anarchist synthesis Archives - The Libertarian Labyrinth

Entente Libertaire — Notes and texts

September 10, 2019 Shawn P. Wilbur

Related links: L’Ère nouvelle [Fragments] Bibiography: E. Armand, “La réalisation de l’idéal libertaire,” L’Ère nouvelle 3 no. 25 (27 Septembre 1903): 77-78. [front cover copy], L’Ère nouvelle 3 no. 26 (25 Novembre-1er Décembre 1903): 88. La Rédaction, “A nos camarades. A tous ceux qui s’intéressent à notre mouvement,” L’Ère nouvelle 3 no. 26 (25 Novembre-1er Décembre 1903): 89. “L’entente libertaire,” L’Ère nouvelle 3 no. 26 (25 Novembre-1er Décembre 1903): 90-91. [back cover copy], L’Ère nouvelle 3 no. 26 (25 Novembre-1er Décembre 1903): 125. [various authors], “À propos de l’entente libertaire,” L’Ère nouvelle 3 no. 28 (Mars-Avril 1904): 184-188. E. Armand, […]

Varieties of Anarchist Entente

August 30, 2019 Shawn P. Wilbur

Anarchism had hardly been established as a widely used keyword before the struggles over its scope and proper meaning became equally widespread. Indeed, we might say that anarchism became a keyword precisely as an attempt to draw lines between, on the one hand, authoritarian and anti-authoritarian factions in the International and, on the other, the “modern” anti-authoritarian communists and all other anarchistic tendencies. And the widespread divisions gave rise, just as rapidly, to proposals for unity or at least toleration between anarchists if different currents. We might recognize, then, that, alongside the various tendencies defined by proposed economic and social […]

Sébastien Faure, “Propos Subversifs: Les Forces de Révolution” (1921)

July 25, 2019 Shawn P. Wilbur

“Les Forces de Révolution” was the tenth installment in the Propos Subversifs series, published in 1921. It is an interesting anticipation of the anarchist synthesis that Sébastien Faure and Voline would promote a few years later. The title page was translated by Shawn P. Wilbur. The remainder of the English text consists of an edited translation by Larry Gambone, originally published by his Red Lion Press. Sébastien FAURE ❧ ❧ ❧ PROPOS SUBVERSIFS Les Forces de Révolution ¶ Les Forces principales de Révolution sont : La Libre-pensée ; Le Parti Socialiste ; Le Syndicalisme ; Le Coopératisme ; L’Anarchisme. ¶ […]

On the Subject of the Anarchist Synthesis (1929)

May 28, 2019 Shawn P. Wilbur

You have sent me The Anarchist Synthesis, by Sébastien Faure, dated February 20, 1928, and I am sure that you will republish this remarkable document or at least that you will make its contents known to your readers. On that conditions, allow me to put forward some remarks on this subject, which is certainly of a capital interest for the anarchist movement in all nations.

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Sébastien Faure, “The Anarchist Synthesis” (1928)

August 3, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

THE ANARCHIST SYNTHESIS by Sébastien FAURE The Three Great Anarchist Currents In France, as in the majority of other countries, we distinguish three great anarchist currents, which can be designated in this way: Anarcho-syndicalism; Libertarian communism; Anarchist individualism. It was natural and inevitable that, having reached a certain development, an idea as vast as anarchism would result in this triple manifestation of life. A philosophical and social movement, a movement of ideas and action, intending to make a clean break with all authoritarian institutions, must inevitably give rise to these distinctions necessarily determined by the variety of the situations, milieus […]

Federico Urales, “Sobre la Síntesis de Sebastián Faure” (1929)

February 1, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

No sabemos si nuestro muy querido amigo Sebastián Faure y cuantos han hablado de su síntesis anarquista, continuarán discutiendo el tema de la unión libertaria y el modo de efectuarla. Nosotros queríamos hablar de este mismo tema, discutido ya d asunto, no tanto para decir sobre él la última palabra, cuanto por la demora a que nos obliga el mucho trabajo; pero puesto que. ahora las circunstancias creadas por los reptiles que, por envidia y mala sangre, se dedican a la delación y a las delaciones falsas y profesionales, nos proporcionan un tiempo que antes no teníamos, trataremos el asunto, […]

Ricardo Mella, “The Bankruptcy of Beliefs” and “The Rising Anarchism” (1902-03)

January 18, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

It’s been quiet here for quite a while, while I have been concentrating on writing and research in some new areas. A lot of my attention has been focused on the question of “anarchist synthesis” and my exploration of the debate surrounding it has finally forced me to dive deep into the Spanish-language anarchist periodicals of the early 20th century. Sources like La Revista Blanca and the “Suplementos” of the Argentinian paper La Protesta are remarkably rich in material from a variety of tendencies and nations, and the research has uncovered a number of very interesting discussion on the question […]

Ricardo Mella, “The Bankruptcy of Beliefs” and “The Rising Anarchism” (1902-03)

January 12, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

[These articles present a very challenging vision of the development of a revolutionary anarchism. They continue Mella’s arguments for an anarchism “without adjectives,” but also connect that notion to the idea of an “anarchist synthesis,” long before Voline presented his account of anarchist development and the need for synthesis that emerges from the very nature of anarchism itself. The translation is perhaps a little rough around the edges, but I think the ideas are clear enough.] THE BANKRUPTCY OF BELIEFS To my brother J. Prat: Faith has had its moment; it has also had its noisy bankruptcy. There is nothing […]

Ricardo Mella, “La bancarrota de las creencias” and “El Anarquismo naciente”

January 9, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

LA BANCARROTA DE LAS CREENCIAS A mi hermano J. Prat: La fe tuvo su tiempo; tuvo también su quiebra ruidosa. No queda en pie a estas horas sino solitarias ruinas de sus altares. Si preguntas lo mismo a las gentes cultas que a las que llevan todavía taparrabo intelectual, y quieren contestarte en conciencia, te dirán que ha muerto para siempre la fe; la fe política, la fe religiosa, hasta la fe científica que ha defraudado tantas esperanzas. Muerto todo el pasado, las miradas giraron anhelantes hacia el sol naciente. Las ciencias tuvieron sus himnos triunfales. Y sucedió que la […]

Luigi Fabbri, “La sintesis anarquista” (1928)

January 6, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

“La sintesis anarquista” Luis Fabbri Con este titulo nuestro Viejo compañero Sebastian Faure ha publicado una especie de manifiesto a los compañeros, en el cual expone en resumen una concepción integral suya del anarquismo, proponiéndola como programa de organización a una nueva unión de los anarquistas franceses, hace poca formada en contraposición a la veja unión, después del descontento suscitado entre los compañeros por las resoluciones… dictatoriales del ultimo congreso de la U. A. C. R. francesa. El esfuerzo de S. Faure para llamar de nuevo a la colectividad anarquista a las bases fundamentales del ideal libertario es sumamente laudable: […]