International of Anarchist Federations
Encyclopedia
The International of Anarchist Federations (IAF/IFA) was founded during an international anarchist conference in Carrara
in 1968 by the three existing European federations of France
, Italy
and Spain
as well as the Bulgaria
n federation in French exile. Other groups were also present in the formation of the IAF, such as the now defunct London Federation of Anarchists who took part in the preparation for the conference in 1968. According to Time
magazine, before the first IAF conference in Carrara could begin, firemen were called to check the venue for bombs. The Carrara congress was a response to a congress held in London from June to August 1958 which "recreated a certain dynamism and wish towards the organisational aspiration of international anarchism".
The IAF has since aimed to build and improve strong and active international anarchist structures. The federations associated with IAF believe that such an organisation is necessary to co-ordinate their international work and efficiently co-operate towards their mutual aims.
In order to further improve the quality of exchange and co-operation, IAF also keeps close contact with other anarchist organisations, such as the International Workers Association
(IWA), an international association of anarcho-syndicalist
organisations and unions. The IAF contains a large number of anarchist-communist
federations and individuals.
, free arrangement and Mutual Aid
, and as states in their preamble of their principles, the IAF fights for:
The IAF is committed to Direct Action
, Anti-Parliamentarism and an opposition to Reformism, both on a theoretical and a "practical point of view".
To improve co-ordination and communication within IAF, as well as to provide an open contact address for the public and other anarchist groups and organisations, an International Secretariat (Commission of Relations of the International of Anarchist Federations - referred to commonly as C.R.I.F.A.) was set up, CRIFA irregularly rotates among the IAF federations. It is currently based with the Federación Anarquista Ibérica
(Spain). Often, the different member Federations will work with one another on certain agreed issues and campaigns in order to be able to mount a joint worldwide effort to raise awareness and help combat that certain issue.
The different member Federations also produce their own publications, such as Le Monde libertaire in France and Belgium, and El Libertario in Argentina, however there was also an IAF magazine, Anarkiista Debato which produced an issue, however, due to lack of funds were unable to continue.
A number of reports have been written for the IAF, particularly on single issues such as the struggle between the village of Rossport
, the Corrib gas field
and Shell
in 2007. Members of the IAF often congregate at meetings of world leaders, such as Gleneagles in 2005.
There are currently organisations in Venezuela, as well as other groups (both formal and informal) and individuals around the world that the IAF is in contact, or holding discussions with.
Carrara
Carrara is a city and comune in the province of Massa-Carrara , notable for the white or blue-grey marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some west-northwest of Florence....
in 1968 by the three existing European federations of France
Anarchist Federation (France)
Fédération Anarchiste is an anarchist federation in France and Belgium. It is a member of the International of Anarchist Federations since its establishment in 1968.- History :...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
as well as the Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n federation in French exile. Other groups were also present in the formation of the IAF, such as the now defunct London Federation of Anarchists who took part in the preparation for the conference in 1968. According to Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine, before the first IAF conference in Carrara could begin, firemen were called to check the venue for bombs. The Carrara congress was a response to a congress held in London from June to August 1958 which "recreated a certain dynamism and wish towards the organisational aspiration of international anarchism".
The IAF has since aimed to build and improve strong and active international anarchist structures. The federations associated with IAF believe that such an organisation is necessary to co-ordinate their international work and efficiently co-operate towards their mutual aims.
In order to further improve the quality of exchange and co-operation, IAF also keeps close contact with other anarchist organisations, such as the International Workers Association
International Workers Association
The International Workers' Association is an international federation of anarcho-syndicalist labour unions and initiatives based primarily in Europe and Latin America....
(IWA), an international association of anarcho-syndicalist
Anarcho-syndicalism
Anarcho-syndicalism is a branch of anarchism which focuses on the labour movement. The word syndicalism comes from the French word syndicat which means trade union , from the Latin word syndicus which in turn comes from the Greek word σύνδικος which means caretaker of an issue...
organisations and unions. The IAF contains a large number of anarchist-communist
Anarchist communism
Anarchist communism is a theory of anarchism which advocates the abolition of the state, markets, money, private property, and capitalism in favor of common ownership of the means of production, direct democracy and a horizontal network of voluntary associations and workers' councils with...
federations and individuals.
Principles
The principles of work within IFA are that of FederalismFederalism
Federalism is a political concept in which a group of members are bound together by covenant with a governing representative head. The term "federalism" is also used to describe a system of the government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and...
, free arrangement and Mutual Aid
Mutualism (economic theory)
Mutualism is an anarchist school of thought that originates in the writings of Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, who envisioned a society where each person might possess a means of production, either individually or collectively, with trade representing equivalent amounts of labor in the free market...
, and as states in their preamble of their principles, the IAF fights for:
-
-
- 1) the abolition of all forms of authority whether economic, political, social, religious, cultural or sexual.
- 2) the construction of a free society, without classes or States or frontiers, founded on anarchist federalism and mutual aid.
-
The IAF is committed to Direct Action
Direct action
Direct action is activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social/political channels. This can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the direct action...
, Anti-Parliamentarism and an opposition to Reformism, both on a theoretical and a "practical point of view".
To improve co-ordination and communication within IAF, as well as to provide an open contact address for the public and other anarchist groups and organisations, an International Secretariat (Commission of Relations of the International of Anarchist Federations - referred to commonly as C.R.I.F.A.) was set up, CRIFA irregularly rotates among the IAF federations. It is currently based with the Federación Anarquista Ibérica
Federación Anarquista Ibérica
The Federación Anarquista Ibérica is a Spanish organization of anarchist militants active within affinity groups inside the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo trade union. It is often abbreviated as CNT-FAI because of the close relationship between the two organizations...
(Spain). Often, the different member Federations will work with one another on certain agreed issues and campaigns in order to be able to mount a joint worldwide effort to raise awareness and help combat that certain issue.
The different member Federations also produce their own publications, such as Le Monde libertaire in France and Belgium, and El Libertario in Argentina, however there was also an IAF magazine, Anarkiista Debato which produced an issue, however, due to lack of funds were unable to continue.
A number of reports have been written for the IAF, particularly on single issues such as the struggle between the village of Rossport
Rossport
Ros Dumhach is a Gaeltacht village and townland in northwest County Mayo, Ireland. It is within the barony of Erris and parish of Kilcommon...
, the Corrib gas field
Corrib Gas Field
The Corrib gas project entails the extraction of a natural gas deposit off the northwest coast of Ireland. The project includes a development of the Corrib gas field, and constructions of the natural gas pipeline and a gas processing plant. The project has attracted considerable...
and Shell
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
in 2007. Members of the IAF often congregate at meetings of world leaders, such as Gleneagles in 2005.
Member organisations
Note: Please keep in mind that the member Federations do not correspond to countries, as the first publication of Anarkiista Debato (the IAF's magazine) explains:-
-
- As Anarchists we do not recognise borders or states. The federations group together people who share either a common language (AFed, FAF, FdA...) or a similar culture (Iberian FAI, CSAF...) and often go beyond national limitations.
-
| Country | Name | Acronym | Publications | Site link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Argentina |
Argentine Libertarian Federation (Federacion Libertaria Argentina) | FLA | El Libertario | Website |
 Belarus |
Anarchist Federation of Belarus (Фэдэрацыі анархістаў Беларусі) | ФАБ / FAB | --- | Website |
 Bulgaria |
Federation of Anarchists in Bulgaria(Федерация на анархистите в България) | ФАБ / FAB | --- | Website |
  Czech Republic, Slovakia |
Czech-Slovak Anarchist Federation (Československá Anarchistická Federácia) | CSAF | A-kontra | Website |
  France, Belgium |
Anarchist Federation Anarchist Federation (France) Fédération Anarchiste is an anarchist federation in France and Belgium. It is a member of the International of Anarchist Federations since its establishment in 1968.- History :... (Fédération Anarchiste) |
FA / FAF | Le Monde libertaire | Website |
  Germany, German-speaking Switzerland |
Federation of German speaking Anarchists (Föderation Deutschsprachiger AnarchistInnen) | FdA | Gǎi Dào | Website |
 Italy |
Italian Anarchist Federation (Federazione Anarchica Italiana) | FAI | Umanità Nova Umanità Nova Umanità Nova is an Italian anarchist newspaper founded in 1920.It wa published daily until 1922, when it was shut down by the fascist regime. In some places its circulation exceeded that of the socialist paper Avanti!... |
Website |
  Spain, *Portugal |
Iberian Anarchist Federation (Federación Anarquista Ibérica) | FAI | Tierra y Libertad | Website |
  Britain, Ireland |
Anarchist Federation | AF / AFed | Organise! and Resistance | Website |
There are currently organisations in Venezuela, as well as other groups (both formal and informal) and individuals around the world that the IAF is in contact, or holding discussions with.
- Although the FAI is technically an Iberian organisation (in that it encompasses all the regions in the Iberian peninsulaIberian PeninsulaThe Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
), it does not contain members in Portugal or AndorraAndorraAndorra , officially the Principality of Andorra , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra, , is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe having an area of...
.
Other anarchist internationals
- Anarchist St. Imier InternationalAnarchist St. Imier InternationalThe Anarchist St. Imier International was an international anarchist organization formed in 1872 when the anarchist sections were expelled from the First International after the Hague Congress .The St...
(1872 - 1877) - International Anarchist Congress of AmsterdamInternational Anarchist Congress of AmsterdamThe International Anarchist Congress of Amsterdam took place from 24 August to 31 August 1907. It gathered delegates from 14 different countries, among which important figures of the anarchist movement, including Errico Malatesta, Luigi Fabbri, Benoît Broutchoux, Pierre Monatte, Amédée Dunois, Emma...
(1907) - International Workers AssociationInternational Workers AssociationThe International Workers' Association is an international federation of anarcho-syndicalist labour unions and initiatives based primarily in Europe and Latin America....
(1922 - ) - Black Bridge InternationalBlack Bridge InternationalBlack Bridge International is a "decentralized anarchist mutual aid network" set up to facilitate the sharing of resources and information.Like other anarchist organizations, Black Bridge rejects hierarchy and has no leaders...
(2001 - )