What’s Wrong With Systematic Ideology?

George Walford: The Two-Sided Anarchist (47)

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 »

Peter Cadogan: Gnostics as Anarchists of Old

A big problem in systematic ideology, and one that seems likely to be with us for a while yet, is to pin down the first appearance of each of the major ideologies. Not just their emergence as enduring political movements but their truly first appearance, first in any field. It seems probable that even the… read more »

George Walford: Editorial Notes (44)

A NEWSPAPER headline cries: “Marx gets the workers united – against him.” [1] So what’s new? Since Marxism first appeared practically all workers, by their actions if not their thoughts, have supported its opponents. [1] (Sunday Times 11 Feb 90) OLIVER IN SKIRTS The feminists will have gained their point when men wear skirts as… read more »

George Walford: The (Anarcho-) Socialist Party of Great Britain (42)

SOME BACKGROUND IC undertakes to print any statement of up to 1,000 words carrying the approval of this party, or one of its branches. Letters from individual members will appear if they are cogent, interesting and concise, and if space permits. If you want your letter to appear unedited or not at all, please say… read more »

George Walford: Quality and Quantity

Harold Walsby used to speak of the economic collectivism of the left and the economic individualism of the right. The terms are accurate and comprehensive, but also polysyllabic and highly general. When these general tendencies appear so to speak on the surface of social life they always do so in particular forms and direct mention… read more »

George Walford: Editorial Notes (41)

SUBSCRIPTIONS Contrary as usual, IC reduces its subscription charges. Beginning with this number a subscription for one year (six issues) will cost £2 including postage. Subscriptions outstanding at the old rate will be extended to compensate. (No subsidy yet from the CIA, let alone MI5 or MI6, but we keep hoping.) WHY ANARCHISM? When correspondents… read more »

George Walford: Notes for Critics

IC is published for a number of reasons, one of them being to expose systematic ideology to criticism. A number of readers have responded (though the [A-]SPGB have been surprisingly quiet) and among other benefits derived we are now able to list some of the most common misunderstandings. We shall, of course, make extra efforts… read more »

Martin Marsh: Letter

I read with interest the exchange with George Hay in IC32. Perhaps I may offer a third position? (i) As I understand the relationship between specific ideation and ideological category, general public disinterest in the overall theory need not have much to do with whether or not a specific idea or term propagates through society –… read more »

George Walford: Editorial Notes (34)

WHAT AM I BID FOR LENIN’S BONES? We have long been pointing to the evidence that the USSR (with China not far behind) is moving towards a system which resembles capitalism more closely than communism as Marx envisaged it. Sotheby’s have now capped our efforts by announcing their first sale in Moscow for July 7th…. read more »

George Walford: The (Anarcho-)Socialist Party (33)

IC holds out a continuing invitation: We undertake to print any statement of up to 1,000 words carrying the approval of this party, or one of its branches. Letters from individual members will appear if they are cogent, interesting and concise, and if space permits. If you want your letter to appear unedited or not… read more »

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