Autonomy and Solidarity (A&S;) is a new tendency formed in the NSG coming out of the debates at our convention in August (see the article by Irina Ceric in the last issue). A&S; seeks to explore questions and ideas that have been marginalized historically within the socialist movement. Our name comes from our firm commitment to autonomous struggles of the oppressed and workers and to building a solidarity that addresses all forms of exploitation and oppression. The current political situations we face are marked by a downturn in global justice activism in Canada and the US and in a retreat by the moderate and social democratic left from active struggle. Political differences have emerged within the NSG over how revolutionary socialists and anarchists should navigate our way through this situation. We think it is vital to avoid the dangers of political isolation in this context but also vital to avoid the dangers of political retreat from militant activism.

Broadening Socialism From Below

A limitation of the NSG is its reliance on certain approaches to socialism from below that have often excluded other socialism from below currents. Our politics are informed by such excluded currents, including anarchist communism - anarchists who adopt a social perspective and make class struggle central; council and left communism - forms of communism that see workers councils as central; anti-statist and autonomist marxism - which grew out of the struggles of the Italian new left in the 1960s and 1970s emphasizing the struggle for workers autonomy and the autonomous struggles of different sections of the working class; the work of CLR James that emphasizes autonomous struggles against racism and moving beyond the Leninist party; and the socialist-feminist critiques of Leninism/Trotskyism developed by Sheila Rowbotham and others in Beyond the Fragments that argue that Leninism often maintains sexism and the subordination of oppressed people and thus we need new forms of socialist organizing. Like other members of the NSG, we believe that supporters of socialism from below have very much to learn from feminist, anti-racist, anti-ableist, indigenous and queer liberation movements. Our tendency, however, underlines that our learning from these movements often requires that we look outside the traditional socialist movement that has excluded or marginalized different revolutionary currents. Related to this, the NSG needs to clarify the meaning of a number of formulations used in our “Our Politics” statement, such as the term “leadership of parties” in the section on what is necessary for a socialist revolution to occur. We believe that “party” forms of organizing are too tainted by the authoritarian practice of past “Marxist” groups. We believe that revolutionaries should group together and carry out common work, but we are skeptical that forms of “party” organizing can actuallylend themselves to transformative social change. We believe the phrase “initiative and participation” of “organizations” rather than “leadership of parties” would be much more consistent with socialism from below. We agree with many others in the NSG that we need to root our politics in the historical experience of Canada as an imperialist, white settler state. Consequently, we prioritize learning more about indigenous struggles as well as about the nature of the oppression of the Quebecois nation.

Developing a Mass Anti-Capitalist Strategy

We support initiatives that orient to radicalizing forces and believe that one of the crucial ways that we can attract more people to the NSG is to demonstrate how the NSG can be a useful vehicle for facilitating and developing people’s initiatives and revolutionary capacities. Key to this process is developing a better understanding of the practice and theory of direct action and of the ‘politics of responsibility’ around issues of oppression. In our view, the ‘politics of responsibility’ provides the best method for thinking through and acting against various relations of oppression and our participation in them. In particular, it can aid in the development of strategies for white people to challenge white supremacy, for men to challenge masculine privilege and patriarchal relations, and for those identifying as heterosexual to challenge their participation in the relations of heterosexual privilege. The politics of responsibility also recognizes how the specificity of oppressions provides the material basis for the emergence of autonomous movements, and how the organization of oppressions in and through one another also requires integrated forms of struggle. Given our interest in developing a mass anti-capitalist strategy, we disagree with proposals that the NSG adopt the strategy of “transitional” politics. We are concerned that calls for that strategy reflect a shift away from some of the best insights of the NSG. We also become concerned when these calls can carry the implication of retreating from militant anti-capitalist struggle in the current context. An important part of our tendency’s work, therefore, will involve theorizing and practicing mass anti-capitalist politics. In this respect, like others in the NSG, we wish to learn more from the practice of militant activist groups like the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty. If you are interested in supporting Autonomy and Solidarity or being informed of our activities please contact us at autonomy_solidarity@yahoo.ca

WEB EDITORS NOTE: AS OF POSTING THIS IN LATE DECEMBER THE A&S; TENDENCY HAS REMOVED ITSELF AS AN OFFICIAL NSG TENDENCY AND HAS FORMED AN OFFICIAL NETWORK. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS NETWORK CONTACT THE A&S; (SEE CONTACT INFORMATION AT THE END OF THE ARTICLE).