A-Infos (en) Info-16 - January 2013 - Understanding especifismo, and related plataformismo (pt) [machine translation]

The especifismo or plataformismo (due to the influence of the Organisational Platform of 
the Delo Truda Russian exiles) depending on the region, is a conception of anarchist 
organization. At least thus define. What is not taken into account, or purposely omits is 
that todxs xs anarchists seek to organize, because they attack the government and the 
States, do not deny the importance of an organization of equals in rights and duties 
without direct bureaucratic ado. There is a common mistake and it is enjoying some even 
say that "anarchists", that when talking about anarchism, are talking of liberalism and 
its radical denial of any organization that leads to a superficial and selfish debauchery, 
very rebellious, little revolutionary.

The term is used especifismo and was broadcast by the Uruguayan Anarchist Federation 
(FAU), with which he refers to the current anarchist who historically defended the need 
for specific anarchist organization. That means, at least in a practical sense, the 
formation of a core of militants and formadxs motivadxs by anarchism and who can act in 
different ways without losing reference anarchist. Consider the following: There are 
currently many social movements, each with its own characteristics and all equally 
important for the emancipatory struggle, if well designed. In each, there are various 
types of activists of political parties, NGOs, different sectors of society, with their 
own perspectives on the world, which can vary from one extreme to another, making a space 
for social movements and ideological dispute always prevails aquelxs that have greater 
influence by printing more or less ability to fight or just direct actions reformists and 
placebos.
In this environment how we act? One possible answer is to have united groups (specifically 
anarchist, hence especifismo) who can participate, and if they can influence various 
social movements for emancipation. That's how especifismo acts as a group of militant 
anarchists in all social movements and organizations that may have some form of 
intervention and perhaps be the most influential proposal that environment, the current 
"organizational" of time.
Thus Especifismo presents the organization of the fight should take place on two distinct 
levels: the anarchist organization and the popular movements - which must form the basis 
of need and not restricted to a particular ideology, as in the case of anarchosyndicalism 
. This is a dangerous act and justification to make alliances with historical enemies 
(totalitarian leftist, Marxist and populist parties). If they are acting justify the need, 
can lead to denying fundamental principles of anarchism and create contradictions, how to 
form sheets to run for directorships and chairmanships of movements, partnering with 
authoritarian traitors (Marxist currents for example) seeking to expand influence in 
pursuit of power, even if the say "popular", it will not be framed within institutions to 
reform and control, whether a minority is a majority. Present the anarchosyndicalism as an 
ideology is not understanding the proper role of specific agent of anarchism, where 
revolutionary syndicalism is only part of the process of emancipation. What is missed here 
is that Especifismo tends and serves on reformist syndicalism, looking to affirm it as an 
option within a faction, plus a current within unionism legal, institutional.

Hence, if we take the principles of anarchosyndicalism presented by the International 
Workers Association, the AIT or IWA in English, we have a serious problem: AIT condemns 
such practice or tactic performed by especifismo. That is, in anarchosyndicalism, can not 
act, even in the form of a supposed "opposition" within organizations sanctioned by the 
States and employers, as in the case of the official unions in Brazil. But this goes 
beyond the International Anarchist Federations (IFA acronym) which is a sister of AIT also 
opposes this type of "partnership", even if it is an opposition on the part of any 
anarchist group. Hence we get a sense of why the difficulty of acting Especifists between 
organizations and other aspects and the ease with which has the especificistas in acting 
with political parties, avant-garde groups and governmental and legal institutions.
The organization model of especifismo has its foundations in classical anarchism, has been 
advocated by Mikhail Bakunin, Errico Malatesta, the Delo Truda Russian exiles, among 
others. Bakunin advocated such a model for the Alliance of Socialist Democracy, when in 
his role within the International Workingmen's Association (First International), 
Malatesta advocated similar positions in their formulation of the "anarchist party"; Delo 
Truda the similarly Platform Organization of the Libertarian Communists. Similar positions 
were advocated at different times and in different places by anarcho-communists who held 
an online "organicist" of anarchism, based on the organization and willingness of workers 
to promote social change through mass movements. In this case, it is important to stress 
that it is important to understand the historical conditions in which each of these ideas 
were developed, because if at first glance we see a certain similarity between them, to 
analyze them better, we realized that each was built upon and with particular purpose and 
that purpose is decontextualized, can be given any shape, at the whim of the interpreter.
Since the nineteenth century, other concepts have been incorporated into what today is 
understood as "especifismo", which is defended by a series of anarchist organizations in 
Brazil: the understanding of anarchism as an ideology and therefore a necessary connection 
with a political practice with goal of social transformation; organization as an 
indispensable element for the fight, the design of the specific anarchist organization as 
an active minority, the centrality of the class struggle and the priority in social work 
with the popular movements (social movements, trade unions, etc.. ); theoretical and 
ideological unity, the strategic and tactical unit, the decision-making process marked by 
the attempt at consensus and, failing that, by voting, and the emphasis on militant 
commitment.
The above explains itself because Especifismo causes so much distrust many aspects 
anarchists, and not as an active minority distrust? A centrality of the class struggle? A 
unit of all ... disciplining of a totalization, even called anarchist? This really creates 
a resistance to accept it as a fact of anarchist proposal and not a trend partidarizante 
within anarchism. The positive aspect, it really is that the organization, this is not 
unique to merit especifismo, anarchism can act clearly and objectively in any social 
movement, without submitting the impositions party, state, and legal reformer who also act 
in these movements. Away from the action of a supposed active minority, what you want and 
if it does, while anarchism is to bring light to the emancipatory knowledge of the action, 
without being prescriptive. The most crucial of all this is that one should develop the 
commitment and self-criticism so that the anarchist is not held hostage to a rigid 
discipline and a blind belief that militants may induce more experienced, as this would 
refer to non-anarchists and practices emancipatory, but rather, a proto-party 
institutional regulations.
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