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Title: A Wise Move Author: Lucy E. Parsons Date: November 6, 1907 Language: en Topics: class struggle, working class, letter, organization Source: The Demonstrator Notes: Letter to the Editor
The recent Congress of Anarchists, held at Amsterdam, Holland, seems to
me to be a wise move and a step in the right direction.
The Anarchistic cause (there has been no movement in recent years) has
lacked a plan of procedure or organization. To be sure, there have
somehow, here and there, drifted together a few persons who, in a loose
way, formed a sort of group, calling themselves Anarchists, but these
groups were composed, for the most part, of young, inexperienced people
who had about as many conceptions of the real aims of Anarchism as there
were members composing the group; consequently, the result has been as
might reasonably have been expected. The anarchistic cause has lacked
concentration of effort, and a vivifying force to lend energy and
direction toward a common aim.
The result is that the realization of the anarchistic ideal, grand as it
is, is not in the least encouraging when we take a retrospective view of
the last twenty years. Really, what evidence have we of a genuine growth
of Anarchism in the last twenty years? There has not been in that time a
single work produced by an original writer. A few pamphlets only have
been written. All the weekly and monthly publications have had short
leases of life, with struggling, starving existences—that is, in the
English language. London Freedom is the single exception.
I, personally, have always held to the idea of organization, together
with an assumption of responsibility by the members, such as paying
monthly dues and collecting funds for propaganda purposes. For holding
these views, I have been called an “old-school” Anarchist, etc.
Turning from the past to the future, I most sincerely hope that the
recent congress is the beginning of a new era for Anarchism. I trust
that this country and the world will resound with the grand truths of
Anarchism—the right of every man and woman upon this Earth, who
contributes to the marvelous and diversified products, to their share in
the same; and that to be really free is to allow each one to live their
lives in their own way so long as each allows all to do the same.
Anarchism teaches that no one is made better by the enactment of laws,
but many crimes and unsocial acts are purely the result of official
meddling to make people “good” by law.
Anarchism, as taught in recent years, is too far away from the mental
level of the masses; hence, they have not been attracted to us. Our
enemies have put their own interpretation upon our ideas, and we are in
no condition to defend ourselves because we have no press. I trust this
condition will soon change and we will have a movement in fact instead
of one only in name.
Yours for the social revolution,
Lucy E. Parsons