Rebel Alliances: The Means and Ends of British Anarchisms

Description

Rebel Alliances offers an applied philosophical perspective on contemporary class-struggle anarchism in Britain. It identifies the main principles distinguishing this tradition from competing Leninist, liberal, and social-democratic groupings. From these key characteristics, Franks constructs a consistent anarchism, which both shares characteristics with politically-engaged post-structuralisms and has a distinctive ethic.

The theory and practice of contemporary groups are then assessed against this “ideal-type” of anarchism. Many of the central themes of anarchism are consequently subject to original scrutiny: the nature of the revolutionary subject; workplace and community organizing; violence and pacifism; the meaning of direct action; and propaganda by the word and deed. 

“No one is better placed to examine the contemporary British anarchist movement than Ben Franks. Steal this book at the first opportunity.”—Class War

“Provides a framework for understanding, analyzing, and appreciating the myriad forms of anarchist class struggle and must be praised for its scholarly achievement and avoidance of traditional academic restrictions.”—David Lamb, Birmingham University