Class War
Encyclopedia
Class War is a UK
class struggle
based group and newspaper
originally set up by Ian Bone
and others in 1983. It subsequently mutated various forms, becoming specifically anarchist
.
Class War's skull logo was copied from the logo of the Welsh punk band the Soldier Dolls. The band gave their permission for Class War to use it, but it was copied by anarchist groups all over the world and is still in use.
, Wales
, developing from a group of community activists who produced a local paper called The Alarm, which focused on issues such as corruption within local government. Following a move to London, the London Autonomists
(including Martin Wright and Pete Mastin) soon became involved and a decision was made to produce a tabloid-style newspaper which would reach a wider audience, particular aimed at young anarchists, including followers of the anarcho-punk
band Crass
.
The articles in Class War, issued bi-monthly when its profile was at its highest, criticised pacifism and the Peace movement
, arguing the idea that violence is a necessary part of the class struggle
. This stance was further justified with the statement that "democratic systems are all supported on a basis of coercion sanctioned by the use of force", and "the ruling class are never more dangerous than when they are doing impressions of human beings".
Class War's attitude to violence was summed up in 'Britain's most unruly tabloid': "While not giving unqualified support to the IRA you don't have to be an Einstein to realise that a victory for the armed struggle in Ireland would be a crushing blow to the ruling class and to the authority of the British state." 1992 (Class War No.52).
The group maintained that the vast majority of people in Britain remained exploited by the ruling class and their official literature has long stated that about 75% of the country is working-class. Most other estimates put a much lower figure on the proportion (although it should be remembered that other estimates may not use the same definition of 'working class' as Class War).
Stand up and Spit was the title of another early Class War magazine, aimed at inner city
youth.
. It advocated active violence against the wealthy, and the paper used colloquial language and gallows humour. One early cover was of a cemetery, with the caption, "We have found new homes for the rich." Another in 1986 suggested that recently married royal couple TRH The Duke
and Duchess of York
were "Better Dead than Wed". This cover was reproduced as a poster, which was banned by the Ramsgate
Police. Anarchists were required to remove the posters they had put up on a McDonalds fast food
retail outlet and on the front of a W.H. Smith Bookstore. The flyposting of the poster in Durham
also resulted in three teenagers being arrested and (unsuccessfully) prosecuted under the Public Order Act 1936
.
Shortly after September 1984, a front cover showed a picture of The Prince
and Princess of Wales
with the new born Prince William under the headline, "Another Fucking Royal Parasite".
Class War also collaborated with anarchist band Conflict
in releasing a 'commemorative' royal wedding single of the same title. Much of the organisation's propaganda is intentionally provocative or illegal.
The paper also featured pictures of injured policemen, "Hospitalised Copper" appeared on page three of every edition (a nod to The Sun
s Page Three girl
s). Class War explained that their intent here was to show that people could "fight back" against the state rather than be "passive victims".
actions of 1983 and 1984, Class War organised a number of 'Bash The Rich' demonstrations, in which supporters were invited to march through and disrupt wealthier areas of London such as Kensington
, and Henley-on-Thames
(during the annual Regatta
), bearing banners and placards with slogans such as "Behold your future executioners!" (a phrase coined by the anarchist Lucy Parsons
).
A third 'Bash The Rich' event, scheduled to march through Hampstead
in 1985, was largely prevented by a heavy police presence, and was acknowledged by Class War to have been a failure. This event was seen by many as a major setback for the group, and many members left to form other groups or drifted away.
and Sarah Ferguson
and the front cover featured a picture of the royal couple kissing with the title of the single part covering the picture. The rear of the sleeve featured a picture of the changing of the guard overlaid with a black and white image of an inner city riot.
The single was released on the Mortarhate label and had the catalogue number MORT 000.
riding a horse bearing a striking resemblance to Camilla Parker-Bowles.
in 1986 and proposed that groups and individuals who produced and supported the paper should form "Class War" groups as part of a national federation with common 'aims and principles'.
A Class War Federation developed, gaining particular prominence in the anti-poll tax
movement of the late 80s and early 1990s. When Class War spokesman Andy Murphy praised those who had rioted in the Trafalgar Square
Poll Tax Riots
as "working class heroes", Class War gained wider media exposure (including a 'tea time' interview with Ian Bone on the Jonathan Ross
Show (see Poll Tax Riots
)). 1992 saw the publication of Unfinished Business - The Politics of Class War published jointly with AK Press
that set out where Class War came from, and where it wanted to go.
Frustrated at what he saw as "too much dead wood" in the organisation, key activist Tim Scargill left Class War in 1989 and now sings with punk band Sham 69, to be followed by founder Ian Bone.
Class War was then edited by Bristol Class War, and largely assisted by a group of activists from Leeds
who had been strongly critical of the "stuntism" of Bone and Scargill, Class War began to be perceived by many anarchists as moving in a more reformist political direction. However, riots and disturbances were still linked to the organisation by the British media, and in October 1994 the Class War leaflet Keep it Spikey distributed before a riot in Hyde Park
against the Criminal Justice Act
, returned the organisation to the front pages.
Class War voted to produce a special issue of the paper, the aim being to assess its history, role and direction, with a view to disbanding the organisation. This would be followed by a conference in London in 1997 to "reforge the revolutionary movement".
In March 1997, Class War formally split at its Nottingham
conference between those who would continue as Class War and those who wanted to disband the organisation. It was argued that the group that had rejected so much of the practice of the Revolutionary Left
, was now replicating it. The "quitters" went on to produce issue 73 of Class War - An open letter to the revolutionary movement.
The intended London conference eventually had to be abandoned, as London Class War had decided to carry on producing Class War.
, animal rights
(especially hunt saboteur
activities), cooperating with anti-fascists
and founders of Movement against the Monarchy
. Class War also supported libertine movements such as the sexual freedom coalition.
London Class War has been critical of leftist groups, such as the Socialist Workers Party (Britain)
, for their co-operation with groups perceived as reactionary, such as the Muslim Association of Britain
, and also for their alleged authoritarian tendencies.
London Class War was involved in many of the anti-capitalist demonstrations of recent years, including J18
.
By 2003, London Class War had an anarchist website
.
On November 3, 2007, Class War were involved in a 'Bash the Rich' event - marching on the home of the leader of the Conservative Party
- David Cameron
. Around 80-100 people turned out the event, which was heavily policed.
, and formed a group of that name, along with other left communists and class struggle
anarchists. The first NWBTCW group appeared in London
during the 1990-1991 Gulf War
. The group dissolved after the war stopped.
The second NWBTCW group appeared in London
during the 1999 Kosovo War
. This too dissolved after the war stopped. This group also included ex-members of Class War.
The third NWBTCW group appeared in London
following the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan
in October 2001. Efforts, particularly by the Communist Workers' Organisation
, to turn this into a network of groups across England failed. A split in the group which was characterised as between theory and practice lead to the 'actionists' leaving to attempt a copy of the Italian Disobedients, which eventually disbanded. The 'theorist' section transmuting itself into the No War But The Class War Discussion Group, which eventually also dissolved.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
class struggle
Class struggle
Class struggle is the active expression of a class conflict looked at from any kind of socialist perspective. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote "The [written] history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggle"....
based group and newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
originally set up by Ian Bone
Ian Bone
Ian Bone , is a prominent British anarchist and an active publisher of anarchist newspapers and tabloids, such as Class War and The Bristolian...
and others in 1983. It subsequently mutated various forms, becoming specifically anarchist
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
.
Class War's skull logo was copied from the logo of the Welsh punk band the Soldier Dolls. The band gave their permission for Class War to use it, but it was copied by anarchist groups all over the world and is still in use.
Origins and stance
The organisation had its origins in SwanseaSwansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, developing from a group of community activists who produced a local paper called The Alarm, which focused on issues such as corruption within local government. Following a move to London, the London Autonomists
London Autonomists
The London Autonomists were a London-based autonomist collective/ commune active in the 1980s. Among other things, they helped organise the Class War newspaper in 1983 and the Wapping Autonomy Centre in Wapping Wall which was active from August 1981 - March 1982. Participants included Martin...
(including Martin Wright and Pete Mastin) soon became involved and a decision was made to produce a tabloid-style newspaper which would reach a wider audience, particular aimed at young anarchists, including followers of the anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk is punk rock that promotes anarchism. The term anarcho-punk is sometimes applied exclusively to bands that were part of the original anarcho-punk movement in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
band Crass
Crass
Crass are an English punk rock band that was formed in 1977, which promoted anarchism as a political ideology, way of living, and as a resistance movement. Crass popularised the seminal anarcho-punk movement of the punk subculture, and advocated direct action, animal rights, and environmentalism...
.
The articles in Class War, issued bi-monthly when its profile was at its highest, criticised pacifism and the Peace movement
Peace movement
A peace movement is a social movement that seeks to achieve ideals such as the ending of a particular war , minimize inter-human violence in a particular place or type of situation, often linked to the goal of achieving world peace...
, arguing the idea that violence is a necessary part of the class struggle
Class struggle
Class struggle is the active expression of a class conflict looked at from any kind of socialist perspective. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote "The [written] history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggle"....
. This stance was further justified with the statement that "democratic systems are all supported on a basis of coercion sanctioned by the use of force", and "the ruling class are never more dangerous than when they are doing impressions of human beings".
Class War's attitude to violence was summed up in 'Britain's most unruly tabloid': "While not giving unqualified support to the IRA you don't have to be an Einstein to realise that a victory for the armed struggle in Ireland would be a crushing blow to the ruling class and to the authority of the British state." 1992 (Class War No.52).
The group maintained that the vast majority of people in Britain remained exploited by the ruling class and their official literature has long stated that about 75% of the country is working-class. Most other estimates put a much lower figure on the proportion (although it should be remembered that other estimates may not use the same definition of 'working class' as Class War).
Stand up and Spit was the title of another early Class War magazine, aimed at inner city
Inner city
The inner city is the central area of a major city or metropolis. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland, the term is often applied to the lower-income residential districts in the city centre and nearby areas...
youth.
Class War newspaper
The numerous titles released by Class War were eventually to be replaced by a national paper just called Class War. This paper declared that the enemy was not just a system-wide abstraction, but each and every person who belonged to the ruling classRuling class
The term ruling class refers to the social class of a given society that decides upon and sets that society's political policy - assuming there is one such particular class in the given society....
. It advocated active violence against the wealthy, and the paper used colloquial language and gallows humour. One early cover was of a cemetery, with the caption, "We have found new homes for the rich." Another in 1986 suggested that recently married royal couple TRH The Duke
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
and Duchess of York
Sarah, Duchess of York
Sarah, Duchess of York is a British charity patron, spokesperson, writer, film producer, television personality and former member of the British Royal Family. She is the former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, whom she married from 1986 to 1996...
were "Better Dead than Wed". This cover was reproduced as a poster, which was banned by the Ramsgate
Ramsgate
Ramsgate is a seaside town in the district of Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century and is a member of the ancient confederation of Cinque Ports. It has a population of around 40,000. Ramsgate's main attraction is its coastline and its main...
Police. Anarchists were required to remove the posters they had put up on a McDonalds fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
retail outlet and on the front of a W.H. Smith Bookstore. The flyposting of the poster in Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
also resulted in three teenagers being arrested and (unsuccessfully) prosecuted under the Public Order Act 1936
Public Order Act 1936
The Public Order Act 1936 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed to control extremist political movements in the 1930s such as the British Union of Fascists ....
.
Shortly after September 1984, a front cover showed a picture of The Prince
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
and Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
with the new born Prince William under the headline, "Another Fucking Royal Parasite".
Class War also collaborated with anarchist band Conflict
Conflict (band)
Conflict is an English anarcho-punk band originally based around Eltham in South London. Formed in 1981, the band's original line up consisted of: Colin Jerwood , Francisco 'Paco' Carreno , Big John , Steve , Pauline , Paul aka 'Nihilistic Nobody' . Their first release was the EP "The House That...
in releasing a 'commemorative' royal wedding single of the same title. Much of the organisation's propaganda is intentionally provocative or illegal.
The paper also featured pictures of injured policemen, "Hospitalised Copper" appeared on page three of every edition (a nod to The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
s Page Three girl
Page Three girl
Page Three is a tabloid newspaper feature consisting of a topless photograph of a female glamour model, usually printed on the paper's third page...
s). Class War explained that their intent here was to show that people could "fight back" against the state rather than be "passive victims".
"Bash the Rich" revels
Inspired by the Stop the CityStop the City
The Stop the City demonstrations of 1983 and 1984 were described as a 'Carnival Against War, Oppression and Destruction', in other words protests against the military-financial complex. These demonstrations can be seen as the forerunner of the anti-globalisation protests of the 1990s, especially...
actions of 1983 and 1984, Class War organised a number of 'Bash The Rich' demonstrations, in which supporters were invited to march through and disrupt wealthier areas of London such as Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
, and Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
(during the annual Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
), bearing banners and placards with slogans such as "Behold your future executioners!" (a phrase coined by the anarchist Lucy Parsons
Lucy Parsons
Lucy Eldine Gonzalez Parsons was an American labor organizer and radical socialist. She is remembered as a powerful orator.-Life:...
).
A third 'Bash The Rich' event, scheduled to march through Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
in 1985, was largely prevented by a heavy police presence, and was acknowledged by Class War to have been a failure. This event was seen by many as a major setback for the group, and many members left to form other groups or drifted away.
Record
In 1986, Class War released a 7" EP single entitled "Better Dead Than Wed". The single was released to coincide with the wedding of The Prince Andrew, Duke of YorkPrince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
and Sarah Ferguson
Sarah, Duchess of York
Sarah, Duchess of York is a British charity patron, spokesperson, writer, film producer, television personality and former member of the British Royal Family. She is the former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, whom she married from 1986 to 1996...
and the front cover featured a picture of the royal couple kissing with the title of the single part covering the picture. The rear of the sleeve featured a picture of the changing of the guard overlaid with a black and white image of an inner city riot.
The single was released on the Mortarhate label and had the catalogue number MORT 000.
Tracks
The EP contained three tracks, the first two on the A side, and the third on the B side.- Class War - Spoken word over a piano background.
- Better Dead Than Wed - A punk track about the royal wedding.
- Rap 'n' Durge - A powerful angry monologue over a funky backbeat featuring brass and bass. Rap 'n' Durge was about Class War's attitude to the Royal Family as a whole rather than just the Royal Wedding.
Run-out groove
The run out groove of the record has messages scratched in both the A and B sides:- A side: "EAT THE RICH!"
- B side: "July 23. You know what to do."
Insert
The single contained an insert giving Class War's stance on the wedding along with full contact details for regional Class War groups and the paper.2005 release
The title track has been updated and re-released as a free mp3 download available from the Mortarhate site This time the image is of The Prince of WalesCharles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
riding a horse bearing a striking resemblance to Camilla Parker-Bowles.
Class War Federation
A national conference was in held ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
in 1986 and proposed that groups and individuals who produced and supported the paper should form "Class War" groups as part of a national federation with common 'aims and principles'.
A Class War Federation developed, gaining particular prominence in the anti-poll tax
Community Charge
The Community Charge, popularly known as the "poll tax", was a system of taxation introduced in replacement of the rates to part fund local government in Scotland from 1989, and England and Wales from 1990. It provided for a single flat-rate per-capita tax on every adult, at a rate set by the...
movement of the late 80s and early 1990s. When Class War spokesman Andy Murphy praised those who had rioted in the Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
Poll Tax Riots
Poll Tax Riots
The UK Poll Tax Riots were a series of mass disturbances, or riots, in British towns and cities during protests against the Community Charge , introduced by the Conservative government led by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher...
as "working class heroes", Class War gained wider media exposure (including a 'tea time' interview with Ian Bone on the Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross (television presenter)
Jonathan Stephen Ross, OBE is an English television and radio presenter, best known for presenting the BBC One chat show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross from 2001 until he left the BBC in 2010. Ross began hosting a new chat show on ITV1 starting 3 September 2011...
Show (see Poll Tax Riots
Poll Tax Riots
The UK Poll Tax Riots were a series of mass disturbances, or riots, in British towns and cities during protests against the Community Charge , introduced by the Conservative government led by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher...
)). 1992 saw the publication of Unfinished Business - The Politics of Class War published jointly with AK Press
AK Press
AK Press is a worker-managed independent publisher and book distributor that specialises in radical left and anarchist literature. It is collectively owned and operated.-History:...
that set out where Class War came from, and where it wanted to go.
Frustrated at what he saw as "too much dead wood" in the organisation, key activist Tim Scargill left Class War in 1989 and now sings with punk band Sham 69, to be followed by founder Ian Bone.
Class War was then edited by Bristol Class War, and largely assisted by a group of activists from Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
who had been strongly critical of the "stuntism" of Bone and Scargill, Class War began to be perceived by many anarchists as moving in a more reformist political direction. However, riots and disturbances were still linked to the organisation by the British media, and in October 1994 the Class War leaflet Keep it Spikey distributed before a riot in Hyde Park
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
against the Criminal Justice Act
Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It introduced a number of changes to the existing law, most notably in the restriction and reduction of existing rights and in greater penalties for certain "anti-social" behaviours...
, returned the organisation to the front pages.
International influence
There were a number of groups in other countries inspired by Class War, all of whom appear to be defunct. Groups in Germany and the United States were formally linked with the British group and used the name Class War. Angry People was an occasional Australian magazine that appeared throughout the 1990s. A group in New Zealand also called Class War was active as recently as December 2005.Decline and split
By 1996, with membership falling, Class War members from Bristol and Leeds launched a "review process" to examine the direction the Federation should now take. This resulted in a rejection of Class War's perceived violent image. By summer 1996, Leeds Class War were stating that regardless of whatever the rest of the Federation chose to do, issue 73 of Class War would be the last edition they would be involved in.Class War voted to produce a special issue of the paper, the aim being to assess its history, role and direction, with a view to disbanding the organisation. This would be followed by a conference in London in 1997 to "reforge the revolutionary movement".
In March 1997, Class War formally split at its Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
conference between those who would continue as Class War and those who wanted to disband the organisation. It was argued that the group that had rejected so much of the practice of the Revolutionary Left
Revolutionary Left
Revolutionary Left may refer to:* Revolutionary Left * Revolutionary Left Movement * Revolutionary Left Movement * Revolutionary Left Movement * Revolutionary Left Movement...
, was now replicating it. The "quitters" went on to produce issue 73 of Class War - An open letter to the revolutionary movement.
The intended London conference eventually had to be abandoned, as London Class War had decided to carry on producing Class War.
London Class War
The newspaper continues to be produced by a new group of activists involved with Reclaim the StreetsReclaim the Streets
Reclaim The Streets is a collective with a shared ideal of community ownership of public spaces. Participants characterize the collective as a resistance movement opposed to the dominance of corporate forces in globalization, and to the car as the dominant mode of transport.-Protests:Reclaim The...
, animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
(especially hunt saboteur
Hunt saboteur
Hunt sabotage is the direct action that animal rights or animal welfare activists undertake to interfere with hunting activity.Anti-hunting campaigners are divided into those who believe in direct intervention and those who watch the hunt to monitor for cruelty and report violations of animal...
activities), cooperating with anti-fascists
Anti-fascism
Anti-fascism is the opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals, such as that of the resistance movements during World War II. The related term antifa derives from Antifaschismus, which is German for anti-fascism; it refers to individuals and groups on the left of the political...
and founders of Movement against the Monarchy
Movement Against the Monarchy
The Movement Against the Monarchy, abbreviated and commonly referred to simply as MAM, is a UK-based anarchist organisation that frequently engages in protests against the British monarchy...
. Class War also supported libertine movements such as the sexual freedom coalition.
London Class War has been critical of leftist groups, such as the Socialist Workers Party (Britain)
Socialist Workers Party (Britain)
The Socialist Workers Party is a far left party in Britain founded by Tony Cliff. The SWP's student section has groups at a number of universities...
, for their co-operation with groups perceived as reactionary, such as the Muslim Association of Britain
Muslim Association of Britain
The Muslim Association of Britain is an Islamic organisation in the United Kingdom established in 1997.-Anti-war activities:Along with Stop the War Coalition and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, it has co-sponsored various demonstrations against the 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq...
, and also for their alleged authoritarian tendencies.
London Class War was involved in many of the anti-capitalist demonstrations of recent years, including J18
Carnival Against Capitalism
The Global Carnival Against Capital took place on Friday, 18th June, 1999. It was an international day of protest timed to coincide with the 25th G8 Summit in Cologne, Germany. The carnival was inspired by the 1980s Stop the City protests and the Global Street Party, which happened at the same time...
.
By 2003, London Class War had an anarchist website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
.
On November 3, 2007, Class War were involved in a 'Bash the Rich' event - marching on the home of the leader of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
- David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
. Around 80-100 people turned out the event, which was heavily policed.
"No War But The Class War"
During the 1990s many Class War activists took up the slogan No War But The Class WarNo War But The Class War
No War But The Class War has been used as a slogan expressing opposition to capitalism, used by both anarchist and communist groups. It is also the name for a number of anti-authoritarian, anti-capitalist groups.-Group names:...
, and formed a group of that name, along with other left communists and class struggle
Class struggle
Class struggle is the active expression of a class conflict looked at from any kind of socialist perspective. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote "The [written] history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggle"....
anarchists. The first NWBTCW group appeared in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
during the 1990-1991 Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. The group dissolved after the war stopped.
The second NWBTCW group appeared in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
during the 1999 Kosovo War
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
. This too dissolved after the war stopped. This group also included ex-members of Class War.
The third NWBTCW group appeared in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
following the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
in October 2001. Efforts, particularly by the Communist Workers' Organisation
Communist Workers Organisation (UK)
The Communist Workers Organisation is a British left communist group and an affiliate of the Internationalist Communist Tendency, formerly the International Bureau for the Revolutionary Party...
, to turn this into a network of groups across England failed. A split in the group which was characterised as between theory and practice lead to the 'actionists' leaving to attempt a copy of the Italian Disobedients, which eventually disbanded. The 'theorist' section transmuting itself into the No War But The Class War Discussion Group, which eventually also dissolved.
External links
- Class War Federation (new website)
- Death of a Paper Tiger - Reflections on Class War - anarchism comment and criticism of Class War
- Class War text archive - Repository of articles and texts by and about Class War and the Class War Federation in libcom.org library
- The Poll Tax Revolt A Class War documetary on the Poll Tax Rebellion
- Ian Bone's Blog