Tuesday 11 February 2014


CARTOGRAPHIE REVIEWS:


My translation:

Michael Schmidt's book, Cartography of Revolutionary Anarchism (translated into French by Alexander Sánchez, Lux, et al. Instinct for Freedom, 186 p., 14 Euros) is particularly instructive. Firstly because it stands against the traditional way of conceiving the history of anarchism organised around "five outstanding episodes" (Haymarket in 1887, the Charter of Amiens in 1906, Kronstadt in 1921, the Spanish Revolution of 1936-1939, May ‘68 in France), thus leaving out Eastern Europe that can [arguably include] Russia, Ukraine and Bulgaria South America, Asia and Africa. These regions have indeed experienced more or less powerful movements sometimes marked with the social history of their country, who are often ignored or marginalised. The author proposes instead the study of "five waves" (1868-1894, growth; 1895-1923, consolidation; 1923-1949, against imperialism, fascism and Bolshevism; 1950-1989, rear-guard; and from 1990 to today, the resurgence) [which] allows us to consider the events [in a] more comprehensive and more structured [light]. Admittedly, this is essentially a libertarian communist who favors anarcho-syndicalism and revolutionary syndicalism, while the separation is less obvious in some areas (counter-culture, education, cooperativism, community life ...). The methodology and the opening up of less inward research remains of interest. Reading the bibliography is also [where] the deserts appear in French historiography: Australia, China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Colombia, Cuba, [the] Arab [world], etc..

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