All libertarians from the various anarchist movements around the world,
and all those interested in learning more about anarchism, are invited
to gather from August 8-12, 2012 in St-Imier in the Jura mountains in
Switzerland.
We will be celebrating the 140th anniversary of the
first congress of St-Imier that was held in 1872, when the St-Imier
Anarchist International was created after anti-authoritarian members
were expelled from Marx's First International. Since then, the world has
changed in some ways with the different libertarian currents evolving
in various directions, an aspect that will be well represented at the
gathering in St-Imier. Certainly, time has not diminished the ways in
which the weakest in society are being oppressed by the most powerful,
and the meeting will accordingly address the multitude of approaches to
resist these forms of oppression.
The Jura Federation and the Congress of St-Imier 1872
In
1864, the International Workers Association was founded, quickly
followed by sections in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Le Locle, St-Imier and other
regions in the Swiss Jura mountains. Many of the members in these
sections were working in their homes as watchmakers, were well read, and
had an independent spirit. When Bakunin came to the region in 1869,
there was a meeting of minds that was not without consequences.
As a
result of this convergence of ideas, the Jura Federation became the
libertarian pole of the First International, opposed to the Marxists.
Infuriated by this opposition, Marx did everything he could to eliminate
this diverging current. In 1872 he thought that he had achieved that
goal. At the Hague Congress he managed to assemble his supporters and
with some of his supporters posing as representatives of non-existing
sections, managed to get votes passed for the exclusion of Bakunin and
James Guillaume, only missing a few votes to do the same to Adhemar
Schwitzguebel, which were all delegates from the Jura Federation.
Shocked
by these actions, the sections that were sympathetic to the
anti-authoritarian current, including Spain, Italy, France, Belgium and
the USA, organized a conference in St-Imier, where they passed
resolutions that were strongly libertarian. The anti-authoritarian IWA
survived the Marxist branch to the end of the century.
140 years
after the Congress of St-Imier, the exploitation and alienation of
workers is still just as brutal. The Marxist illusion has dissipated in
light of the communist dictatorships. Capitalism lives from crisis to
crisis. Social crises, political crises, in addition to the current
ecological crisis.
Where does the anarchist movement stand today?
The
anarchist gathering in St-Imier in 2012 will be an opportunity to
review the history of the anarchist movement, its ideas, its
achievements, its hopes, its defeats, and what remains today; its own
battles and those it shares with others: anti-militarism, anti-racism,
anti-sexism, autonomous self-management, degrowth, education, feminism,
internationalism, non-violence, etc.. A number of workshops and events
are already planned: historical lectures, thematic conferences, theater,
concerts, exhibitions, films, a book fair, a radio station, a
libertarian camp, a self-managed market with organic products,
workshops, restaurants, etc..
This international event will be
public and wants to be open not only to the entire international
anarchist movement, but also to the public at large without
discrimination. Free admissions and voluntary pricing will be used
wherever feasible, in order to enable as many people as possible to
participate in the event. Having said that, the organizing committee
will use its discretion to decide which participants will be hosted,
based on the ideas and practices that were also the principals of the
Anti-authoritarian International. Racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia
and all forms of violence and discrimination will not be tolerated.
Based
on what has been said, any person, branch, or organization is welcome
to get involved and join this initiative, suggesting exhibitions,
debates, lectures, performances, speakers, workshops, etc..
We are also looking for volunteers!
The Organizing Committee for the International Anarchism Gathering St-Imier 2012
