reading group – the commune

italy class struggle reading group – the social factory: community struggles in the 1970s

The next meeting in our London reading group takes place from 7pm on Monday 1st August at Freedom Bookshop, Angel Alley, Aldgate East.

During the period 1969- 1977 in Italy there were massive and profound struggles outside the workplace. We are going to focus on housing and the women’s movement. The scale of migration from the south and subsequent housing crisis led to rent strikes by tenants and an organised squatting movement. This was interconnected with many other working class struggles. The women’s movement challenged the whole political movement and forced a radical redefinition of what was ‘political’ and how and about what people organised.

Recommended reading includes a Big Flame pamphlet ‘Fighting for Feminism‘ and Lotta Continua’s ‘Take over the city’. All welcome.

italy, reading group

italy reading group: class struggle during the second world war

The next of the London Commune’s reading group meetings on the class struggle in Italy takes place on Monday 30th May. This week we will be looking at the wave of class struggle unleashed by the events of World War II; the collapse of Benito Mussolini’s fascist regime; and the struggle over the post-Liberation social order.

The recommended reading is just two articles, even though each is fairly long. We have prepared a reading pack, including a timeline of events. Click here to download. Continue reading “italy reading group: class struggle during the second world war” →

anti-racism, reading group

italy reading group: fascism, anti-fascism and stalinism, 16th may

The next of the London Commune’s reading group meetings on the class struggle in Italy takes place on Monday 16th May. We will be discussing the rise of fascism, resistance to it and different ideas of ‘anti-fascism’, and the lessons for today.

The meeting takes place from 7pm at Freedom Bookshop, Angel Alley, near Aldgate East station.

We have prepared a reading pack (click here to see as one Word file). This includes an article on the Arditi del Popolo armed anti-fascist movement; short sections of two pieces by Italian Left Communist Amadeo Bordiga questioning the idea of anti-fascism and its interconnection with capitalism; and an article by David Broder briefly explaining the twists and turns of Stalinist policy. The aforementioned reading pack is much less reading than the whole text of the articles linked to above. Continue reading “italy reading group: fascism, anti-fascism and stalinism, 16th may” →

events, italy, reading group

reading group on class struggle in italy: starts 2nd may

The London Commune is organising a reading group on class struggle and the left in Italy. The country has a rich tradition of radical thought and mass movements, from which we can learn a great amount for today.

The first of the meetings is on the upsurge of 1919-20, and will take place on 2nd May. All of the discussions are on Monday nights, from 7pm, at Freedom Bookshop, Angel Alley, near Aldgate East tube. All welcome – contact uncaptiveminds@gmail.com for more info. The recommended reading will be posted online in good time for each meeting. See below for the timetable.
Continue reading “reading group on class struggle in italy: starts 2nd may” →

reading group

‘keynesianism, monetarism, and the crisis of the state’ by simon clarke reading group

The Commune is organising a reading group on ‘Keynesianism, monetarism, and the crisis of the state’ by Simon Clarke

The communist critique challenges the capitalist separation of economics from politics, the market from the state and reveals that both the capitalist state and the power of the boss rest on the same class relation. While many Marxists are wrong to think that the state can be seized by the working class or can be used in service of the class struggle, equally many anarchists are wrong to think that the state is not a location of class struggle or that class struggle happens outside the state. The state is a product of capitalist class relations and as such is an area of class contestation. Continue reading “‘keynesianism, monetarism, and the crisis of the state’ by simon clarke reading group” →

education, reading group

reading group ‘the ignorant schoolmaster’ starts 28th february

The Commune has organised two reading group meetings, studying Jacques Ranciere’s book on radical education, The Ignorant Schoolmaster.

The meetings are on each of the next two Mondays, (28th Feb; 7th March) at the Really Free School @ The Black Horse, 6 Rathbone Place, London. The text is not over-long and is available online (see below), and should be an interesting read. Continue reading “reading group ‘the ignorant schoolmaster’ starts 28th february” →

bolivia, bristol, cuba, reading group, venezuela

bristol reading group 28th november: 21st century socialism in latin america?

The next Bristol reading group session is on socialism in Latin America. It will be on Sunday 28th November at Cafe Kino, Ninetree Hill, Stokes Croft, from 6pm.

All welcome. See below for suggested reading. It is not expected that you read all the texts – focus on the country or countries you are most interested in. Continue reading “bristol reading group 28th november: 21st century socialism in latin america?” →

anarchism, bristol, reading group

bristol reading group 24th october: spaces outside capitalism

The next session of The Commune’s Bristol reading group on alternatives to capitalism will be looking at spaces outside capitalism. We will be discussing the value – or otherwise – of ‘autonomous zones’ and ‘co-operatives’ as a means of working outside the system.

From 6pm on Sunday 24th October at Café Kino, Ninetree Hill, Stokes Croft. Recommended reading below – email uncaptiveminds@gmail.com for more info. Continue reading “bristol reading group 24th october: spaces outside capitalism” →

bristol, environment, reading group

bristol reading group on primitivism and eco-socialism

The next Bristol reading group session will be on Sunday 26th September at 6pm in Café Kino on Ninetree Hill, Stokes Croft, Bristol.

Note that we are back at Café Kino. The session will discuss anarchist primitivism and eco-socialism. Suggested background reading below. All welcome: email uncaptiveminds@gmail.com for more info.

Continue reading “bristol reading group on primitivism and eco-socialism” →

bristol, environment, reading group

bristol commune forum on ‘localisation’

The next Bristol reading group session will be on Sunday 22nd August at 6pm in The Factory, Cave Street off Portland Square, Saint Pauls, Bristol. (Note the change of venue).

The session will discuss whether localisation is a viable strategy to enable a form of capitalism which doesn’t threaten the ecology of the planet. Suggested background reading below. All welcome: email uncaptiveminds@gmail.com for more info. Continue reading “bristol commune forum on ‘localisation’” →

bristol, reading group

bristol reading group sunday 27th: market socialism

The next Bristol reading group session will be on Sunday 27th June at 6pm in Café Kino on Ninetree Hill, Stokes Croft, Bristol.

The session will discuss proposals for market-based socialism. Suggested background reading below. All welcome: emailuncaptiveminds@gmail.com for more info. Continue reading “bristol reading group sunday 27th: market socialism” →