This is not intended as propaganda either for anarchism or against it. It’s about freedom, using anarchism as a test-case because this movement is usually believed, by anarchists and others, to stand for unlimited freedom, in every sense, for everybody. One would expect anarchism to be among the biggest movements, for how can anybody reject… read more »
A Letter to the Editor. Sir, George Walford in his review (IC 46) of Spanner (Issue No. 1) is misinformed. There is no such thing as a “Spanner group” – at least not in any formal sense of the word – and, consequently, the title of his review of the same organisation from which he… read more »
RATIONALISTS convinced that religion is on the way out might bear in mind that the world’s largest human gathering is still the pilgrimage to Allahabad that takes place every twelve years. Some 15 million people gather for ritual bathing. JOHN Chadwick, QC, is quoted: “Secrecy is the badge of fraud.” (Observer 29 July) It is… read more »
GRADUATED income tax, and effectively unlimited picketing rights for trade unions, were introduced in the 1870s by Disraeli, Conservative Prime Minister. (Roy Jenkins in the Sunday Times, 13 May). from Ideological Commentary 46, July 1990.
Anarcho-capitalists, and others in favour of the free market, will be pleased to learn that the Association of European Airlines is on their side. Faced with EC attempts to ban the cartel-like arrangements between airlines and force them to compete with each other, the incoming AEA president protests, and calls upon free market theories for… read more »
“Socialist Spain is not the only country to pursue policies of Thatcherism without Thatcher. Communist Vietnam is reported to be practising Thatcherite monetarism and advocating the importance of the market, while proclaiming Marxist-Leninism …” (Freedom 27 Jan 90) These two have to be added to the list of countries proclaiming economic collectivism while practising individualism…. read more »
George Woodcock’s Anarchism; a history of libertarian ideas and movements (Harmondsworth: Penguin Books 1962) is one of the standard books. It sometimes gives the impression that the author’s ideas are in the condition of a supersaturated solution, wanting nothing but a tap for them to crystallize out as systematic ideology. Here we present some of… read more »
ON THE DEFINITION OF IDEOLOGY Sir: I would like to suggest an amendment to the s.i. definition. Ideology is false consciousness. Quoting Engels: “Ideology is a process accomplished by the so-called thinker consciously, it is true, but with a false consciousness. The real motive forces impelling him remain unknown to him; otherwise it simply would… read more »
Freedom for South Africa to take a full part in international sport is being sought by Freedom in Sport International, run by Tory MP John Carlisle. In a free-market society, would traders be free to form combinations in restraint of trade? In the free society, would we be free to drive while drunk? “Man [was]… read more »
Eggwina – beg pardon, Edwina – Currie calls Shelter an organisation which “just moans and shelters nobody” (Sunday Times 19 Nov 89). She does not go far enough; Shelter deprived many people of the homes they might have enjoyed without its activities. It was largely responsible for a change in the Rent Acts during one… read more »