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(en) Brazil, OSL, Libera #183 - DOSSIER CONTEMPORARY ANARCHISM - ANARCHISM, ANARCHO-SYNDICALISM AND REVOLUTIONARY SYNDICALISM WORLDWIDE (1990-2019) - Felipe Corrêa I. (1/2) (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

Date Fri, 16 Jan 2026 00:07:35 +0200


SUMMARY
PRESENTATION
1. STUDIES ON "CONTEMPORARY ANARCHISM"
2. THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL REFERENCES
3. UNDERSTANDING THE CONTEXT IN QUESTION
4. GEOGRAPHICAL PRESENCE
5. MAJOR CURRENTS AND EXPRESSIONS
5.1 MASS TRADE UNION ORGANIZATIONS
5.2 SPECIFIC FLEXIBLE ORGANIZATIONS ("SYNTHETIC")
5.3 SPECIFIC PROGRAMMATIC ORGANIZATIONS ("PLATFORMIST" / "SPECIFIST")
5.4 INSURRECTIONALIST INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS
5.5 COLLECTIVES IN THEIR VARIOUS EXPRESSIONS
5.6 ANTI-AUTHORITARIAN AND Libertarians in General
6. Major Debates
7. Notable Achievements and Major Episodes
7.1 Transnational Efforts
7.1.1 Anarcho-syndicalist and Revolutionary Syndicalist Networks, Organizations, and Meetings
7.1.2 Anarchist Networks, Organizations, and Meetings
7.1.3 Zapatismo, Global Resistance Movement, and Independent Media Center
7.1.4 Antifa, Anarchist Black Cross, and Black Bloc
7.1.5 Urban Research and Subcultures
7.2 Western and Nordic Europe
7.2.1 Strength of Organizations Trade Unionists in Spain and Sweden
7.2.2 Mobilizations and Strikes Against Imperialism, Neoliberalism, and the Oppression of Women in the Spain-France-Italy Triangle
7.2.3 Anarchist Propaganda in France, Italy, and Other European Experiences
7.3 Eastern Europe
7.3.1 Anarcho-syndicalism in Russia and the Final Conflicts of the Soviet Union
7.3.2 The 2008 Uprising and the Anti-Austerity Movement (2010-2012) in Greece
7.4 North America
7.4.1 "Solidarity Trade Unionism" and Anarchist Propaganda in the States UNITED STATES AND CANADA
7.4.2 OCTOBER REBELLION (2007) AND OCCUPY WALL STREET (2011) IN THE UNITED STATES
7.5 LATIN AMERICA
7.5.1 SPECIFICITY AND ITS DEVELOPMENTS IN URUGUAY, BRAZIL AND ARGENTINA
7.5.2 ARGENTINAZO (2001) AND PIQUETEIROS IN ARGENTINA, PENGUIN REVOLT (2006), DEVELOPMENTS (2011-2012) AND 2019 REVOLTS IN CHILE
7.5.3 OAXACA COMMUNE (2006) IN MEXICO AND THE JUNE DAYS (2013) IN BRAZIL
7.6 SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
7.6.1 ANARCHO-SYNDICALISM AND Revolutionary Syndicalism in Nigeria and Sierra Leone
7.6.2 Platformism in South Africa and its Surroundings
7.7 North Africa
7.7.1 Arab Spring and Impacts in Tunisia and Egypt
7.8 Middle East
7.8.1 Rojava Revolution (2012 onwards) in Northern Syria
7.8.2 OTHER INITIATIVES IN ISRAEL, PALESTINE, TURKEY, LEBANON, AFGHANISTAN AND IRAN
7.9 OCEANIA
7.9.1 TRAM DISPUTE (1990) IN AUSTRALIA AND INFLUENCE IN SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA
7.10 SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA
7.10.1 ANARCHO-SYNDICALISM IN BANGLADESH, INDONESIA AND OTHER ASIAN EXPERIENCES
8. HISTORY AND THEORY: CLASS, ECOLOGY, RACE/ETHNICITY, NATIONALITY, GENDER AND SEXUALITY
8.1 RESUMPTION IN HISTORIOGRAPHY AND ACADEMIC PRESENCE AND IN UNIVERSITIES
8.2 DATABASES, Research Institutes and Networks, Journals and Periodicals, Academic Groups and Conferences
8.3 Theoretical Productions: Social Classes
8.4 Theoretical Productions: Ecology
8.5 Theoretical Productions: Race/Ethnicity and Nationality
8.6 Theoretical Productions: Gender and Sexuality
8.7 Practices Linked to These Theoretical Issues
9. Other Relevant Sources

PRESENTATION

This dossier was compiled from nearly two years of research, which aimed to analyze the resurgence of anarchism, anarcho-syndicalism, and revolutionary syndicalism that occurred worldwide between 1990 and 2019.

The research began thanks to an invitation from Marcel van der Linden - a member of the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam (IIHS) - for me to write a chapter on the subject for his book Global History of Socialism , which will be published sometime soon by Cambridge University Press in two volumes.

I then focused on this issue, facing enormous challenges: understanding a vast object of study and condensing the research results into a restricted space (and therefore, prioritizing very carefully what would or would not be included in the text); analyzing a recent phenomenon, which lacks previous studies (with this recent and global approach I worked with), large data collections, and even texts or books on the subject; researching information that was quite scattered and in various languages.

Facing this challenge would not have been possible without the studies and activism developed over more than two decades, as well as the help of many comrades, to whom I extend my deepest gratitude. I especially highlight: the members of the Institute of Anarchist Theory and History (ITHA), both coordinators and associates; the volunteers of the group "Contemporary Global Anarchism/Syndicalism" created on Facebook, who significantly assisted in data collection; the countless people from Brazil and abroad who suggested material and/or answered the dozens of interviews I conducted. I also thank José Antonio Gutiérrez Danton for translating my text into English and for the critical comments he made on previous versions of the manuscript.

With this research, I arrived at some quite interesting results. A synthesis of them will be published as a chapter in the aforementioned book, under the title "The Global Revival of Anarchism and Syndicalism (1990-2019)," and I will soon be offering a video course on these results. Obviously, these are limited results, with enormous potential for further exploration.

In this dossier, I provide some sources from my research, including books, texts, websites, videos, and interviews, in different languages; I also offer some commentary to guide the reading. This is not a complete list of everything that exists, but a collection of sources through which I believe it is possible to understand contemporary anarchism. This will allow not only a deeper understanding of the subject, but also allow other researchers to use this material for new investigations.

For any corrections or suggestions for important materials on the topics discussed, please write to me at felipecorreapedro@gmail.com .

Enjoy your reading!

Felipe Corrêa, 2020

1. STUDIES ON "CONTEMPORARY ANARCHISM"

The topic of "contemporary anarchism" lacks extensive research, especially when considering the historical and global approach that I believe is most appropriate for this type of study. Most studies on this topic have been produced by authors originating from or influenced by the Global Resistance Movement (or "anti-globalization movement") and some of its subsequent offshoots. While these studies undoubtedly possess merit, they also have numerous limitations. Among these limitations are the extremely broad and ahistorical definitions of anarchism they employ, and the (Eurocentric) generalizations made based on a very limited database. Below, I highlight some of these studies.

David Graeber, "The New Anarchists," New Left Review , 13 (2002).[To go down]

Andrej Grubacic, "Towards Another Anarchism", ZNet (2003).[Download][In Portuguese: Rumo a um Novo Anarquismo (São Paulo, 2006).]

Andrej Grubacic and David Graeber, "Anarchism, Or The Revolutionary Movement Of The Twenty-first Century", ZNet (2004).[Download][In Portuguese, "Anarquismo, ou O Movimento Revolucionário do Século 21", David Graeber, O Anarquismo no Século 21 e outros ensaios].[Download]

Uri Gordon, Anarchy Alive! Anti-authoritarian Politics from Practice to Theory (London, 2008).[Download][In Portuguese, Anarquia Viva! Política Antiautoritária da Prática para a Teoria ( 2015).][Download]

Uri Gordon, "Anarchism Reloaded," Journal of Political Ideologies , 12 (2007).[To go down]

Tomás Ibáñez, Anarchism in Movement: anarchism, neo-anarchism and post-anarchism (Buenos Aires, 2014).[Download][In Portuguese, "Anarchism is Movement: anarchism, neo-anarchism and post-anarchism" (Imaginário, 2016).]

Other texts on the subject, which work with different approaches, are:

Leonard Williams, "Anarchism Revived," New Political Science , 29 (2007).[To go down]

Dana M. Williams, "Contemporary Anarchist and Anarchistic
Movements," Sociology Compass , 12 (2018).[To go down]

From a historical and global perspective, which I believe to be the most appropriate for the study of contemporary anarchism, I suggest some texts that, in my view, are most interesting:

Lucien van der Walt, "Back to the Future: revival, relevance and route
of an anarchist/syndicalist approach for twenty-first-century left, labor and national liberation movements", Journal of Contemporary African Studies (2016).[Download][In Portuguese, with some modifications: "Back to the Future: the revival and relevance of anarchism, anarcho-syndicalism and revolutionary syndicalism for the left and workers' movements of the 21st century", Institute of Anarchist Theory and History (2019).][Access]

Steven Hirsch and Lucien van der Walt, "Final Reflections: the vicissitudes of anarchist and syndicalist trajectories, 1940 to the present," Anarchism and Syndicalism in the Colonial and Postcolonial World , 1870-1940 (Leiden/Boston, 2010).[To go down]

Felipe Corrêa, "Emergence and Brief Historical Perspective of Anarchism", Institute of Anarchist Theory and History (2013).[Access]

2. THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL REFERENCES

To understand contemporary anarchism, as presented, it seems fundamental to me, first, to adopt a historical and global approach, to break with ahistorical studies (based on theoretical/practical approximations, self-definitions, etymologies, etc.) and with Eurocentrism (extrapolating beyond Western Europe and the United States and significantly expanding the territorial analytical scope). And, second, to work with a precise conceptual definition of anarchism, based on a global analysis of its 150-year history. I will indicate some references for this approach below.

Felipe Corrêa, Black Flag: Rethinking Anarchism (Curitiba, 2015).[Download]


This content is also available as a video:

Presentation of "Black Flag"[Access]

" Anarchism Redefined"[Access]

" The Emergence of Anarchism, Major Debates and its Currents[Access]"

Lucien van der Walt, "Global Anarchism and Syndicalism: theory, history, resistance", Anarchist Studies , 24 (2016).[Access][In Portuguese, "Anarquismo Global e Sindicalismo de Intenção Revolucionária: teoria, história, resistência", Instituto de Teoria e História Anarquista (2016).][Access]

For other references we have developed along these same lines, see the ITHA Thematic Axis: "Theory and Global History of Anarchism"[Access]

3. TO UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT IN QUESTION

In my view, there are three most relevant contextual elements for understanding the period in question:

1.) The crisis of "progressive statism" and the left in general (Keynesian welfare state and social democracy; "socialist" bloc and Marxism-Leninism; import substitution industrialization and anti-imperialist nationalism).

2.) The global expansion of neoliberalism, which became increasingly financialized, allowed the ruling classes to reclaim their profits, dramatically increasing the power of banks and international multinational corporations.

3.) The emergence and strengthening of movements resisting neoliberalism which, in many cases, even while remaining on the left of the political spectrum, adopted a critical stance towards statism. Among them are the Zapatista Movement, the Global Resistance Movement, and innovative forms of trade unionism.

To understand these elements, I have listed below some references that I believe are important.

Peter Taylor, "The Crisis of the Movements: the enabling state as quisling", Antipode , 23 (1991).[To go down]

Lucien van der Walt, "Self-Managed Class-Struggle Alternatives to Neo-liberalism, Nationalisation, Elections", Global Labor Column , 213 (2015).[To go down]

Lucien van der Walt, "Back to the Future: revival, relevance and route of an anarchist/syndicalist approach for twenty-first-century left, labor and national liberation movements", Journal of Contemporary African Studies , 34 (2016).[Download][In Portuguese, with some modifications: "Back to the Future: the revival and relevance of anarchism, anarcho-syndicalism and revolutionary syndicalism for the left and workers' movements of the 21st century", Institute of Anarchist Theory and History (2019).][Access]

Noam Chomsky, Profit Over People: Neoliberalism and Global Order (New York, 1999).[Access][In Portuguese: Profit or People? Neoliberalism and Global Order (Rio de Janeiro, 2002).[Access]

Michel Chossudovsky, Globalization of Poverty and the New World Order (Montreal/Quebec, 2003).[Access][In Portuguese, The Globalization of Poverty: Impacts of IMF and World Bank Reforms (São Paulo, 1999).]

David Harvey, A Brief History of Neoliberalism (Oxford, 2005).[In Portuguese, Neoliberalism: history and implications (São Paulo, 2008).[Access]

Ladislau Dowbor, The Age of Unproductive Capital: New Architectures of Power (Newcastle, 2019).[In Portuguese, A Era do Capital Improdutivo ( São Paulo, 2017).][Access]

José Arbex Jr., Revolution in Three Stages: USSR, Germany, China (São Paulo, 1999).

Mark Bray, ANTIFA: The Anti-Fascist Handbook (New York/London, 2017).[Download][In Portuguese, Antifa: o manual antifascista (São Paulo, 2017)].[Download]

Charles Tilly and Lesley Wood, Social Movements, 1768-2008 (Boulder/London, 2009).

Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional (EZLN), Ya Basta! Ten years of the Zapatista Uprising (Oakland, 2004).

Uri Gordon, Anarchy Alive! Anti-authoritarian Politics from Practice to Theory (London, 2008).[Download][In Portuguese, Anarquia Viva! Política Antiautoritária da Prática para a Teoria ( 2015).][Download]

Immanuel Ness (ed), New Forms of Worker Organization: The syndicalist and autonomist restoration of class-struggle unionism (Oakland, 2014).[To go down]

It is worth noting that, to properly understand the contemporary resurgence of anarchism, it is necessary to combine structural and conjunctural elements with the actions of anarchists, anarcho-syndicalists, and revolutionary syndicalists, who played a central role in this resurgence. Many of these initiatives will be mentioned below.

Shape5

4. GEOGRAPHIC PRESENCE

After analyzing the presence and influence of anarchism, anarcho-syndicalism, and revolutionary syndicalism in different countries around the world between 1990 and 2019, I arrived at the results that I have incorporated into the map below.

Map: "Presence and influence of anarchism, anarcho-syndicalism and revolutionary syndicalism in different countries of the world (1990-2019)".

This map shows all the countries where I found the presence of anarchist, anarcho-syndicalist, and revolutionary syndicalist expressions. They are, by region: North America: United States and Canada. Central America and the Caribbean: Mexico, Cuba, and Costa Rica. South America: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and French Guiana. Northern Europe: Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland. Western Europe: France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Ireland, United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, and Iceland. Eastern Europe: Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, and Slovakia. Middle East and Central Asia: Syria, Israel and Palestine, Turkey, Lebanon, Iran, and Iraq. Far East: Japan, South Korea, and China. Southeast and South Asia: Indonesia, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, and East Timor. North Africa: Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria. Sub-Saharan Africa: South Africa, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Uganda. Oceania: Australia and New Zealand.

I was also able to note the impact of these expressions, which was measured using a set of variables: size, consistency, political and social influence, level of national diffusion, theoretical elaborations, and practical achievements.

However, it is important to bear in mind that, even in the places with the greatest presence and influence, generally speaking, anarchism, anarcho-syndicalism, and revolutionary syndicalism were, compared to other sectors of the left, and even to other revolutionary sectors, a minority force. A growing, relevant force that became better known, respected, and significantly involved in global affairs; but still, a minority force.

5. MAJOR CURRENTS AND EXPRESSIONS

During the period in question, the actions of anarchists, anarcho-syndicalists, and revolutionary syndicalists, as well as the positions they adopted in the major debates, allow us to speak of six major currents and expressions, which are listed below: 1.) Mass syndicalist organizations; 2.) Flexible specific organizations ("synthetists"); 3.) Programmatic specific organizations ("platformists"/"specificists"); 4.) Insurrectionary individuals and groups; 5.) Collectives in their various expressions; 6.) Anti-authoritarians and libertarians in general.

Here I present some characteristics of these currents and expressions, their main networks and international organizations, and I indicate some documents produced within these currents and expressions themselves for a deeper understanding of their conceptions.

* It is worth noting that the absolute number of members of the currents (resulting from surveys I conducted throughout the research) cannot be compared without taking into account the type of organization in question and its criteria for entry and participation. For example, a trade union organization and a specific organization, each with 300 members, may have very different impacts on reality. Furthermore, it is also very important to observe that most anarchists in the world are not organized, so the total number of anarchists in the world far exceeds the figures mentioned below.

5.1 Trade Union Mass Organizations

Characterization: Anarcho-syndicalist and revolutionary syndicalist organizations that aim to be mass organizations. They are primarily linked to the labor sector, seeking to unite workers on an economic basis to wage struggles for immediate gains as well as revolutionary struggle. Their members do not necessarily need to identify with anarchism, which, depending on the case, may be more or less promoted by the organizations themselves. They use consensus and voting (in different forms) for decision-making and are organized into trade unions, unions by branch of work, or even within larger central unions or unions.

Historical references: Primarily the International Workingmen's Association of 1922/3 (or "Syndicalist International").

International representations:

International Workingmen's Association (IWA-AIT) . Historically, it is the most important organization in this field; founded in 1922/23 and going through a crisis with the Second World War, it has grown again since the 1970s. However, with a huge split in 2016 (which meant the loss of 80% or 90% of its membership base), its strength has greatly diminished. In 2019 it had around 1,000 members, divided into 13 national organizations and 6 "friend" organizations, mainly in Europe and Oceania, with more modest connections in the Americas and Asia.[https://iwa-ait.org/]

Some members (2019): Solidarity Federation (SF, England)[http://www.solfed.org.uk/], Zwiazek Syndykalistów Polski[Union of Trade Unionists of Poland](ZSP, Poland)[http://zsp.net.pl]and Anarcho-Syndicalist Federation (ASF, Australia)[http://asf-iwa.org.au/].

Red and Black Coordination (RBC). It was formed in the 2010s, bringing together dissident organizations and/or those that were not part of the IWA-AIT. In 2019 it comprised seven trade union organizations from Europe, totaling around 100,000 members (most of them from the Spanish CGT).[http://www.redblack.org/]

Some members (2019): Confederación General de Trabajadores (CGT, Spain)[https://cgt.org.es/], Confederación Nacional del Trabajadores (CNT-F, France)[http://www.cnt-f.org/]and Eleftheriaki Sindikalistiki Enosi[Union of Libertarian Trade Unionists](ESE, Greece)[https://ese.espiv.net/].

International Confederation of Labour (ICL-CIT). Founded in 2018 by organizations that split from the IWA-AIT, in conjunction with other RBC organizations. In 2019, it had around 10,000 members, divided among seven organizations, mainly from Europe, North America, and to a lesser extent, South America.[https://www.icl-cit.org/]

Some members (2019): National Confederation of Labour (CNT, Spain)[http://www.cnt.es], Italian Trade Union (USI, Italy)[http://www.usi-cit.org]and Freie Arbeiterinnen- und Arbeiter-Union[Free Workers' Union](FAU, Germany)[http://www.fau.org].

The International Trade Union Network of Solidarity and Struggle (RSISL) was founded in 2013 as a broader proposal for articulation. It brings together both revolutionary and anarcho-syndicalist trade union organizations, as well as others that, even within the field of class-based and combative trade unionism, do not have self-management and federalist practices, nor independence from political parties.[http://www.laboursolidarity.org/]

Some members (2019): National Confederation of Labour - Solidarité Ouvrière (CNT-SO, France)[http://www.cnt-so.org/], Union Trade Union Solidaires (Solidaires, France)[https://solidaires.org/]and Intercategorial Union COBAS (SI COBAS, Italy)[www.sicobas.org].

To better understand their concepts:

International Workers Association (IWA-AIT), "The Statutes of Revolutionary Unionism (IWA)" (2020).[Access][In Portuguese, "Estatutos da Associação Internacional dos Trabalhadores".][Access]

International Confederation of Labor (ICL-CIT), "Statutes of the International Confederation of Labor" (2018).[Access]


5.2 SPECIFIC FLEXIBLE ORGANIZATIONS ("SYNTHETIC ORGANIZATIONS")

Characterization: Specifically anarchist organizations (i.e., their members identify as anarchists) dedicated to different types of work, especially propaganda, but also participation in social struggles. They allow for a plurality of ideas and tendencies, as well as diversity in the conception of anarchism, theories, strategies, and tactics, so that their groups and members have full autonomy (including the right to accept or reject congressional decisions and those of other bodies).

Historical references: In addition to the classics in general (Mikhail Bakunin, Piotr Kropotkin, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon), initiatives such as the Anti-Authoritarian International of 1872, the Bologna Congress of 1920, and the contributions of Errico Malatesta, Sébastien Faure, and Volin.

International representations:

International Federation of Anarchists (IFA). Founded in 1968, it played a significant role from the 1990s onwards, reaching nine national organizations in 2019 with possibly 2,000 members. It is concentrated almost exclusively in Europe and has a modest presence in Latin America.[http://ifa.org]

Some members (2019): Italian Anarchist Federation (FAI, Italy)[http://www.federazioneanarchica.org/], Francophone Anarchist Federation (FAF, France)[https://federation-anarchiste.org/], Iberian Anarchist Federation (FAI, Spain)[https://federacionanarquistaiberica.wordpress.com/]and Argentine Libertarian Federation (FLA, Argentina)[http://www.federacionlibertariaargentina.org/].

To better understand their concepts:

Anarchist Federation[Francophone](FAF), "Principles of the Association of the Anarchist Federation" (2016).[Access][In Portuguese, "Principles of the French Anarchist Federation".][Access]

Federazione Anarchica Italiana (FAI), "Patto Associativo della Federazione Anarchica Italiana - FAI" (s/d).[Access]

5.3 Specific Programmatic Organizations ("Platform-based"/"Specific")

Characterization: Specifically anarchist organizations dedicated to building and participating in mass movements (trade union, community, student, etc.) and propaganda. They work with organization on two levels (anarchist and mass) and, at the anarchist level, defend theoretical unity, tactical, strategic, and programmatic unity, and collective responsibility. They have common lines, mandatory for their groups, nuclei, and members. They seek consensus, but, when this is impossible, they work with different forms of voting.

Historical references: Bakunin and the Alliance, the first anarchist political organization in history; Dielo Truda and the "Organizational Platform" of 1926; classics such as Malatesta, Luigi Fabbri, Kropotkin, among others.

International representations:

Anarchism.net Network. A multilingual internet portal created in 2005, which began to bring together organizations mainly from Europe and South America (with a more modest presence in southern Africa and Oceania). In 2019, it had 14 organizations totaling possibly 1,000 members.

Some members (2019): Alternative Libertaire (AL), now Union Communiste Libertaire (UCL, France)[https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/]; Federation of Anarchist Communists (FdCA), now Alternativa Libertária (AL, Italy)[http://alternativalibertaria.fdca.it/wpAL/]; Workers Solidarity Movement (WSM, Ireland)[http://www.wsm.ie/]; Uruguayan Anarchist Federation (FAU, Uruguay)[http://federacionanarquistauruguaya.uy/]; Brazilian Anarchist Coordination (CAB, Brazil)[http://cabanarquista.org/]and Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Front (ZACF, South Africa)[https://zabalaza.net/].

To better understand their concepts:

Federación Anarquista Uruguaya (FAU), "Declaración de Principios de FAU" (1993).[Access]

Zabalaza Communist Anarchist Front (ZACF), "Constitution of the ZACF" (2013).[Access]

Federazione dei Comunisti Anarchici (FdCA), "The Political Organization" (1985).[Access]

5.4 Insurrectionist Individuals and Groups

Characterization: Individuals, affinity groups, and informal associations critical of structured mass and specific organizations, who see violent actions (based on the notion of constant, permanent attack and the refusal of any waiting, mediation, or compromise) as potential triggers for generating immediate insurrections and revolutionary movements. They lack formal decision-making bodies and frequently engage in dialogue without knowing each other; they possess complete autonomy to pursue their objectives.

Historical references: More fluid than the others, they are linked to the classic contributions of anarchists such as Luigi Galleani, Ravachol, Severino Di Giovanni and others - generally associated with the notion of "propaganda by deed", anarchist illegalism and the Black International of 1881 - and also to more recent contributions (Alfredo Bonanno, for example).

International representations:

Informal Anarchist Federation / International Revolutionary Front (FAI/FRI). An informal network focused on the Mediterranean region (mainly Greece and Italy) that developed from 2002/3. In 2011 it brought together several groups, not only in the region in question, but also in other European and Latin American countries. As they often operate clandestinely, it is more difficult to estimate their size, but it is possible to say that those with some articulation are probably less numerous than the flexible and programmatic organizations.

Some members (2011): Conspiracy of Fire Cells (CCF, Greece), Artigiana Cooperative... (Italy), July 20th Brigade (Italy).

To better understand their concepts:

Federazione Anarchica Informale (FAI), "Premier Communiqué de la FAI", Agence de Presse Associative, APA (2004).[Access]

Killing King Abacus (KKA), Some Notes on Insurrectionary Anarchism (Santa Cruz, 2006).[Access]

Do or Die, "Insurrectionary Anarchy!", Do or Die , 10 (2003).[Access]

5.5 Collectives in their various expressions

Characterization: Groups (political collectives, propaganda groups, urban occupations, social centers, infoshops, publishing houses, newspapers, libraries, research groups, cooperatives, communities, etc.) that, in some cases, are composed exclusively of anarchists and, in others, also bring together militants from other anti-authoritarian currents. They are present in all regions with an anarchist presence; depending on the case, they constitute local, regional, or even national references. There are several hundred, probably thousands, worldwide.

Historical references: Varied, ranging from classical and contemporary anarchism to the theoretical and practical contributions of other libertarian currents.

5.6 Anti-authoritarians and libertarians in general

Characterization: Movements, groups, and individuals that can be called anti-authoritarian or libertarian in a broad sense. Like collectives, they may be more or less close to anarchism, may or may not include anarchists, and may be linked to the conceptions of libertarian Marxism, autonomism, certain indigenist movements, specific religious expressions, etc.

6. GREAT DEBATES

These currents and expressions are explained by the similarities and differences in the responses to a set of questions that, in those years, constituted the core of the great debates between anarchists, anarcho-syndicalists, and revolutionary syndicalists. These questions are as follows:

Do you believe it is necessary to collaborate with others? If so, are you willing to collaborate with non-anarchists? If so, how and in what form?

In the case of defending the organization, how should one organize? Mass and/or specific organizations? Or informal "organizations"? In the case of mass organizations, how does one relate workplace and residence?

Are you willing to adapt to national trade union legislation? Do you participate in elections for union councils and representatives (in countries that have this type of representation)? Are you willing to receive any resources from the State, directly or indirectly? Do you agree to participate in trade union, popular or social organizations of a reformist type or linked to other ideological conceptions?

In the case of specific organizations, is a flexible or programmatic model adopted? What level of autonomy and unity is permitted or required of activists, groups, and local organizations?

What is the main focus of the activity? To build and participate in mass movements, promote propaganda and education, carry out armed attacks, etc.?

How is the dynamic of the struggle understood? Is it always an attack, or is it understood that the conditions for advance and retreat depend on historical conditions?

How are decisions made? Is voting accepted?

Do activists, groups, and centers know each other?

Is the delegation accepted? If so, on what grounds?

Is the fight for reforms and short-term gains acceptable? If so, under what circumstances?

Does he/she advocate for a balance between a minimum and a maximum program? Is he/she willing to engage in any kind of negotiation, conciliation, or mediation in the struggles? Does he/she care about public opinion?

How do you understand the role of revolutionary violence and its relationship to mass struggles and movements?

How does he mediate between principlism (complete political immobility, thanks to the "imperfection of reality") and pragmatism (anything goes to intervene in reality, including betraying one's own principles), what initiatives does he participate in, and what kind of alliances does he seek?

7. Notable Achievements and Great Episodes

Below is a list of notable achievements and major events in which anarchists, anarcho-syndicalists, and revolutionary syndicalists were involved, with varying degrees of presence/impact depending on the case. The achievements are presented by continent and theme; bibliography and sources for further study are provided throughout the text.

7.1 Transnational Efforts

7.1.1 Networks, Organizations and Meetings of Anarcho-syndicalists and Revolutionary Syndicalists

Here, it is worth highlighting the important experiences already mentioned: the International Workingmen's Association (IWA-AIT), the Red and Black Coordination (RBC), the International Confederation of Labour (ICL-CIT), and the International Trade Union Network of Solidarity and Struggles (RSISL) . Some sources for further study of these networks and organizations-as well as the split from the IWA-AIT, the formation of the RBC and the ICL-CIT-in addition to the websites already cited, are:

Vadim Damier, Anarcho-Syndicalism in the 20th Century ( Edmonton, 2009).[To go down]

Laure Akai, "Why do We Need a Third International?", The Anarchist Library (2016).[To go down]

Confederación Nacional del Trabajo - Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (CNT-SE), "Más Allá de la AIT (2 parts)", Amor y Rabia (2016).[Access Part I][Access Part II][In English, "Beyond the IWA: an interview with the CNT's International Secretary (2 parts)" (2017).][Access Parts I and II]

Rabioso, "La Crisis de la AIT desde la Perspectiva de la CNT (2 partes)", Amor y Rabia (2016).[Access Part I][Access Part II][In English, "The CNT and the IWA (2 parts)" (2016).][Access Part I][Access Part II]

Website: Lifelong Wobbly[Access]

Furthermore, there is the prominent case of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) , which, at least before joining the ICL-CIT, developed as an international network during the period in question. Between 1990 and 2019, in addition to its more prominent presence in the United States and Canada, it had a less significant existence in: Great Britain, Germany, Finland, Iceland, Russia, Poland, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Australia, and New Zealand.[https://iww.org/]The most interesting historiographical reference addressing the period studied is the following.

Fred Thompson and Jon Bekken, The Industrial Workers of the World: It's First 100 Years (Cincinnati, 2006).

Furthermore, from an international perspective, another highlight was the International Trade Union Meetings , with the participation of various organizations of this current to discuss the international situation and stimulate internationalism. These meetings were held in the United States in 1999 (i99), in Germany in 2002 (i02), and in France in 2007 (i07). This last meeting, convened by the CNT-F (Vignoles), brought together dozens of central unions and trade unions from around the world; African unions were the largest participants. Regarding i07, there are some interesting references on the internet.

Confédération Nationale du Travail - France (CNT-F), "Conférences Internationales Syndicales - i07ŽŽ[different materials](2007).[Access]

7.1.2 Anarchist Networks, Organizations and Meetings

It is also worth revisiting the prominent experiences mentioned: the International Federation of Anarchists (IFA) , the Anarkismo.net Network , and the Informal Anarchist Federation / International Revolutionary Front (FAI/FRI) . Below, I indicate some sources for further study of these networks and organizations.

IFA AND FLEXIBLE ORGANIZATIONS ("SYNTHETICIANS")

IFA, Histoire de l'Internationale des Fédérations Anarchistes (IFA), 3 volumes (undated).

IFA, IFA: The Magazine of the International of Anarchist Federations , 1 (2018?).[To go down]

IFA, Anarkiista Debato: Magazine of IAF (2006?).[To go down]

Fédération Anarchiste[Francophone](FAF), "Pour un Anarchisme du XXIe Siècle" (no date).[Access]

ANARCHISM.NET AND PROGRAMMATIC ORGANIZATIONS ("PLATFORMIST"/"SPECIFIST")

Felipe Corrêa, "About Anarkismo.net: interview with Jose Antonio Gutierrez Danton, one of the founders" (2020).[Download]

Anarchism and the Platformist Tradition, "Recent Writings."[Access]

Anarchism and the Platformist Tradition, "The Global Influence of Platformism Today: Interviews."[Access]

Anarchism and the Platformist Tradition, "Anarchist Specificism".[Access]

Informal Anarchist Federation / International Revolutionary Front and Insurrectionist Initiatives

Act for Freedom Now, "Our Lives of Burning Vision" (2011).[To go down]

Conspiracy of Cells of Fire (CCF), "Mapping the Fire: International Words of Solidarity with the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire" (2012).[To go down]

Alfredo Cospito (Conspiracy of Cells of Fire), "'A Few Words of "Freedom': Interview by CCF - Imprisoned Members Cell with Alfredo Cospito', The Anarchist Library (2014).[To go down]

Federazione Anarchica Informale (FAI), "Quattro Anni... Documento Incontro FAI a 4 Anni dalla Nascita", Sebben che siamo donne (2006).[Access]

Federazione Anarchica Informale / Fronte Rivoluzionario Internazionale (FAI/FRI), "Non Dite che Siamo Pochi", Informa-Azione (2011).[Access]

Anarcopedia, "Federazione Anarchica Informale".[Access]

Act for Freedom Now, "Revolutionary Struggle: a Collection of Letters, Texts and Communiques from an Armed Groupe in Greece and Their Accused" (2011?).[To go down]

In addition to meetings and congresses of the networks and organizations in question, on various occasions there have been other International Anarchist Meetings , more or less global depending on the context, with theoretical and practical purposes. Examples include: the International Libertarian Meeting (Spain, 1995), the meeting of the Anti-Authoritarian Insurrectionist International (Italy, 2000), the Anarchist Days (Brazil, 2002), the International Anarcho-feminist Conferences (England, 2014), and the Meetings of Mediterranean Anarchists (Tunisia, 2015). In 2012, the International Anarchist Meetings, held in St. Imier, Switzerland, brought together thousands of people from all over the world for five days of activity. Below, I have selected materials about some of these meetings.

" Internationale Antiautoritaire Insurrectionaliste - Première rencontre" (2000).[Access]

Federación Anarquista Uruguaya, "Final declaration of the Jornadas Anarquistas de Porto Alegre in 2002" (2002).[Access]

Anarchist-Feminist Conference (AFem2014).[Access]

Romina Akemi and Bree Busk, "Breaking the Waves: Challenging the Liberal Tendency within Anarchist Feminism," Institute for Anarchist Studies (2016).[Access]

Le Commun Libertaire, International of Anarchist Federations and French Anarchist Federation, "Tunisie, Appel à une Première Rencontre Anarchiste Méditerranéenne! Mars 2015" (2014).[Access]

Le Monde Libertaire (ed), Saint Imier 1872-2012: Rencontres Internationales Anarchistes.... Le Monde Libertaire Hors-series n° 46 (2012).

Some Videos (International Anarchist Meetings, 2012).[Access]

7.1.3 Zapatismo, Global Resistance Movement and Independent Media Center

As I mentioned, large anti-authoritarian and libertarian movements formed between 1990 and 2019. The most influential of these is the armed indigenous movement in Mexico-the Zapatista Movement -led by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN). This movement became public in 1994 in the fight against neoliberalism and rose to the status of a global reference in this struggle. At the same time, it developed a very interesting practice in the collective administration of 55 municipalities in the Chiapas region, where 300,000 people live. Even though it is not an anarchist movement, Zapatismo greatly influenced anarchists. There were, albeit marginally, contributions from anarchists, anarcho-syndicalists, and revolutionary syndicalists, both from Mexico (the Libertarian Self-Management Unity and the Revolutionary Federation of Love and Rage, for example), and from other countries (such as the Spanish CGT, for example) in this experience. I include some references about the Zapatista movement below. Regarding the participation of anarchists, all I have obtained is from interviews that will not be made public.

Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional (EZLN), Ya Basta! Ten years of the Zapatista Uprising (Oakland, 2004).

Zapatista Link.[Access]

Emilio Gennari, "EZLN: steps of a rebellion", Pegada , 5 (2004).[Access]

The Zapatistas are among the signatories who founded, in 1998, the People's Global Action (AGP), a coordination of social movements that spearheaded the Global Resistance Movement (called the "anti-globalization movement") and the articulation of the Global Days of Action against neoliberalism. Another influential movement of this wave, it proposed to be a global instrument for communication and coordination of those who fight against the destruction of humanity and the environment by capitalist globalization, and who build local alternatives and popular powers. Enormous global mobilizations were carried out from 1999 onwards, with the Seattle demonstration in November of that year giving worldwide visibility to the movement, extending with greater intensity until 2002. Although the main focus of these mobilizations was in the United States and Europe, they also had repercussions on other continents, and anarchists constituted a fundamental part of this movement, decisively influencing it.

Peoples' Global Action (PGA), "PGA Bulletin, no. 0", Archive of Global Protests (1997).[Access][In Portuguese, for this and other sources, consult the Peoples' Global Action website.][Access]

Bruno Fiuza and Márcio Bustamante, "An Oral History of the Global Action of Peoples: activist research in service of social struggles", Proceedings of the XIV National Meeting of Oral History (2018).[Download]

Ned Ludd, Urgency of the Streets: Black Bloc, Reclaim the Streets and the Global Days of Action (São Paulo, 2002).[Access]

Barbara Epstein, "Anarchism and the Anti-Globalization Movement," Monthly Review , 53 (2001).[Access]

Uri Gordon, Anarchy Alive! Anti-authoritarian Politics from Practice to Theory (London, 2008).[Download][In Portuguese, Anarquia Viva! Política Antiautoritária da Prática para a Teoria ( 2015).][Download]

Ross Wolfe, "The Movement as an End-in-itself? An interview with David Graeber," Platypus Review, 43 (2012).[Access]

As a global communication network linked to the "anti-globalization movement," and also counting on the important contribution of anarchists, the Independent Media Center (CMI, or Indymedia) emerged in 1999. Among other projects, it managed websites worldwide (in 2002, there were 90; in 2006, there were 150), whose open publication, the possibility of reader comments, and different technological tools developed - at a time when social networks did not exist - not only broke with the hegemony of the mainstream press discourse and gave voice to social movements, but also proved to be profoundly innovative, announcing the technological path that would be followed from then on.

Eva Giraud, "Has Radical Participatory Online Media Really 'Failed'? Indymedia and its legacies," Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies , 20 (2014).[To go down]

Dorothy Kidd, "Indymedia.org: a New Communication Commons," M. McCaughey and M. Ayers, Cyberactivism: Online Activism in Theory and Practice (New York/London, 2003).[To go down]

Adilson Cabral, "Social Sharing Communities in the Independent Media Center", Intercom , 31 (2008).[Download]

7.1.4 ANTIFA, ANARCHIST BLACK CROSS AND BLACK BLOC

Also during this period, hundreds (perhaps thousands) of collectives were formed, which often built transnational networks, forming networks or even maintaining contact and influencing one another.

Among the most significant cases are the various Antifa collectives around the world, some specifically anarchist, others with a broader composition. The growing internationalization of the Antifa militant model was central in the years in question, with anarchists playing a decisive role.

M. Testa, Militant Antifascism: a hundred years of resistance (Oakland, 2015).[To go down]

Mark Bray, ANTIFA: The Anti-Fascist Handbook (New York/London, 2017).[Download][In Portuguese, Antifa: o manual antifascista (São Paulo, 2017)].[Download]

There are also the numerous groups of the Anarchist Black Cross (ANC) , whose focus was on supporting political prisoners. With an abolitionist perspective, they communicated with the incarcerated, visited them, provided political literature, raised funds, and organized solidarity demonstrations.

Matthew Hart, "Yalensky's Fable: A History of the Anarchist Black Cross," The Anarchist Library (2003).[To go down]

Anarchist Black Cross (ABC), "Starting an Anarchist Black Cross Group: A guide", The Anarchist Library (2018).[To go down]

A Las Barricadas, "'We must never limit our fight to legal questions': Interview about the Cruz Negra Anarquista Latinoamerica", A Las Barricadas (2008).[Access]

It is also worth mentioning the so-called Black Bloc , a tactic used in street demonstrations, which centers on the use of a common visual identity (masks and black clothing) and combative forms of protest, including property destruction and confrontation with the police. It originated in Europe in the 1980s, spread transnationally in the wake of the global resistance movement throughout the 1990s and 2000s, and could be seen in locations as diverse as Brazil and Egypt in 2013. Anarchists were not the only participants, but they were certainly central to this entire process.

Francis Dupuis-Déri. Who's Afraid of the Black Blocs?: Anarchy in Action around the World (Oakland, 2014).[In Portuguese, Black Blocs (São Paulo, 2014)].

David Van Deusen and Xavier Massot (eds), The Black Bloc Papers: An Anthology of Primary Texts From The North American Anarchist Black Bloc, 1988-2005 (Shawnee Mission, 2010).[To go down]

Francis Dupuis-Déri, "Black Blocs: Down with the Masks!", Verve , 30 (2016).[Download]

7.1.5 RESEARCH AND URBAN SUBCULTURES

At the same time, there were transnational initiatives in the academic and research field, through the establishment of networks and institutes such as the North American Anarchist Studies Network (NAASN) [http://naasn.org/], Anarchist Studies Network (ASN) [https://anarchiststudiesnetwork.org/]and the Institute for Anarchist Theory and History (ITHA-IATH) [https://ithanarquista.wordpress.com/].

In a more diffuse way, but also very relevant to the growth of anarchism in different countries around the world, are the subcultural experiences linked to punk (anarcho-punk, especially), and, to a lesser extent, to alternative rock, hardcore, straight edge, skinhead, hip-hop and organized fan groups.

CrimethInc, "Music as a Weapon: The Contentious Symbiosis of Punk Rock and Anarchism," CrimethInc (2018).[Access]

Jim Donaghey, "Bakunin Brand Vodka: An Exploration into Anarchist-punk and Punk-anarchism," Anarchist Developments in Cultural Studies , 1 (2013).[To go down]

Jim Donaghey, Punk and Anarchism: UK, Poland, Indonesia (Loughborough, 2016).[Access]

Eduardo Ribeiro, An Oral History of the Anarcho-punk Movement in São Paulo , 1988-2001 (Rio de Janeiro, 2019).[For a summary available online, see: "Anarcopunk SP - a journey of creativity, resistance and struggle" (2019).][Access]

7.2 Western and Northern Europe

7.2.1 Strength of Trade Union Organizations in Spain and Sweden

In Western and Nordic Europe, two cases stand out for their national dimensions. First, the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) in Spain. It is the largest revolutionary trade union organization in the world and the third largest in Spain. In 2004, it had 60,000 members, more than 5,000 union delegates, and represented more than 2 million Spanish workers. In the private sector, its greatest representation was among bank employees, metalworkers, telecommunications workers, and cleaning staff; in the public sector, it was among railway workers, postal workers, territorial collectives, and regional television stations. After that, it continued to grow, currently reaching an impressive 100,000 members; in addition to the sectors mentioned, it expanded its presence among telemarketing workers and precarious immigrants. In 2001, it articulated the Libertarian International Solidarity (SIL), with European and Latin American anarchist and trade union organizations.

Confederación General del Trabajo (CGT), 25 Aniversario del Congreso de Unificación, 1984-2009 (2009).[To go down]

CJ, "Espagne: La CGT s'affirme comme la troisième organization syndicale", Alternative Libertaire , 134 (2004).[To go down]

José Manuel Muñoz Póliz (CGT), "Interview: 'The working class is the one that is making efforts once more'", Cuartopoder.es (2020).[Access]

Wikiwand, "Confederación General del Trabajo" (Spain).[Access]

Lucha Libertaria, "Jornadas Libertarias[y SIL]" (2001).[Access]

CGT website: https://cgt.org.es/.

Secondly, the Sveriges Arbetares Centralorganisation[Swedish Central Workers' Organization](SAC) , which, despite declining in membership (from about 7,000 in 2001 to 3,000 in 2016), is still the second largest revolutionary trade union organization in Europe, proportionally to the population of Sweden. In addition to more traditional trade union struggles and campaigns, they organized undocumented workers, fair trade campaigns, clandestine railway workers' organizations, and youth mobilization.

Gabriel Kuhn, "Syndicalism in Sweden: A hundred years of the SAC", Immanuel Ness (ed), New Forms of Worker Organization: The syndicalist and autonomist restoration of class-struggle unionism (Oakland, 2014).[To go down]

SAC website: https://www.sac.se/.

It is also worth remembering that individuals and groups with anarchist, anarcho-syndicalist, and revolutionary syndicalist perspectives also participated in broader unions: an interesting case is that of the Italians, who contributed to the construction of COBAS (Confederation of Base Committees), founded in 1999 and organized into four federations, representing hundreds of thousands of workers.

Donato Romito, "Anarchist Communists and the Italian Base Union Movement", Libcom (2008).[Access]

COBAS website: http://www.cobas.it/.

7.2.2 Mobilizations and Strikes Against Imperialism, Neoliberalism, and the Oppression of Women in the Spain-France-Italy Triangle

During the years analyzed, significant mobilizations took place in the Spain-France-Italy triangle , with the participation of organizations from these countries. Beyond those linked to the "anti-globalization" movement, there were major struggles and strikes. Of particular note are those that opposed American imperialism: in Italy, the numerous protests in the 1990s and 2000s against the installation of US military bases on its own soil, and the 1991 strike against the Gulf War; in Spain, a general strike in 2003 against participation in the Iraq War was important.

Also noteworthy are those aimed at combating the effects of neoliberal austerity measures, with their consequences of loss of rights, precarious work, and increased cost of living. In Spain, the following are worthy of mention: a strike in 1994 against precarious work; the Indignados Movement (15M) in 2011, which synthesized the dissatisfaction of Spanish society with this socioeconomic context and contemporary forms of political representation; and the mobilizations and women's strike in 2018 (8M), which placed feminism and the gender issue on the agenda.

In France, it is worth noting the following mobilizations and strikes: in 1995, against pension reforms; in 2006 and 2009-2010, against measures to make labor more flexible, precarious, and the loss of rights - with protests involving millions of people in the streets; and in 2018-2019, against the increase in fuel prices, the cost of living, and austerity measures (Yellow Vests), as well as against the loss of pension rights.

Anarcho-syndicalist and revolutionary syndicalist organizations participated in these episodes, and their influence varied depending on the context. Anti-authoritarian/libertarian groups, numerous collectives, individuals, insurrectionary groups, and specific anarchist organizations, both programmatic and flexible, also participated.

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