The Question of the Revolutionary Anarchist Organization

A Northeastern Federation of Anarcho-Communists (NEFAC) Position
Paper (adopted September 15, 2002)

0. The Northeastern Federation of Anarcho-Communists (NEFAC) is still a
small anarchist federation and, in our mind, there is still a lot of work
to do in order to see the emergence of the type of revolutionary
organization we advocate in our region. Our federation is composed of
activists coming from different movements of resistance who identify with
the communist tradition within anarchism. Our activities are organized
around theoretical development, anarchist propaganda, and intervention in
the struggle of our class, be it autonomously or by direct involvement in
social movements.

Since our formation, in April 2000, we have based ourselves on a number of
principles:1. Our Goal: Revolution

1a. As anarcho-communists we struggle for a classless, stateless and
non-hierarchical society. We envision an international confederation of
radically democratic, self-managed communities and workplaces. To achieve
this society, our class will abolish the wage system and socialize all
industries, means of production and distribution. We reject the division
of labor that condemns an individual to a life of restricted activity for
the sake of the commodity economy. The abolition of markets and exchange
value will allow for the satisfaction of human needs, adhering to the
communist principle, "From each according to ability, to each according to
need."

1b. We believe the only way to achieve this is a social, political and
cultural revolution where the oppressed classes lead the struggle to the
end, overthrow the bourgeois civilization and abolish capitalism, the
state, patriarchy and racism. Such a radical perspective can only emerge,
in our opinion, from social movements. That's why we advocate the
radicalization of every struggle (from the Latin word 'radix' which mean
'roots'; radicalizing means going the roots of problems).

1c. Through this radicalization and our involvement as anarcho-communists
in various movements of resistance, we want to aid the development of an
autonomous class conscientiousness, the only safe-guard against political
recuperation from all sides (including an eventual recuperation by an
anarchist current). The revolution we want will not be the work of an
organization, even an anarchist one, but of a large class movement by
which 'ordinary people' will directly take back full control on the
totality of their life and environment.

2. Necessity of Organization

2a. Any revolutionary period will be preceded by organizations capable of
popularizing anarchist alternatives and anarchist methods; organizations
capable of leading the battle of ideas and able to serve as a rallying
point for activists. To this end, we believe that a strong, and above all,
organized presense in social struggles anarchist movement is necessary.
Let's be clear, we do not believe that an organization is a movement in
itself, and we do not pretend at all to represent to whole of the
anarchist movement. While we have confidence in our ideas, we do not think
we possess THE truth, and it is probable that we are wrong on this or that
point. That why we advocate revolutionary pluralism.

2b. We reject the vision of the 'political-party-guide-of-the-masses', a
vision which reduces the idea of revolution to the authoritarian seizure
of power by a centralized party believing to be acting in the name of the
masses. We know that this vision has led to bloody dictatorships and has
nothing to do with socialism. It's goal not being the seizure of power,
the anarchist organization is neither a party, nor a self-proclaimed
vanguard, but an active minority in the working class. The anarchist
organization is one of the moment within the social struggle; it's an
assembly of like-minded activists, a place of confrontation and debate, a
place of synthesis of ideas, social and political experiences.

3. Basic Organizational Principles

3a. The anarchist philosophy implies a number of organizational principles
that it is important to explain here. We've identified four: theoretical
coherence, tactical unity, collective responsibility and, of course,
federalist direct democracy.

3b. The libertarian communism we advocate consists of a number of
theoretical and tactical proposals that form a coherent political project
that anarchists want to put in practice. Hence it needs to be formulated
in a determined platform. What's more, to be efficient and popularize our
platform, it needs to be common to the whole of our organization. This is
our theoretical coherence.

3c. But a common platform is not enough. Indeed, to implement it, we need
to use appropriated means. We believe that these means are not arbitrary;
they are determined by the goal to achieve and the circumstances of the
struggle. The choice of the tactics to us is not neutral and without
consequences; in our opinion, it flows from the goal we have chosen for
ourselves and that?s why we advocate tactical unity.

3d. Practice has taught us that the logical consequence of these
organizational principles is collective responsibility. If we collectively
accept some political positions and a determine line of action, it is in
order that each member implement it in their political work. What's more,
if we agree on specific work to be done and a way to do it, then we become
responsible to one and other for its execution. In the end, collective
responsibility is nothing more then the collective method of action.

4. Internal Functioning of NEFAC

4a. The anarchist organization rejects centralism for it's functioning and
adopts the principles of federalist direct democracy. That is to say that
NEFAC groups and local unions are autonomous and are the best judge to
determine the daily work to be done and the way implement it in their
communities.

4b. The conference is the sovereign body of the federation, it is open to
all members and takes place twice a year. All decisions are taken there
after full debate (by a simple majority vote when necessary, by consensus
the rest of the time), are final, immediately applicable and are binding
members. Only a new conference can overthrow a decision taken this way.
All the rules of functioning of the organization are adopted at
conferences and so apply to all. In between conferences, there's a
permanent delegates federation council that function on the basis of one
collective member, one vote. It is up to the groups and local unions to
determine the best way to apply the decisions taken in conference or by
the federation council.

4c. Anarchists are fully aware that the presence of a minority and a
majority does not mean at all that the majority is inherently right.
That's why any anarchist organization needs to have mechanisms that enable
a minority, while still bound by the decisions taken by the organization,
to defend it's point of view inside the organization, even if it was
beaten at a conference or in the federation council. In any case, an
anarchist organization must be an environment where sectarianism is
discouraged and dialogue promoted, and where an atmosphere of comradery
reigns.

4d. Every permanent task in the organization is of a purely executive
nature, and subjected to a clear mandate and the comrades upholding them
are revocable at any time. The same rules apply to delegations. Without
making it a strict rule, NEFAC is generally in favor of a rotation of
tasks.

4e. When necessary, the anarchist organization can also form working
groups and appoint comrades to do specific tasks. These working groups are
subjected to the same rule as the permanent task and delegations.