Any anarchist federation is the result of the need to unite forces for struggle and direct action. Its objective is not to discipline anyone, but through mutual support and commitment to anarchist concepts, to generate a federative agreement, with interests and actions in which everyone can participate. It is an exercise in social culture that shows forms of relationships between people based on mutual support, freedom, self-management, and the well-being of each person and the general public.
This is very different from forming a rigorous and disciplined organization with a rigid code. This “chains” anarchist dynamism and flexibility and turns anarchy into a political party!
As a “party,” they copy its language, its mannerisms, its logic (majority versus minority, voting, cadres, fronts, insertion and alliances to obtain political advantages for the movement, as if that were necessary), they want to act within official, legal, and state instances, even if they deny it, that is, an antinomy and a paradox (as Proudhon wrote).
Anarchy is rebellious, it is insubordination; trying to discipline rebellion is to take away its vitality, its energy, its essential characteristics as a direct and emancipatory thought process.
But a collective commitment is needed in a federation so that it doesn’t become too loose; there are important points that everyone accepts as a common proposal for a federalist initiative.
Who institutes this? It’s not another federation, it’s not a group, it’s not just one line of thought, but the whole group, united with weapons lowered or aimed at common enemies.
Therefore, it is absurd to form an anarchist federation in a specific location without bringing together all anarchist people and groups, understanding their realities, and from there forming minimum solidarity agreements that will grow until they form an anarchist federation enriched by the diversity of experiences and actions. It is clear that the proposal develops in each person and group, that is, from the simplest and most essential structure of anarchy to then form the anarchist federation.
This happens through compromise, not through force, imposition, or proto-party discipline.
Many believe that this pretense of uniting all anarchists is an illusion. In fact, rebellion is wary of any form of oppressive and exploitative management. We work to achieve the greatest possible unity among all anarchists, and to show that the collective and individual struggle against common enemies is everyone’s responsibility (therefore, we cannot form fronts with parties, vanguardist groups, coup plotters, statist, authoritarian, and imposing groups that only want to exchange power and not abolish it altogether). By establishing the minimum conditions for a minimal agreement, this does not guarantee that everyone will be united, but it ensures that everyone can at least respect each other, so that the struggle is channeled towards common obstacles and enemies, which is the best thing.
We are in a class war, between dominant and dominated groups. The composition of the federalist process is to increase our strength through unity in this confrontation, and to know that we can count on more than one front of struggle and that people and groups who identify as anarchists will not attack us in a situation of “friendly fire.”
Finally, say and write what you want, but as long as you focus on disciplining anarchy, standardizing it, and domesticating its energy, its rebelliousness, castrating its potential, be sure that many anarchist people will also consider you their enemy!
We leave here an important and relevant phrase for the situation:
“The person who lays hands on me to govern me is a usurper, a tyrant. I declare them my enemy.” Joseph Proudhon.
P.S.: “Discipline” and “disciples” come from the same etymological origin. That person who follows, the person who is obedient, a servant, a lackey, and from there to a puppet.
Therefore, if someone offers you “discipline” (even if it’s “libertarian”), be insubordinate to them!
In the struggle, we are dignified and free people!
