ON SATURDAY 24TH November, Bath’s Black And Red Federation (B.A.R.F) hosted a polite public discussion on anarchism at the Manvers Street Baptist Church, complete with tea and (vegan) cake. Anarchism has received a bad press over the centuries, with anarchists forced into stereotypes of either violent thugs or sandal-footed hippies – caricatures repeated by both the media and political establishment on one side, but also by self-proclaimed anarchists on the other. But many anarchists see it differently: the philosophy had become a relevant and mass movement of hundreds of thousands of everyday people fighting for freedom in 1920s Ukraine and 1930s Spain, however briefly. Far from embracing destruction and chaos, anarchists say that ‘Anarchism is Order’! On the day, 25 attended to hear three local speakers’ presentations, examining the Peterloo Massacre and its repercussions, anarchism in the workplace and the links, if any, between anarchism and violence. The day then broke down into a wider discussion on the challenges facing anarchist organising today; all in all, a well-received and thoughtful day. Keep an eye out for the next one!
