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Title: The Facts of Anarchy Author: ItĹŤ Noe Date: 1921 Language: en Topics: Japan, japanese anarchists Source: From Robert Graham (Ed.), Anarchism: A Documentary History of Libertarian Ideas; Volume One: From Anarchy to Anarchism (300 CE to 1939). https://libcom.org/library/anarchism-documentary-history-libertarian-ideas-volume-1-2
Editor’s Note: Itō Noe (1895–1923) was a Japanese anarchist feminist and
later the companion of Osugi Sakae, with whom she was murdered by the
japanese military police in 1923. She was a leadingfigure in the
japanese feminist Bluestocking Society, and translated Emma Goldman into
Japanese. The following excerpts are taken from her article, “The Facts
of Anarchy, “ originally published in 1921 in Rodo Undo (the Labour
Movement). ItĹŤ Noe argues that the Japanese peasant village was a
functioning anarchist society based on mutual agreement and mutual aid.
The translation by Yoshiharu Hashimoto. originally published in A Short
History of the Anarchist Movement in Japan (Tokyo: Idea Publishing,
1979), has been modified by the editor for stylistic reasons.
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WE HAVE OFTEN HEARD THE ABUSE that the ideal of anarchist communism is
an unrealizable fancy. Everyone clings to the superstitious belief that
autonomy cannot be achieved without the support of a central government.
In particular, some socialists ... sneer at the “dream” of anarchism.
Yet I have found that it is not a dream, but something aspects of which
have been realized in the autonomy of the villages inherited from our
ancestors. In some remote districts where there is no so-called
“culture,” I have discovered a simple mutual aid ... and a social life
based on mutual agreement. It is completely different from
“administration” under central government, being a mutual aid
organization generated by necessity and continued in parallel with the
official administration since before the time when there was an
“administrative organ.”
Now I want to depict the facts that I have seen personally at my native
village ...
There are sixty to seventy houses divided into six small associations,
and these six associations federate with each other as the occasion
demands ... There are no chains of command or officials. The spirit of
the associations, inherited from their ancestors, is “to assist each
other in times of trouble.”
... [At village meetings] everyone frankly speaks his own thoughts
...There is no fearful atmosphere to make one too timid to express his
own opinion ... In fact, there is no discrimination, whether he is a
village master or a daily labourer... There is neither haughtiness nor
humility ....
How are decisions made? They do it together. Generally, if it is
practical or based on clear facts, even more if everyone has offered his
knowledge and opinions, the decision will be reached spontaneously ...
When a sick person must take to his bed, the news will be reported to
the association. The members will rush to the house. Some will get a
doctor, others will report it to his relatives; they go on these errands
or nurse him kindly ...
In cases of childbirth, the women of the association come together. They
take care of everything until the mother rises again. Everything else,
whenever help is needed, the association will provide it without
complaint. Of course there will be two or three families out of favour
with the members. With respect to helping such families, although the
members may speak ill of them or even complain, they will never refuse
to help, for they distinguish between their work for the association and
their personal antipathies.
Administrative tasks are shared by the members. If a particular task is
long lasting, shifts are arranged so that there is no inconvenience. The
responsibility of each member to the association is not coerced or
unwilling. He performs his role ... so as to follow his conscience ...
No command or supervision is needed ...
After the satisfactory resolution of a particular task, an association
formed for that purpose is dissolved. The unit of federation [in each
village] is not the association, but each home ...
The police seem useless to the association. Quarrels ... are mainly
settled by the association ... A couple from a certain family stole
something. The victim had proof and previous knowledge. The victimized
family summoned the couple [before the association] and scolded them.
Both the victims and the thieves agreed as a settlement of the matter to
the announcement that the couple would be expelled from the assembly if
they committed the crime again ...
Expulsion is the last resort ... When one receives this punishment, no
one dares to associate with him ... So they think of the seriousness of
this punishment and do not impose it on someone unless his deed is
intolerable. As far as I know, I have not heard of this great punishment
being imposed on a family ...
Egoistic urban life is intolerable to those accustomed to village life.
Where there is no hope of success besides poverty, it is far more
comfortable and warm to support each other under the protection of the
association.