Workers Solidarity Movement

Irish Platformist organisation, writing extensively on anarchist theory and history and publish the magazine Red and Black Revolution.

Left communism and its ideology - Oisin Mac Giollamoir

An introduction and critique by a member of the Irish Workers Solidarity Movement of left communism.

Introduction

Durruti, Buenaventura, 1896-1936

A biography of legendary Spanish anarchist and Civil War fighter Buenventura Durruti.

To reduce to a few hundred words the life story of an almost mythic figure is not an easy task. It can be said, without fear of exaggeration, that Buenventura Durruti symbolised in his person the courageous struggle of workers and peasants in that country, and more specifically symbolises the spirit of Spanish anarchism.

Goldman, Emma, 1869-1940

A short biography of legendary anarchist Emma Goldman, "one of the most dangerous women in America" according to J. Edgar Hoover.

Emma Goldman was born in 1869 in a Jewish ghetto in Russia where her family ran a small inn. When she was 13 the family moved to St Petersburg. It was just after the assassination of Alexander II and so was a time of political repression. The Jewish community suffered a wave of pogroms.

Bakunin, Mikhail, 1814-1876

The anarchist movement throws up many men and women, who become famous because of their actions, ideas and writings. Perhaps the best known of them all was the Russian anarchist, Mikhail Bakunin.

Mikhail Alexandrovich Bakunin
Born May 30, 1814 Pryamukhino, Russia – died June 13, 1876 Bern, Switzerland.

Michel, Louise, 1830-1905

A short biography of French anarchist, Paris Communard, and national hero at the time, Louise Michel.

Louise Michel was born on 29th May 1830. She was raised by her mother and paternal grandparents. Her love and understanding of everything downtrodden, human and animal alike, developed from her empathy with her childhood world. Her compassion and sensitivity to suffering grew, as she grew. This, along with her instinct to rebel against social inequalities, led her along the revolutionary path.

1916-1927: The execution of Sacco and Vanzetti

The story of two Italian-born anarchists, Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, framed for murder and then executed for their beliefs.

"Did you see what I did to those anarchist bastards?"
- Presiding Judge Webster Thayer

George Woodcock obituary, 1912-1995

An obituary of George Woodcock, Canadian anarchist and writer.

1993-1996: The Dublin fight against water charges

A short history of the successful direct action campaign of non-payment which prevented the imposition of charges for water in Dublin, Ireland.

Winning the water war

1976: The fight for useful work at Lucas Aerospace

History of how arms company workers struggled against closure and for a change in their work from weapons manufacture to socially useful production.

In the 1970s workers at the Lucas Aerospace Company in Britain set out to defeat the bosses plans to axe jobs. They produced their own alternative "Corporate Plan" for the company's future. In doing so they attacked some of the underlying priorities of capitalism.

Workers Solidarity Movement