from Anathema
Volume 5 Issue 2 (PDF for reading 8.5 x 11)
Volume 5 Issue 2 (PDF for printing 11 x 17)
In this issue:
- What is a Collective?
- Tactics Innovation Update
- What Went Down
- Whither the Insurrection II
- Representation is Indirect Action
- Galleanist Centennial
- Vaughn 17 Update
- In Memory of Mauricio Morales
- World News
- Immanent Immigration Arrests
- Go-Gurt Reportback
- Whereas (Poem)
It’s extremely disappointing to read the “What is a Collective?” article here. When speaking of an anarchist social center, we must demand accountability from those who seize the reins of power. Hiding behind bureaucratic tactics worthy of a corporate HR Department should be well, anathema, to our anarchist praxis. They have made themselves management and everybody else is disempowered by their refusal to be transparent on what the Two Person Junta are doing over there.
At best, “The Collective” should be radically opened up.
I’m pretty sure that the A-space is an open collective and that anyone can join and participate in the decision making. It’s far from bureaucratic in my experience since it’s usually too small to need mediated interactions. People running the space is what the collective exists to do, it seems obtuse to call that “seizing the reins of power” but that’s just my opinion. That said, I don’t think the A-Space needs to be “accountable” for running the A-Space. Accountable to who? “the community”? anarchists? which people are part of those they should be accountable to, and which people are just unrelated others?
Maybe I’m missing something but I don’t understand why a small collective that’s already open should be radically opened up, or how it is bureaucratic for running the space it exists to run.
Really? Your premise is shaky. A-Space is NOT in practice any sort of “open collective” now. Come to the forum tonight to find out more:
https://www.facebook.com/events/652871228478312/
With no previous involvement I was able to book and use the A Space for an anarchist event a couple of months ago, so I have to echo anon’s sentiment here…I am failing to see your premise for concern A.D; please clarify?