A-Infos (en) France, UCL AL #373 - International Contributions - Têkosîna Anarsîst: Freedom Needs Organization (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

Revolution does not triumph by the sheer force of its ideas. Written in 
the wake of the defeats of the libertarian movement in Russia and 
Ukraine, the Platform emerged from a time when anarchists were 
confronting both the counter-revolution and the Stalinist bureaucracy. A 
century later, our sister organization in northeastern Syria, Têkosîna 
Anarsîst, revisits this legacy to reflect on the contemporary conditions 
of revolutionary organization. ---- Each text is written at a specific 
time and place; therefore, understanding its context helps to understand 
its purpose and motivations. The Platform proposal must be understood 
within the context of the Bolshevik Party's takeover of the people's 
soviets following the October Revolution in Russia, leading to bloody 
purges during which numerous revolutionaries (including thousands of 
anarchists) were killed or sent to the Gulag. The Platform proposal was 
also drafted just after the collapse of the Makhnovshchina, one of the 
greatest examples of a libertarian revolution, which was ultimately 
crushed by Tsarist and nationalist forces on one side, and by 
authoritarian socialism and the Red Army on the other. With such 
experiences in mind, it is easier to understand the authors' urgent need 
to create a united and disciplined libertarian force, closing ranks 
against the many threats and attacks they faced.

In the Revolutionary Turmoil
We assume that Piotr Archinov played a prominent role in the discussions 
and drafting of this text. His experience of the 1905 Revolution within 
the Bolshevik Party (which he left shortly afterward to join the 
anarchist movement in Ukraine), as well as his time in prison during 
which he met Nestor Makhno, provided him with extensive militant 
experience. His participation in the Ukrainian Revolutionary 
Insurrectionary Army also shaped their need for a rigorous libertarian 
organization. They were on the front lines facing the brutal conditions 
of war without losing sight of their political goals.

Unlike many contemporary libertarian organizations, we are familiar with 
the revolutionary military context. Under these circumstances, we can 
easily identify with this need for an effective anarchist organization, 
capable of overcoming the profound contradictions and challenges posed 
by armed conflict. We do not believe this is a prerequisite for 
understanding the text, but this experience facilitates our engagement 
with it. The Platform's proposal emphasizes the need for theoretical and 
tactical unity, as well as self-discipline-all essential aspects in this 
particular context.

Ideologically, we understand that the text's theoretical introduction, 
which underscores the importance of the proletariat as a revolutionary 
subject, is a product of its time, the early 20th century. Today, a 
century later, we see that anarchism has broadened its understanding of 
oppression and society. Patriarchy is a central source of oppression in 
our human societies, intertwined with other forms of oppression such as 
class and race. We also see the importance of prioritizing the land and 
nature as efforts to preserve life. However, even though feminism and 
ecology are absent from the original text, its conclusions regarding the 
need for cohesive organization and the self-discipline of its activists 
remain relevant today.

Têkosîna Anarsîst (TA) is a revolutionary anarchist organization 
integrated into the International Battalion for the Liberation of 
Northeast Syria. Founded in 2017, it is primarily composed of 
international members.

Credits: TA
That being said, we can clarify that while the Platform did not bring 
about any significant changes in how we work and organize, it reaffirmed 
our efforts to build a strong and cohesive organization. We respect the 
clarity of the statements that guided the drafting of such a document; 
we believe it was an important step toward a more serious and formal 
approach to the topic of organization among anarchists. The numerous 
debates that followed contributed immensely to a questioning that shaped 
how anarchist organizations should function.

Against Sectarianism
Developing formal organizations also allows us to interact more 
effectively with other similar organizations, not as a loose network, 
but as equals. To achieve this, we must confront the sectarian dynamics 
of contemporary anarchism, which is sometimes more obsessed with the 
purity of its ideals than with advancing our revolutionary goals. We 
have adopted a fundamental principle: to avoid making unnecessary 
enemies by being diplomatic, respectful, and conciliatory in our 
political disagreements with other groups or organizations. As Malatesta 
said, the leadership of a society is the sum of its struggling forces, 
and we, as anarchists, are one of those forces. We must keep this in 
mind, measuring our efforts and our capacity to better influence those 
places and issues we consider priorities. We cannot be everywhere, nor 
can we do everything. This also applies to other political 
organizations, which is why we must be strategic in our approach.

Sevger Makhno fell a hero in Afrin, defending the city against the 
Turkish invasion alongside the people of northeastern Syria and 
international comrades.

Credits: TA
Revolution is not an event, it is a process. We must analyze its 
conditions and think long-term without letting immediate emergencies 
dictate our agenda. We have learned to consider alternatives when our 
plans fail, allowing us to respond to changing circumstances. Being an 
organization, seeing ourselves as part of a struggle ecosystem, can help 
us navigate the shifting dynamics of society. Other organizations can be 
important allies in our struggle; it is essential to understand them and 
recognize the goals we share as well as what differentiates us. Building 
relationships and alliances is important, but we must do so without 
losing sight of our own perspectives and without imposing our ideas on 
the agendas of others.

As the world changes, new cycles of resistance will emerge. The 
Platform's proposal helped spread a culture of revolutionary organizing 
among anarchists over the past century. We should honor this tradition 
and all the comrades who fell in the struggle for freedom, as our 
comrades did with their black flags and an unmistakable slogan: freedom 
or death.

Têkosîna Anarsîst

https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Tekosina-Anarsist-La-liberte-a-besoin-d-organisation
_________________________________________
A - I N F O S  N E W S  S E R V I C E
By, For, and About Anarchists
Send news reports to A-infos-en mailing list
A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
Subscribe/Unsubscribe https://ainfos.ca/mailman/listinfo/a-infos-en
Archive: http://ainfos.ca/en