Review in the "South African Labour Bulletin"

"What is unique about Black Flame is that it illustrates the universality of anarchism, which until now, other literature has not done as it has tended to focus on the European anarchist tradition ...  [with] ... countless examples of large movements globally from Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Cuba and the United States,  to South Africa, Egypt, Korea and Japan, and of course Spain, Italy, Russia, the UK and Ireland ...

"For South Africans in particular the final chapter provides important insights into the anarchist perspective on issues which continue to undermine our struggles. It shows how anarchism, based on the fundamental tenets of equality and solidarity, was non-racial, non-sexist and supportive of the struggles against imperialism long before other socialist movements.

Praise from Brian Morris, Emeritus Professor, University of London

"Black Flame comes like a breath  fresh air. An excellent text - readable, free of jargon, engaging, well-researched, and very well argued, and, most gratifying, affirming the importance and centrality of
anarchist communism or revolutionary socialism."

Brian Morris, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology, Goldsmiths College at University of London, author inter alia of Kropotkin: the politics of community (2004) and Bakunin: the philosophy of freedom (1993).

"Black Flame" and COSATU

In the political report for the 2-milllion-strong-COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions) 2009 congress, prepared by Zweli Vavi (long text, which specifically cited Black Flame), there are a few "points of interest":

"... Marx has given us the tools to understand society but not a blueprint. It falls on our shoulders ... to Build Marxism. In carrying out this task we must be open-minded and grasp what is useful in critiques of Marx from both the right and the left ...For example, the communitarian anarchist movement, critique of classical Marxism on the grounds that is has latent features of authoritarianism, has to be engaged. Anarchists by definition are anti-authority and hierarchy. They make a compelling argument that hierarchical organisations or societies like capitalism tend to reproduce rather than eliminate inequality ...As socialists anchored in the Congress and Comintern tradition we differ with some of the theoretical, strategy and tactics of the Troskyites and Anarcho-Syndicalists, but it will be folly to ignore some of their valuable critique of bureaucratic socialism ..."

Two more discussions ..

First up:  "Using a fresh and thoughtful framework, Black Flame analyses the revolutionary class politics of anarchism and syndicalism, producing a coherent and cohesive overview of tactics, strategies and praxis to both illustrate an anarchist history of struggle and revolution, and to push the current movement forward... Black Flame is a truly valuable and practical book, with something to offer both the newbie to anarchist thought, or those looking to further their own previous understandings". More here

Second: 
In "Anarchism and Revolutionary Syndicalism: a critical review of the book by Fabiana Toledo, from the visions of Michael Schmidt, Lucien van der Walt and Alexandre Samis", Brazilian writer Felipe Corrêa draws on "two great books published in 2009" - Black Flame, and Minha Pátria é o Mundo Inteiro: Neno Vasco, o anarquismo e o sindicalismo revolucionário em dois mundos, de Alexandre Samis by Alexandre Samis - to interrogate Edeline Toledo's Anarquismo e Sindicalismo Revolucionário: trabalhadores e militantes em São Paulo na Primeira República. Tledo's book is a study of anarchism and syndicalism in Brazil. The English-language translation of Corrêa's piece is here and the Portuguese-language original is here

"Black Flame" on Facebook ...

You can go to the Facebook page here ...

"Black Flame" book tour: Ontario, Canada, organised by Common Cause

South African writer and activist Michael Schmidt, co-author of Black Flame: The Revolutionary Class Politics of Anarchism and Syndicalism,  will be in several Ontario cities between March 15 and March 21 to promote and discuss this important new book on the global history of anarchist movements and ideas. The tour, organized by Common Cause with support from AK Press and several local sponsors, is scheduled to pass through the following cities listed below.


To promote the tour Common Cause has also produced a short video which can be seen here and set up a Facebook page. Copies of "Black Flame" will be available for purchase at each tour stop.

Read the full story here

And check out this poster:

Another (fine) review: the Kate Sharpley Library bulletin

The Kate Sharpley Library, based in the UK, specializes in anarchist history - it has produced a series of wonderful pamphlets and bulletins; its work played no small part in inspiring the authors of Black Flame. See http://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/ So, a review by the KSL is of especial interest. The full review by "M. Bookunin" (!) is online at http://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/c2frv6.  

Here are some highlights to whet your appetite for that thoughtful commentary:

"This ...  introduction to the history and ideas of anarchism [is] ... not like any you’ve read before ...  Against the lowest-common-denominator approach of writers from Eltzbacher to Marshall they limit anarchism to the class struggle anarchist movement (that is, libertarian socialism) from the mid-nineteenth century onwards ... This is a helpful and necessary distinction ...  

"... Schmidt and van der Walt take a global approach, pushing beyond the 'usual suspects' in Western Europe and North America, to Latin America, southern Africa and East Asia ...their potted biographies of thinkers and militants are very useful ... Thankfully, the authors are able to make their discussion of anarchist ideas accessible. There’s no jargon introduced for its own sake ...

"This book is obviously the result of a huge amount of work and a valuable synthesis of an awful lot of historical and political writings. Their clear idea of what they wanted from it has kept their writing to the point ...

"... unlikely to end debates about 'what is anarchism?' ... it’s a useful (if not perfect) contribution to them ... a great contribution to anarchist history. Not everyone will like the political choices they make, but anyone would be able to learn something from their work.

"... this is not just about history, nor just about ... internal affairs ... After the blind alley of authoritarian 'socialism', it’s about putting liberation back on the agenda, and how to make it a reality.

"It’s enjoyable to read something where the 'big picture' is handled so confidently. Roll on volume two, a global history of anarchism."

Soweto: "Black Flame" workshop on Class Struggle, Anarchism and Syndicalism, 6 March 2010

Invitation to a workshop on class struggle, anarchism and syndicalism (revolutionary trade unionism) as part of the launch of the book Black Flame: the revolutionary class politics of anarchism and syndicalism by Lucien van der Walt and Michael Schmidt
We find ourselves at a critical juncture - nearly a million jobs have been lost in South Africa since the onset of global crisis in 2008. The planet is teetering on the brink of environmental collapse. The United States continues to wage war on the world's poorest regions.

The workers' movement remains the key force for defending the popular classes from neoliberal and government onslaughts, and in building a sustainable, egalitarian and just society. If we do not act, we should not complain.

But how? In his Political Report to the 10th Cosatu national congress, Zwelinzima Vavi argued for the need to "Build Marxism" by learning from other left traditions. In particular, he mentioned anarchism as useful for "developing a vision for socialism in the 21st century", laying "the basis for the unity of the left in our country".

Vavi made especial mention of a new book from South Africa: Black Flame: the revolutionary class politics of anarchism and syndicalism, by Lucien van der Walt and Michael Schmidt. This was launched at Wits University last year, at a major gathering of intellectuals, trade unionists, social movement and students activists.

A Soweto launch of this book is being organised by the Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Front (ZACF) and the Orlando West study circle on anarchism. This will be part of a workshop on class struggle and revolutionary trade unionism on the 6th of March 2010 at 1 pm. Both authors of "Black Flame" will be present to discuss topics covered in the book, and the importance of anarchism for the revolutionary social and political praxis of the workers' movement and the socialist project.

We hereby invite you, or your organisation to send shop-stewards, organisers and rank-and-file delegates to this event, which we have no doubt will prove to be both very informative and inspiring, giving us lots to consider as we set about building a revolutionary workers' movement for the 21st century.

Date: Saturday 6 March, 2010
Time: 13h00
Place: Funda Centre, Soweto 
http://black-flame-anarchism.blogspot.com/

"Black Flame", Cape Town launch, Thursday 11 March, 5:30 for 6:00

The Book Lounge presents the Cape Town launch of 

BLACK FLAME: the revolutionary class politics of anarchism and syndicalism
Lucien van der Walt & Michael Schmidt

'Black Flame' examines the anti-authoritarian class politics of the anarchist/syndicalist movement, and its 150 years of popular struggle on 5 continents. An indispensable conceptual and historical road map, with close attention to Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America, looking at its:

·   Opposition to hierarchy, capitalism and the state
·   Strategy: building revolutionary counter-power
·   History: labour, community, anti-imperialism
·   Agenda: participatory, cooperative economics
·   Revolutions: Mexico, Spain, Ukraine, Korea
·   Revival: today’s struggles

 This groundbreaking volume has been praised by reviewers as "deeply impressive", "fascinating, revealing and often startling", "a grand work of synthesis", "remarkable" "outstanding", "inspired" and "a welcome antidote to Eurocentric accounts".

THURSDAY 11 MARCH 2010 @  5.30 for 6.00

The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street (corner of Buitenkant), Cape Town


ALL WELCOME!

With thanks to Leopard's Leap Wines.

Please RSVP to booklounge@gmail.com /  021 462 2425.

MORE INFO:  http://black-flame-anarchism.blogspot.com/
LAUNCH POSTER:

New review, Sean Benjamin, in "Upping the Anti"

A recent issue of Upping the Anti: A Journal of Theory and Action (no. 9, November 2009, Toronto, Canada:  www.uppingtheanti.org) has a fine (and carefully considered) Black Flame review by Sean Benjamin. Its entitled "Fanning the Flames" (p. 159 onwards). Some quotes:



 "... Schmidt and van der Walt avoid the 'great thinkers' approach to historical research instead focusing on excavating the histories of largely unknown individuals and movements in order to analyze various  strategies  and  tactics  among  these  groups. They  devote less attention to individual thinkers and focus instead on anarchist ideas and the movements they  informed ... "

"While most historical  studies of  anarchism have  focused on Western  Europe  and North America,  Black  Flame counters  this Eurocentric approach. As the authors explain, 'the broad anarchist tradition was an international movement that cannot be adequately understood through the focus on Western anarchism that typifies most existing accounts' (8). Anarchist movements  in Africa, East Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and  (to a  lesser extent) the Middle East are amply documented."

"In recent years, there has been an upsurge in class struggle anarchism, or social anarchism ... In these circumstances,  there  is a need  for a clear and more forceful theoretical statement of principles, and Black Flame serves as an excellent opening statement of the relevance of class struggle  anarchism  in  a  twenty-first  century  context. Whether or not one accepts all of the components of the authors’ analysis
of  the  broad  anarchist  tradition,  this  book  is  an  impressive introduction  to  the  history  of  anarchist  theory  and  anarchist movements.

"It  radically  reframes  the debate over anarchism and how  it  is perceived by both  its advocates and  the world at  large, and successfully argues for anarchism’s relevance in contemporary struggles.  Their  forthcoming  second  volume,  Global  Fire:  150 Fighting Years of International Anarchism and Syndicalism, will focus on the history of the global anarchist movement to complement the theoretical focus of Black Flame. If the second volume is as good as the first, they will stand together as a truly significant contribution to both anarchist theory and history."