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BASIC
PRINCIPLES
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| We, anarchists of the Fédération anarchiste francophone (FAF) are conscious of the necessity for specific organisation. We propagate our ideas and want to realise a global radical revolution, both economic and social, in order to destroy societies founded on private or statist property of means of production and distribution, exploitation, ignorance and misery, as well as authoritarian relations. | |
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Anarchists struggle for a free society, without class or state, with the following primary goals :
We want to rebuild the society as a whole on a basis of respect and mutual aid, not for an individual, a class or a party, but for all people ; the social question can only be definitively resolved on a worldwide scale. |
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Anarchism is an objective of global society, an ideal, but also the means to reach it, these being based on the same organisational principles and ethics ; federalism and mutual aid. As individuals aware of their exploitation, anarchists belonging to the Fédération anarchiste intend to struggle with all exploitees against all governments, recognising therefore the existence of the class struggle, whose finality must be the installation of an anarchist society. We must do it in such a way that the exploited social classes reach the necessary political capacity for their emancipation. It is the exploited classes who will realise the anarchist society, because exploiters will never let themselves be dispossessed, and will use all their forces, even brutal ones, against the emancipation of the workers. The only propagation of ideas being insufficient, the participation in continual emancipatory and protest struggles will turn out to be necessary so that individuals would always want more and better, until they reach a situation of breaking point which will permit their total emancipation. We must incite workers and exploited people to fight against mediations which go against their class interest and to choose direct action (that is to say actions decided upon and led without intermediaries), and its coordination in a federal manner. Ennemies of all despotism, anarchists reject all authoritarian theories, including those inspired by marxism, clericalism, monarchism, fascism, middle-class liberalism, and any other. Revolution is necessarily constitued of destructive phases against oppressive institutions and constructive phases of the new society. We want this society to be managed by all and to be installed from the beginning on the basis of anarchist structures. That is why the Fédération anarchiste must itself be a tool adapted for revolution, until the concretisation of the previously defined objectives. Militant involvement The Fédération anarchiste is an organisation grouping ideologically and practically conscious militants, who have knowledge of the different aspects of anarchism and of the FAF. It is organised on the principle of free federalism around groups and individuals who form their autonomy within thebasic principles. It is up to all the militants to make it progress, because the FAF doesn't recognise inside itself the leaders/executors division. Militants' effective participation at organisation's collective works is an ethic principle of solidarity which isn't prejudicial to the freedom principle. The federalism of the FAF allows the pluralism of ideas and actions compatible with its principles. All that precedes can of course only indicate the main aims purchased by anarchists. It will be necessary, in order to deepen these, to read anarchist writings and to follow the works of its groups. Action of the FAF The action of the Fédération anarchiste is based above all on the defence of the exploited and on their revolutionary claims ; but without losing sight of the fact that there are at the same time classes and positions opposed to anarchy. This action is taken on all paths of human activity, according to the means and views of each tendency. For this reason, the FAF admits :
Finally, if a tendency chooses engagement in a particular action, and if this action does not go against the basic ideas of anarchism, then the other tendencies, if they have not agreed to participate, will abstain in a friendly manner. Criticism of the action may be freely given after the event. Groups can give themselves the orientation of their choice : anarcho-syndicalism, communist-anarchist, neo-malthusian, anarcho-pacifist, and so on. They of course can cumulate all these tendencies. Regions may be formed, but only on the initiative of the groups which form that region. The Relations Committee can only make suggestions regarding this. |
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The relations committeeA coordination committee exists with the aim of spreading informations, suggestions, and proposals coming from individuals or groups. Comrades who make up the committee haven't more rights to present proposals, suggestions and informations than any other member of the federation. The only departure that can be made from this is in regard to initiatives touching on membership of a congress, cartel, committee (ie International Anarchist Congress, Free Force for Peace, etc). It goes without saying that, in these various organisms, the basis of our ideology must not be called into question and that our presence must be aimed at precise goals : opposition to war, efforts to save militants from death, protests against aggression towards the people… General SecretaryHis/Her role is to distribute mail and responsabilities among the different members, to watch over the harmony of the committee, to ensure that the congress takes place according to the decisions of the preceding one, by meetings at the appropriate times with the committee members. Internal Relationship SecretaryHis/Her role is to keep in touch with the various groups, to pass on letters from sympathisers in the regions who want to join up, to pass on interesting suggestions coming from a group or individual, to inform the entire movement of its possibilities of actions (such as speakers, their conference subjects and their movements possibilities), to spread propaganda about campaigns whose themes could be suggested by other militants or by himself/herself (groups disagreeing with the efficiency of the secretary always have the option of no participation), to develop the Federation Anarchiste wherever possible by the creation of newgroups and to present an appraisal at each congress of the progression, stagnation or decline of our organisation, by way of reports from groups. The secretary, during the formation of a group, will be in direct contact with it, either establishing it himself/herself or delegating to represent and account for him/her to a known comrade living in geographical proximity to the new group. These contacts, beside their human dimension, will constitute a measure of intellectual probity by the dialogue engaged in, on the part of the applicant group for the Federation Anarchiste such as on the part of the Federation Anarchiste for the applicant group. External Relationship SecretaryHis/Her role is to ensure friendly contacts with parallel sympathisers or even independent groups, and to make known to them our movement, our newspaper, in a word, to show them our daily work, to envisage common actions with them on precise objectives, by forming cartels, liaison committees or simply ongoing campaigns. Such an effort can enable us to distribute our publications at their demonstrations, flyposting our posters in their areas and locals, reproducting of our communiqués and articles in their papers, and indeed our participation in their meetings. It goes without saying that such results cannot be obtained without reciprocal action. International Relationship SecretaryHis/Her job is to maintain contacts with anarchist organisations abroad, in regard to everything concerning world events, anarchist actions, and how anarchists can inspire and spur these events. He/She informs comrades everywhere in the world about the situation and activities of anarchists around the world, rectifies information spread by official accounts in the press, and provides news for the international section of our newspaper, Le Monde libertaire. Financial SecretaryThe treasurer directly collects from groups and individuals belonging to the FA a minimum annual subscription (a fixed amount voluntarily slight enabling everybody to subscribe and generally to exceed this sum). With respect to group autonomy, the treasurer has no knowledge of names and adresses of members of each group, but only their number, the treasurer trusting the declaring group. The treasurer keeps track with the secretary of the Internal Bulletin, regarding the membership list (groups or individuals) for sending out the said bulletin (reserved only for members of the FA). The treasurer pays out postal charges, travel costs for committee members who attend congresses, membership of cartels, costs for printing posters, campaign running costs, and financial support to our newspaper. AdministrationAdministrators are nominated by the congress. Their role is to ensure the regular appearance of the newspaper, and to smooth running of the movement's amenities : Le Monde libertaire, the bookshop… Like all others responsibles nominated by congress, they can co-opt appointed or non-appointed militants to assist them in their tasks. Editorial CommitteeThe editorial committee has the function of ensuring the regular editorial production of Le Monde libertaire. All articles submitted to them are published, except when a committee member has a well-founded principle opposition. All refused articles are returned to the author with the reasons for its refusal. Nominated by and recallable to congress, the editorial committee members can co-opt in the course of mandate, with unanimous agreement, one or several comrades in case of resignation by one or more of its members. Radio libertaireLike other secretaries,
the secretary for Radio libertaire takes part in the relations committee.
History SecretaryNamed during the congress, the responsible secretary gathers and archives different documents (posters, pamphlets, leaflets, books, etc) concerning the anarchist movement generally and the FA in particular, with the aim of safeguarding our militant memory. To assure this task, the secretary can co-opt militants. Publication SecretaryHis/Her role is to contribute towards the publishing or republishing of important texts for anarchism and its propaganda. He/She must ensure the promotion and distribution of all publications made by "Les Éditions du Monde libertaire". Functioning of the Relations Committee The preceding information clearly indicates the interaction of different posts, notably the unceasing link between internal and external relations secretaries, in contact with the treasurer who determinates possibilities for the scope and period of actions to embark upon. The committee meets regularly, and when summoned by the General Secretary. Each secretary is responsible for his/her job, and consequently decides alone which measures to take concerning it. However, he/she cannot perform as much for practical reasons as moral ones, without having discussed it with everyone and without taking into account their objections or oppositions. Then, if the work is accomplished by a team, decisions in the last resorts are taken by each post holders, the only ones responsible to congress for these matters. Each secretary may co-opt a chosen commission to assist him/her and for which he/she is fully responsible. The internal bulletinThe internal bulletin, its contents and its financing are independent from the relations committee. The relations committee haven't any right to censorship or banning. It is open to all without the least censorship by those who are in charge of it. All articles have their place, except those which might be libellous. Any article refused by the editorial committee of Le Monde libertaire may appear here, mentioning the refusal. Finally, the relations committee may use it for its communiqués to groups, and to notify its actions and reports to the congress. The introductory paragraph (groups or individuals) must not exist in the bulletin. The management group of the bulletin must wait until the next issue to respond to articles, like other groups. Subscriptions to the bulletin : When the management group of the bulletin receives a request for subscription, it checks with the treasury if the requester belongs to the organisation. The same controls apply for memberships accross groups, in order that groups do not receive a higher number of bulletins than they have members, plus one for their archives. In case of resignations, the treasury informs the management group of individual or group resignations. Group secretaries will directly inform of resignations within their group to rectify the number of bulletins received. The publication of the bulletin is monthly (except when there are no articles). Except when impossible, the bulletin is produced in the provinces, as much to prevent overwork in the capital city as to ensure its autonomy. In case of the breakdown of the responsible group, the general secretary can provisionally co-opt another group to the task. The CongressOnly open to members of the FA (excepting invitations from the relations committee), organised by the group proposed and designed by the previous congress, in liaison with the general secretary, purposes of the congress are:
MembershipMembership of the FA bases on two conditions :
Any public calling into question of these principles comes by itself to broke contract between the complainant and the FA. Basic principles can only be added to or modified (after proposing texts submitted four months before congress) by the unanimous agreement of all, but without calling into question our concepts indicated in the preambule ; autonomy of groups and plurality of tendencies. All members of the FA have the right and not the obligation to join cultural, philosophical, trade-unionist, and pacifist organisations, and to the leisure activities of their choice, provided that they are compatible with anarchism. However, groups have the freedom on the organisational plan to lead common actions with these movements. Whover subscribes to this declaration may join the Fédération Anarchiste, either through a group or individually (by reason of distance from all groups, or simply because he/she prefers to remain alone). |
