debates on the Russian Revolution and the descriptions of the working conditions and struggles of that period. Included as well are the writings of labour martyr, Ginger Goodwin, back in print after 93 years.

This is a revised and updated version of the 1995 ms., with new material added. 90 pages, $10.00. (add $2.00 postage for US orders.) Will take Pay Pal. Cheques made out to L. Gambone. Available from Red Lion Press, Box 297, Stn A, Nanaimo, BC, V9R 4W7 or redlionpress@hotmail.com

CANADIAN ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-ONTARIO:

'BLACK FLAME' AUTHOR ONTARIO TOUR:

The Ontario platformist organization Common Cause, along with other allies are sponsoring an Ontario book tour by the South African author of the new and acclaimed book 'Black Flame'. Here are the details from their website, supplemented with further information from the Ontario section of the Anarchist Black Cat discussion board. There is also a Facebook page for the tour which has a link to a short video and also an excerpt from the book.

Black Flame attempts to place the history and theory of anarchism squarely in the mass movements of class struggle and also gives a wealth of detail about non-European movements that have achieved perhaps as great success as the more commonly known European ones have. Well worth the read. If you live in Ontario try and see this fascinating author.

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Common Cause organizes "Black Flame" Ontario book tour:

South African writer and activist Michael Schmidt, co-author of “Black Flame: The Revolutionary Class Politics of Anarchism and Syndicalism” will be in several Ontario cities between March 15 and March 21 to promote and discuss this important new book on the global history of anarchist movements and ideas. The tour, organized by Common Cause with support from AK Press and several local sponsors, is scheduled to pass through the following cities listed below. To promote the tour Common Cause has also produced a short video which can be seen here

March 15 - Waterloo,

4PM to 6PM

School of Business and Economics, Room 2260

Wilfrid Laurier University

75 University Avenue West
Sponsored the Communication Studies and Global Studies departments.
March 16 - London
March 17 - Hamilton

1)McMaster University,

12-2pm

MUSC Rooms 311 and 313

1280 Main St. West

Limited seating.

Please RSVP at commoncauseontario@gmail.com

2)Sky Dragon Centre,

7-9pm

27 King William Street

Hamilton, ON

Organized by Common Cause Hamilton

commoncausehamilton@gmail.com

March 18 - Montreal

March 19 - Ottawa

March 20, 21 - Toronto

Full details to follow soon.

Organized by Common Cause Ontario with support from AK Press.

For more information contact

commoncauseontario@gmail.com

and check www.linchpin.ca.

About the book from AK Press:

“Black Flame (Counter-Power, Volume 1) is the first of a two-volume set examining the democratic class politics of the worldwide anarchist movement, its vision of a decentralized planned economy, and its impact on popular struggles on five continents over the course of the past 150 years. From anarchism's first glimmers as a nineteenth-century ideology to today's anticapitalist struggles, Black Flame traces anarchism's lineage and contemporary relevance, outlining the movement's insights into questions of race, gender, class, and imperialism. With Black Flame, Michael Schmidt and Lucien van der Walt, both writers and activists in South Africa, have begun what promises to be the definitive synthetic account of the international anarchist tradition. Nearly exhaustive in scope, and rigorous in its scholarly detail, this first volume significantly reframes the work of previous historians and, especially, examines coherent alternatives to Marxist and nationalist approaches to revolutionary theory and practice. An indispensable conceptual roadmap to the history and continuing relevance of anarchist praxis”

Reviews:

“In recent years, there has been an upsurge in class struggle anarchism or social anarchism. In these circumstances, there is a need for a clear and more forceful theoretical statement of principles, and Black Flame serves as an excellent opening statement of the relevance of class struggles anarchism in a twenty-first century context...this book is an impressive introduction to the history of anarchist theory and anarchist movements.”

-Sean Benjamin,

Upping the Anti no. 9,

November 2009.

"This highly worthwhile book represents the fruit of considerable scholarship and deep reflection. The authors have done a remarkable job in drawing together a vast international body of literature. They show convincingly that anarchism and syndicalism were far more significant political forces in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century world than historians have generally given them credit for. They provide excellent accounts of the movement's global political reach, supported by an impressive knowledge of disparate literatures. Schmidt and van der Walt also make a powerful and lucidly written case for anarchism as a serious and coherent political philosophy."

—Jonathan Hyslop,

University of the Witwatersrand,

Johannesburg

"This book fulfills a daunting task. Covering anarchism in all parts of the world and emphatically tying it to class struggle, the authors present a highly original and challenging account of the movement, its actions and ideas. This work is a must for everybody interested in non-authoritarian social movements."

—Bert Altena,

Rotterdam University

"A well-thought out and nuanced study of the intellectual, political, and social history of anarchism."

—Steven Hirsch,

University of Pittsburgh

About the authors:

Michael Schmidt is a Johannesburg-based investigative journalist and journalism trainer, with more than twenty years experience in the field as a reporter for South Africa's leading newspapers including the Sunday Times and ThisDay, and as a co-editor of the anarchist news and analysis website anarkismo.net. A seasoned activist, his work has taken him to Chiapas, to Guatemala during the civil war, to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Rwanda, Darfur, Lebanon, and beyond.

Lucien van der Walt is based at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, where he teaches in development, economic sociology, and labor studies. His recently completed PhD on the history of anarchism and syndicalism in early twentieth-century South Africa was awarded the prestigious Labor History international prize for the best doctoral thesis of 2007. He has written and lectured widely on contemporary working-class struggles and the relationship between race and class, and, together with Steven Hirsch, he is the editor of the forthcoming volume, Anarchism in the Colonial and Postcolonial World, 1880-1940 (Brill 2009).

AMERICAN POLITICS/ECONOMICS:

"CORNERED"-THE BOOK:

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They use these powers in ways that destroy jobs, degrade safety, crush independent businesses, forestall innovation, harm our environment, and threaten the political foundations of our democratic republic.

Not surprisingly, Walmart is a major player in this disturbing story. Lynn discusses Walmart as one of the quintessential examples of the destructive monopoly, arguing that Walmart needs to change its ways not just for the benefit of workers or communities, but for the entire economy.
Endorsements for Cornered:
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-Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Nickel and Dimed and Brightsided.
This book is essential to understanding how we got into our current mess.

-Michael Mandel, chief economist, Business Week.
This is a truly groundbreaking and eye-opening work that everyone interested in understanding how the world really operates should read.

-Ha Joon Chang, winner Leontief Prize in economics, author Bad Samaritans.
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