Anarchism and Fascism: Antagonists?

The term Fascism is often incorrectly used in Anarchist circles to denote reactionary conservatism. It has become a cuss word for everything that is ugly and it has become a synonymous for racism, sexism, nazism and anti-Semitism. But in fact Anarchism and Fascism have a shared origin and some essential comparisons.

Let us look at Fascism in a neutral manner as an indication for a certain conception of society, as stated in the works of Gentile. Essential for Fascism is the harmony model for society. Possible conflicts between groups and classes are integrated into a form of society, in which every individual has its own (natural) position and associated control. Its concrete structure is the corporate state. Mussolini wanted to organize this in the following manner: the whole society is divided in five corporations, namely those of agriculture, industry plus transport, trade, finance and free people. Each corporation includes employees and employers; together a representative body is elected for decision-making. Overarching is the "first chamber" next to the "second chamber", the traditional people representation. This structure shows the importance of syndicates and also the anti-parliamentary and anti-democratic bias.

Fascism, however, also appeals to a number of emotional motives in man that reach far beyond an acceptance of such a model of society. There is an appeal done on natural, vital, irrational forces, the mythical awareness is fostered, national feeling is stimulated, the past is romanticized, the use of violence is legitimized, if not glorified.

These aspects could be reconciled with corporatism, if not also a glorification and worship of the charismatic leader occurred. A dictator as the embodiment and personification of the state can't be seen apart from historical Fascism. In this way the Fascist practice of corporatism leads to oppression from above, although Gentile’s theory is different. Characteristic for his Fascism is the total identification of the individual and the whole within the state, so the contradictions which exist in other forms of state would disappear and thus no suppression would occur. "The state is the will of the individual itself in its universal and absolute aspect and so the individual becomes the state, ... absolute democracy is not the search for a limited state, but omitting the restrictions on the state. "(E struttura Genesi della societa, 1946)

When we compare this image of Fascism with the Anarchism of today and the past, there appears to be fundamentally and historically all kinds of linkages and overlaps between the two. Apart from the indiscriminate use of the word "Fascism" one could find most of the earlier mentioned characteristics in Anarchist circles. I only need to point out the irrational tendencies (a rejection of the omnipotence of reason and a focus on the person as a whole), the national feelings in all forms of liberation struggle, the accepted use of violence, the romantic traits in utopian society-ideals, the rejection of existing democratic forms of government. Action and movement are everything, the dynamics, vitality of the deed - direct action. There are indeed similarities with Fascism, but the greatest comparison can be found in the emphasis on Syndicalism, trade unions, coupled with another non-parliamentary democratic polity. Historically, there are several examples of theorists that turned from Syndicalist or Anarchist thought to the Fascist side.

Mazzini (1850-1872) thought that he could establish a free Italian state by organizing the workers; his interests went increasingly to that state which was surrounded by a religious areola and less to the workers organization. Bakunin had sharply attacked him over this. Mazzini's Syndicalism was sacrificed to the mythical and nationalist sense. An even clearer example can be found in Sorel (1847-1922). Was Sorel a Fascist, Anarchist or Communist? It's known that at Sorel’s funeral two funeral wreaths were given; one from Mussolini and one from Lenin. This admiration was mutual, Sorel also appreciated them: Lenin for his overthrow of the bourgeois state and Mussolini for his Syndicalist ideas. Sorel’s biggest concern was the seizure of the masses, which in his opinion could only happen by violence, which needed a stimulating myth. Reasonable arguments don't count for much; the drives have to be set in motion - the masses must believe in the new society and must believe that the general strike will cause this. Against the oppressive violence of the state which only serves one class (force), the liberating counter violence has to be used. By joint efforts misery and oppression can be expelled, the state can be abolished. Sorel’s Syndicalism represents a battle weapon, not a future perfect. For Sorel just like Mussolini only (direct) action counts, the revolutionary deed, , the struggle on itself, averse to any future ideal.  

Despite these essential similarities, there are also substantial differences between the historical Fascism and Anarchism. In the past the ideals of national-syndicalism too often saw its ideals betrayed and saw them lead to a dictatorial state. Fascism was hijacked by the forces of reactionary-conservatism and became a means to conserve the capitalist system. Therefore it’s important to learn from these lessons, so we don't make the same mistakes as made in the past. We seek a society in which each of our proletarian countrymen is a representative of the people. We wish the total destruction of the reactionary-conservative forces and the creation of a  free nation without classes which represents the people it consists of. We stand for a decentralized form of society that strives for the maximum participation of the individual and in which everyone is basically free. In which the means of production are collective property at the disposal of free producers.

Vrije Nationalisten Noord-Brabant / Netwerk Nationale Socialisten

Warum Autonom?

Diese Frage läßt sich einfach beantworten, dazu mus man sich die Repressalien der letzten 10-20 Jahre gegen die nationale und sozialistische Bewegung anschauen. Immer wieder wurden kleine Parteien, Organisationen und Kameradschaften das Ziel der Systemangriffe. Mit irrwitzigen Vorwürfen wurden diese dann verboten, es folgten massenweise Hausdurchsuchungen und die Aktivisten konnten in den Folgejahren wenig tun, da sie anders mit weiteren Verfahren wegen “Fortführung einer verbotenen Organisation” rechnen mußten.

Um diesem Unsinn zu umgehen, beschloß man schon 1994 zum autonomen Prinzip über zu gehen. Ohne feste Strukturen erschwert man den verbotsbehörden ihre Arbeit. Weiterer Vorteil war und ist, daß man sodie Spaltung der Bewegung überwinden konnte. “Jeder macht mit, keiner ist verantwortlich!” wurde das Motto der autonomen Kameradschaften. Daß dies Prinzip Erfolg hatte zeigten in der Folge massenweise Verfahren gegen solche Kameradschaften, die aber ohne Verurteilung eingestellt werden musten, da ja keine festen Strukturen bestanden. Man wechselte selbst ständig den Namen der jeweiligen Gruppe, denn die Inhalte sollten vermittelt werden, nicht irgendwelche reißerischen Gruppennamen. Die ständige Ausführung

von Aktionen sollte und muß das Merkmal solcher autonomer Gruppen sein.

Die zu vermittlenden Inhalte sollten aber nicht nur situationsabhängig sein, sondern immer den nationalen Sozialismus propagieren! Das heißt: Man sollte nicht nur reagieren auf bspw. Entlassungswellen der entnationalisierten Konzerne oder imperialistische Angriffskriege der “NATO”, sondern immer die Grundgedanken verbreiten. Man kann auch “mal so zwischendurch” auf die zionistische Pest aufmerksam machen, brauch dazu also nicht immer auf neue Massaker an den Palästinensern und Libanesen zu warten.

Innerhalb einer angemeldeten Partei kann man sich nur in Rahmen derselbigen bewegen, will man nicht ausgeschlossen oder gar Verbotsgrund werden. Als Autonomer kann man immer und überall aktiv werden, brauch dazu keine Rücksicht auf Dritte nehmen. Bei Propagandaaktionen brauch man sich dabei sicherlich nicht an die Meinungsverbotsgesetze zu halten.

Innerhalb von Aufmärschen sind die Vorgehensweisen wohl bekannt. Da ist Teilnahme an einem sich bildenden Schwarzen Block Plicht. Dies gebietet schon die kameradschaftliche Hilfe.

Source: Nationale Socialistische Actie / Autonome Nationale Socialisten

Greece's ruin concerns us all

This goes out to all European Nationalists: Do not buy into the Mass Media Lies, always question images/photos you see in the media. Ask yourself who benefits of the spreading of certain information. Solidarize with Greece, support Greek Nationalists – Europe’s nations have one and same enemy. Always remember that. Today it’s Greece, tomorrow it might be your own country. We have to stand united to win this fight. For a Europe of Fatherlands. Greece is facing ruin and civil war. Portugal and Spain are not much better off. Iceland and Ireland recently stood before the abyss, and possibly soon Italy or France will follow. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Central Bank (ECB) and Europe’s net contributor countries, most notably the Federal Republic of Germany, will pay. But what and who is actually being paid, and who really pays?

The payments, ordered by government councils in Brussels and at the IMF, go to those banks and global financial conglomerates that own Greek (or Portuguese, etc.) debt instruments for which the interest cannot be paid. This is deceitfully referred to as aid to the countries in need although their governments have tried everything to escape this “aid”. The countries concerned are required to sell their gold reserves, to privatize the people's property at knockdown prices (in the same way as was done with the German Democratic Republic in the nineties), to ruin the state welfare system and to radically reduce the wages and pensions of workers. This, of course, means they are continuously losing their credit worthiness, their domestic demand is being choked off while at the same time their economy is being severely damaged. For more than a year Greece finds itself in Brussels receivership and is in fact already no longer a sovereign state. It has completed the first phase of the deliberate destruction of its state and national economy.

Europeans, misinformed by media and government, have no idea what's really going on and watch this Kafkaesque process as though paralyzed, even though they will be asked to pay for this policy which is directed against the sovereignty of each state and its people. The hundreds of billions that Portugal or Greece is force-fed by the creditors – that is the looters – will eventually be shelled out by European taxpayers, principally the Germans.

In reality not a single penny goes to Portugal or Greece. The money goes to the banks. We are witness to an ongoing raid by banks of the taxpayers of EU member countries. The money is simply transferred a few times in through the front door and out the back door. The bankers of these fraudulent stateless financial institutions (with headquarters or branches in Frankfurt) go to the ECB (with headquarters in Frankfurt) and there organize and receive virtually interest-free loans of billions of dollars. Then the financial tricksters go a few steps along the terminal and with the money just created out of thin air and buy government bonds of these countries, that is government debt that has already been organized and bundled together by these international financial crooks. Since the creditworthiness of these countries is badly damaged the banks logically charge high interest rates of 10% or more. To do this their subsidiaries, the allegedly independent “rating agencies”, assist them by assigning their rating for the country and the value of its government bonds. Because these ratings are deemed to be binding the hypocritical banks see no objection to once again raising the interest rates for their loans to these low rated countries. However, with its dramatically declining tax revenues the country is not in a position to pay these extortionate rates so it desperately seeks new investors, who, logically, require even higher interest rates. When this no longer works – and with Greece and Portugal this is the case – then the hard-working EU citizen is required to pay up…naturally without being asked. Nor was he asked two years ago as he had to use his hard-earned savings to rescue large banks who had spun out of control on account of their greed for money.

That which we have just described is the wonder of excessive growth of the money supply – resembling something like the workings of an alchemist’s workshop. Up this alchemist’s chimney the modest prosperity of millions of people has been disappearing for many years (at least since the Lisbon Treaty). The fireplace provides the heat for the central heating of the super rich of this world. But everyone knows that this fire will soon go out because there is no more firewood left. The banks know this quite well and so before this happens in close coordination with the IMF in Washington and the Brussels apparatus they try to plunder as much as possible in order then to transform the money they have created out of thin air into real wealth – real estate, agricultural land, mineral resources, profitable companies in the real economy, power companies, transport systems, water supply companies, monopolies, patents, licenses – and gold. The gold of 60 states has already been collected. In the nineties even well-off Switzerland had to pay their tribute in gold. According to the way of thinking of those nomads who see the world as a grazing area, that which is “ownerless” – i.e. the people's property or state owned property of other nations – they appropriate for themselves.

Once there's nothing left, nothing more can be looted. Not only financially but also at the political and social level; everything is then gone. The states are bankrupt and incapacitated. Famine and civil war threaten or become reality. Then, when it eventually hits the fan, the looters suddenly appear as our saviours with their UN troops and NATO mercenaries to put down the uprisings, “protect civilian populations” with bombs and missiles (as in Libya) and after this apocalyptic Armageddon finally proclaim zero hour has arrived, roll out a “currency reform”, name a few scapegoats – and then all will be well. It will be easy for them with all their looted gold stashed away to propose a sound gold-backed currency and in best socialist manner promote the new global economy erected on a “level playing field”, while they themselves overtly exercise world domination.

At this point on the European Union will blatantly fulfil the task for which it was established: In the midst of many administrative areas a new one will be created based on the axis Temple Mount – Wall Street – Pentagon.

These are our prospects – harshly, but realistically formulated. Many Europeans suspect or even know it. But they’re paralysed like deer in front of a car’s headlamps and do not possess the courage to stand up to destroy these financial terrorists. That therefore is the situation. For that reason EUROPEAN ACTION (EA) was born in order to counter the treacherous EU with the concept of ​​a European Confederation. Under item 6 of the 7 objectives of the EA the following is stated:

1) In future the central banks should be run by state corporations not only in theory but also in practice.

2) The state is to revoke the provision of legal protection for private interest charging.

3) Only recognised state, financial and cultural corporations should have the right to operate commercial banks.

These principles will be equally necessary for the recovery of the world as it will be difficult to enforce them. Without a global revolution against the ruling system freedom will not be won. Those insightful and energetic people in Europe must unite under the banner of the EA to achieve the political weight that allows them to transform Europe in the sense of achieving the seven objectives. The order to be followed should be evident. First to arouse insight into the facts and contexts: politically, historically, economically. Then follows the organized political struggle for freedom. Only then can a just social order be established. Our mottos are therefore:

TRUTH – FREEDOM – JUSTICE

The following article has been written for the European Action Organisation in June 2011. It contains extensive background information about the current crisis in Greece.

Source: Ediktyo (Greece)

Lenin and the Revolutionary Vanguard

When in 1917 Lenin returned from Zürich to Russia, the Bolshevist movement counted less then 10.000 members in the gigantic territory between the Baltic Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Some months later the Bolshevists rose to power. The oktoberrevolution was not a spontaneous uprising of the masses, but in reality a well organized coup, a successful putch. The opponent was overwhelmed and the indecisive masses confronted with accomplished facts.

The father of this victories name was Lenin and his concept of a hard revolutionary vanguard organization contributed substantially to this process. Lenin didn’t worry about Party or organisations prohibitions during his life. The deeper causes that came in advance of the events of October 1917 (the ten days that shook the world) went back to the previous century. The Russian Tsarist regime and their followers had completely alienated themselves from the public. The aristocracy only spoke French and displayed a fabulous wealth, while the workers and peasants slowly perished in sheer poverty and misery.

Any opposition on behalf of the people was faced with brutal prosecutions. From the anarchists and social-revolutionaries (“Narodniki”-populists) to the Russian social-democrats, all movements that strived to better the living circumstances for the common men where banned for the biggest part of their existence. Their followers where put in jail or simply banned to Siberia. Any legal opposition was made impossible by the regime. Under these circumstances Lenin developed his concept of the foundation for a revolutionary cadre organisation. On the contrary to anarchists and socialists which until this time were only under the assumption of "spontaneous conscience" or "spontaneous eruption" of the masses, he introduced the foundation of a tightly disciplined and centrally organized cadre organization. This revolutionary cadre Party of the new type had existed out of tested and steeled professional revolutionaries (this is not meant in the sense of "exempt" functionaries, but revolutionaries who saw the political struggle against the system as their actual purpose of life).

Rather less members but instead better members. This way one could summarize Lenin’s concept. Such a kampfgemeinschaft that exists out of a conspiratorial steeled core was necessary to endure Party prohibitions and the most severe prosecutions, while remaining flexible and mobile to hit hard where the best chances for success existed. The connection with the public masses had to be established through mass organisation (like unions, peasant organisations, student committees), in which Party cadres where intended to infiltrate and capture leading positions. The actual core of the (illegal) Party, according to Lenin, had to be carefully shielded: only the convinced cadre was allowed to be accepted in the actual Party. Lenin’s thesis was eagerly picked up by revolutionaries within the Nationalist camp. In the NSDAP organ the Völkischer Beobachter of 23rd of March 1930, a set of attacks was made against the "overfed bourgeoisie". The reaction (this time in the form of the National-Conservatives) saw this as the "irrefutable proof" that the NSDAP would have taken the course of "National-Bolshevism".

The leftwing movements after Lenin's dead had fewer troubles with his concept. In practice his Party concept was only converted by a fraction of all who appealed and still appeal to him (such as the PKK - Partiya Karkaren Kurdistan -, an outstanding example of the Leninist vanguard Party). Lenin saw in legal political activities only a (not dangerous) playground for the hated system. According to him the State factors "free space" was, almost always of temporary nature, to screen the circle of the opposition. Once completed, irrevocably a new wave of State repression followed. Nonetheless he directed his Party cadres very purposefully to meetings and gatherings of legal associations. Not to "constructively cooperate", but to recruit new cadres from the masses of searching people and to get influence within the leadership and political course of these organizations.

Lenin said: "Eventually we are obligated to warn the workers for traps that are usually made by the police. The police in this public meetings are constantly aware for "hotheads" and strive by means of the legal organisations to get her agent-provocateurs into the illegal organizations."

According to Lenin’s vision it is of the utmost importance that the illegal organization bring about a "living connection" with the "masses of malcontents", from which new revolutionary cadres could be formed, but also to influence them in revolutionary sense. The bigger the masses of the malcontents get, the more frequent the tasks of the illegal organization automatically must become. Therefore the cadre is meant to be hard and tight as well as flexible.

The National-Revolutionaries of today can only benefit from some of Lenin‘s ideas. The situation is drastically changed, therefore mechanically copying his beliefs in the contemporary West-European circumstances would only be counter productive. During the age of Lenin the circumstances where of course beneficial for his theories. During his life Lenin also battled constantly with the narrow-minded imputations of opponents to his concept. He however stayed loyal to his theories while these days the names of his opponents are long forgotten. His success proved the correctness of his path. The Bolsheviks principally didn’t care for Party prohibitions. Arrests, jail time, banning or death didn't impress them. Finally in 1917 it was not the ideology of Marxism that prevailed, but the organized "Wille zur Macht" (will for power - Nietzsche) of an elite of political soldiers - the "Krieger" (warriors) of the revolution. That this victory later on was off set by adventurers, bureaucrats and traitors like Gorbatsjov doesn’t change this fact.

The path of Lenin to victory is still up-to-date and his concept of the revolutionary avant-garde can still answer many problem of tactical and organisational nature. Learning from Lenin, means learning to win!

Source: Nationale Socialistische Actie / Autonome Nationale Socialisten

Support the Resistance

March 31 - Actions against Capitalism

Saturday the 31st of March activists from the ACN/AKN distributed several hundreds of flyers at Utrecht Overvecht in support of the M31 day of action against capitalism. They also put up a banner to call for a unification of all anticapitalist forces in the struggle against international capitalism.

Although we as Nationalists consistently reject the cosmopolitanism of the modern leftwing and support the right of national self-determination and ethnical singularity, we recognize the fundamental importance of international solidarity within the working-class. Globalization has led to the destruction of the nation state and a centralization of power at an European level. With this the need was born for organized resistance against capitalism on an European level. Worldwide international capitalism has caused peoples and their nations to be plunged into an unprecedented social crisis, while it rules by oppression and sowing sectarian discord. Let us be clear that the immigrants who are brought to our country by capitalist motivated mass migration are not our enemies. Let us be clear that the leftist scene is not our enemy. Just like us, they are all victims of the hated capitalist system and therefore we have a shared interest in its complete destruction.

Also in The Hague some activists of the ACN/AKN organized picket lines in front of several banks in the city centre. Over a thousand flyers where distributed among the shopping public and conversations took place with interested bystanders. There was a lot of sentiment present under the public, who are now starting to feel the drastic consequences of the economic crisis and the capitalist system. In the evening the day of activism was closed with a meeting where the day was evaluated and the theme was discussed.

Update:

Also in Italy activists of the ACN/AKN platform conducted several action in the context of M31 – ‘Day of Action against Capitalism’. Inter alia in Turin, Ivrea and Massa several flash mobs where organized by banks, slogans where painted and banners with anticapitalist text where hang on neuralgic points. Beside this the comrades there stay unabated active in the "NO TAV" campaign with other autonomous forces.

In Frankfurt in Germany several activists attended the M31 protest which attracted over 6000 participants. In Frankfurt/Main near the heart of the European financial centre this led to militant resistance and fights with the riot police. The police used massive teargas and the baton, but the protesters defendend themselves with stones and bottles. At the seat of the ECB the protesters tried to break out and paintbombs where thrown against the cops who had sealed of the building. In the Berliner Strasse all windows of the police station where smashed and in the end of the Battonstrasse the demonstration was attacked by a enormous police force after which the demonstration became scattered. Untill deep in the night a urban guerilla warfare raged in Frankfurt which caused a material damage of over 7 million euro for the system.