Anarchists: elections, accountability, sectarianism...

Friday October 18, 2002 16:07

by Puzzeled Protester

Over the past while on Indymedia debate has raged between Socialist and Anarchists. I've a number of questions for Anarchists that they should answer before they go on ranting about 'Leninism'

ELECTIONS, VOTING, ETC....
Why do anarchists support people in elections to Trade Union positions? Surely you would oppose that becasue a person is being put up as a leader without being strictly limited to the particular mandate he's given. If you support people in elections to trade union positions why not in Dáil elections?

The reason why socialists stand for election is to raise their profile and to use elected postitions as a platform. Anarchists used the Dáil elections last may as a platform (Remember Vote Pie?), the difference is that Anarchists get no support from ordinary people and are afraid to stand for election!

Whilst talking about voting, why do you vote in Referendums? Yes, there is no person being put forward as a leader that's elected on a very broad mandate. But you are accepting them when you vote on a question that was decided by these 'leaders'!

ACCOUNTABILITY & DEMOCRACY
Anarchists support unaccountable leadership. In Anarchist organistations leaders emerge. I've no problem with people with particular talents emerging and playing a certain role. The problem is that anarchists do not hold these people to account.

The failure of anarchists to elect and accountable leadership also results in inefficientcy. There is no person (or persons) that follows up work agreed, or ensures that work is done.

In practice Anarchist methods of organisation result in an absence of democracy and accountability, and is much more inefficent. I bet many of LANs Nice leaflets were not distributed, and/or thousands were given out in the same place 2 or 3 times.

ANARCHIST SECTARIANISM
Anarchists are great for imposing their methods on the work of campaigns. For example in the Bin Charges campaign they demand that Anarchist methods are used. They argue against standing in elections on the bin tax issue, they argue against an elected leadership of the campaign.

Why? because they are sectarian and wish to see their methods imposed on the movement. They are sectarian in the true sence of the word, they put the interests of their own group in front of the movement. In the case of the bin charges (and water charges beforehand) they argued against a leadership not because it was a wrong tactic for the campaign, but because it didn't fit into their own outlook on the world.

CONCLUSION
Anarchy sounds nice in theory, but doesn't work in practice. There is a need for a democraticly elected and accountable leadership that will oversee and co-ordinate work. Anarchists do not exist in reality, but rather they exist on the barstools and armchairs of this world. In my opinion Anarchy is regressive, unaccountable, undemocratic, unworkable and sectarian.