Free association, also known as free association of producers, is a relationship among individuals where there is no state, social class, hierarchy, or private ownership of means of production. Once private property is abolished (distinctly not personal property), individuals are no longer deprived of access to means of production, thus enabling them to freely associate without social constraint to produce and reproduce their own conditions of existence and fulfill their individual and creative needs and desires. The term is used by anarchists and Marxists and is often considered a defining feature of a fully developed communist society.
Anarchists argue that the free association must rise immediately in the struggle of the proletariat for a new society and against the ruling class. They promote a social revolution to immediately abolish the state, private property and classes. They identify the state as the main guarantor of private property through the repressive apparatus such as the police or courts, hence the abolition of the state is their main target. Regarding free association, there is a difference between collectivist anarchists and anarcho-communists. The collectivist anarchists (such as Mikhail Bakunin) argued that free association is to function as the maxim "From each according to his ability, to each according to his deeds". In contraposition, the anarcho-communists (such as Peter Kropotkin, Carlo Cafiero and Errico Malatesta) argue that free association should operate as the maxim "to each according to his needs". Anarcho-communists argue that remuneration according to work performed require that the individuals involved were subjected to a body above them to compare the various works in order to pay them and that this body would necessarily be a state or ruling class and could even bring back wage slavery, the very thing against which anarchists are fighting. They also argue that if any work is done, it is necessary and important that there is no quantitative aspect to comparate between them and that everything that is produced involves something essential to the contribution of all past and contemporary generations as a whole. There are no fair criteria to compare one work with another and measure it to give all individuals their share. For the anarcho-communists, free association is possible only through the abolition of money and the market, along with the abolition of the state.[1][2]
The anarchist concept of free association is often considered by critics to be utopian or too abstract to guide a transforming society.[3][4]
Marxismedit
The Marxiansocialists and communists generally differ from anarchists in claiming that there must be an intermediate stage between the capitalist society and free association. There is a general agreement among marxist trends that a state shall exist within this transition period, although its form and extent is debated.
Libertarian Marxists (such as Anton Pannekoek, Otto Rühle, Herman Gorter) generally claim that the state can not be directed towards the free association because it can only act within the frame of capitalist society itself, leading towards state capitalism (i.e. capitalism in which private property is owned and managed by the state) which would seek to remain indefinitely and never lead to free association. Most libertarian Marxists claim that free association can only be achieved through the direct action of workers themselves, who should create workers' councils which operate under direct democracy to take the means of production and abolish the capitalist state in a social revolution to replace it with a much more democratic state.[5][6][7] However, Luxemburgists are not opposed in principle to short-term participation within the state and expansion of public-ownership as long as the institution itself exists.[8]
Socialismedit
Socialists consider a free association the defining feature of developed socialism. A free association would displace the state apparatus in socialism as the role of this association would be to direct the processes of production and the administration of things. This is in contrast to the state in non-socialist and capitalist society, which is the government over people via coercive action.[9] The free association represents a coordinating entity for economic activity that is concerned with administrative decision-making and the flow of goods and services to satisfy demand.[10]
Literatureedit
Since anarchists, some libertarian Marxists (such as the Situationists) and other libertarian socialists consider free association as an immediate task for introduction and maintenance of stateless socialism, most theorists have gone into great detail about how it will operate. This is unlike most Bolsheviks, who tend to be more concerned with the transition than the final goal. Some of the most important works include:
The Thin Red Line: Non-market Socialism in the Twentieth Century (1987) by John Crump which offers an account of the ideas of several trends which considered important the free association.[16]
Quotationsedit
It follows from all we have been saying up till now that the communal relationship into which the individuals of a class entered, and which was determined by their common interests over against a third party, was always a community to which these individuals belonged only as average individuals, only insofar as they lived within the conditions of existence of their class — a relationship in which they participated not as individuals but as members of a class. With the community of revolutionary proletarians, on the other hand, who take their conditions of existence [...] under their control, it is just the reverse; it is as individuals that the individuals participate in it. [...]
Communism differs from all previous movements in that it overturns the basis of all earlier relations of production and intercourse, and for the first time consciously treats all natural premises as the creatures of hitherto existing men, strips them of their natural character and subjugates them to the power of the united individuals. Its organization is, therefore, essentially economic, the material production of the conditions of this unity; it turns existing conditions into conditions of unity. The reality, which communism is creating, is precisely the true basis for rendering it impossible that anything should exist independently of individuals, insofar as reality is only a product of the preceding intercourse of individuals themselves.
^Berkman, Alexander (1929). Now and After: The ABC of Communist Anarchism (PDF). New York: Vanguard Press.
^. Flag Blackened. Archived from the original on 6 February 1998. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
^"Anarchist response to being called utopian?". Anarchy 101. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
^Camp, John (1987). The Thin Red Line: Non-Market Socialism in the Twentieth Century 2019-06-26 at the Wayback Machine.
^Martin, François; Dauvé, Gilles (1974). Eclipse and Re-Emergence of the Communist Movement.
^"Council communism - an introduction | libcom.org". libcom.org. Retrieved 2024-02-13.
^Luxemburg, Rosa (1900). Reform or Revolution. Part II. Chapter VII: Co-operatives, Unions, Democracy.
^Engels, Friedrich (1880). Socialism: Utopian and Scientific. "The first act by virtue of which the State really constitutes itself the representative of the whole of society—the taking possession of the means of production in the name of society—this is, at the same time, its last independent act as a State. State interference in social relations becomes, in one domain after another, superfluous, and then dies out of itself; the government of persons is replaced by the administration of things, and by the conduct of processes of production. The State is not "abolished." It dies out".
^Déjacque, Joseph (1857). The Humanisphere: Anarchist Utopia (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2013.
^Kropotkin, Peter (1892). The Conquest of Bread. Retrieved 12 July 2013.
^Nieuwenhuis, Constant (1963). New Babylon (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2013.
^M., P. (1983). Bolo'bolo (in French). Retrieved 12 July 2013.
^M., P. (1983). Bolo'bolo 2009-01-06 at the Wayback Machine (in Portuguese). Retrieved 12 July 2013.
^Crump, John (1987). The Thin Red Line: Non-Market Socialism in the Twentieth Century 2019-06-26 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 12 July 2013.
January 01, 1970
free, association, producers, confused, with, syndicate, free, association, also, known, free, association, producers, relationship, among, individuals, where, there, state, social, class, hierarchy, private, ownership, means, production, once, private, proper. Not to be confused with Syndicate Free association also known as free association of producers is a relationship among individuals where there is no state social class hierarchy or private ownership of means of production Once private property is abolished distinctly not personal property individuals are no longer deprived of access to means of production thus enabling them to freely associate without social constraint to produce and reproduce their own conditions of existence and fulfill their individual and creative needs and desires The term is used by anarchists and Marxists and is often considered a defining feature of a fully developed communist society Contents 1 Anarchism 2 Marxism 3 Socialism 4 Literature 5 Quotations 6 See also 7 ReferencesAnarchism editAnarchists argue that the free association must rise immediately in the struggle of the proletariat for a new society and against the ruling class They promote a social revolution to immediately abolish the state private property and classes They identify the state as the main guarantor of private property through the repressive apparatus such as the police or courts hence the abolition of the state is their main target Regarding free association there is a difference between collectivist anarchists and anarcho communists The collectivist anarchists such as Mikhail Bakunin argued that free association is to function as the maxim From each according to his ability to each according to his deeds In contraposition the anarcho communists such as Peter Kropotkin Carlo Cafiero and Errico Malatesta argue that free association should operate as the maxim to each according to his needs Anarcho communists argue that remuneration according to work performed require that the individuals involved were subjected to a body above them to compare the various works in order to pay them and that this body would necessarily be a state or ruling class and could even bring back wage slavery the very thing against which anarchists are fighting They also argue that if any work is done it is necessary and important that there is no quantitative aspect to comparate between them and that everything that is produced involves something essential to the contribution of all past and contemporary generations as a whole There are no fair criteria to compare one work with another and measure it to give all individuals their share For the anarcho communists free association is possible only through the abolition of money and the market along with the abolition of the state 1 2 The anarchist concept of free association is often considered by critics to be utopian or too abstract to guide a transforming society 3 4 Marxism editThe Marxian socialists and communists generally differ from anarchists in claiming that there must be an intermediate stage between the capitalist society and free association There is a general agreement among marxist trends that a state shall exist within this transition period although its form and extent is debated Libertarian Marxists such as Anton Pannekoek Otto Ruhle Herman Gorter generally claim that the state can not be directed towards the free association because it can only act within the frame of capitalist society itself leading towards state capitalism i e capitalism in which private property is owned and managed by the state which would seek to remain indefinitely and never lead to free association Most libertarian Marxists claim that free association can only be achieved through the direct action of workers themselves who should create workers councils which operate under direct democracy to take the means of production and abolish the capitalist state in a social revolution to replace it with a much more democratic state 5 6 7 However Luxemburgists are not opposed in principle to short term participation within the state and expansion of public ownership as long as the institution itself exists 8 Socialism editSocialists consider a free association the defining feature of developed socialism A free association would displace the state apparatus in socialism as the role of this association would be to direct the processes of production and the administration of things This is in contrast to the state in non socialist and capitalist society which is the government over people via coercive action 9 The free association represents a coordinating entity for economic activity that is concerned with administrative decision making and the flow of goods and services to satisfy demand 10 Literature editSince anarchists some libertarian Marxists such as the Situationists and other libertarian socialists consider free association as an immediate task for introduction and maintenance of stateless socialism most theorists have gone into great detail about how it will operate This is unlike most Bolsheviks who tend to be more concerned with the transition than the final goal Some of the most important works include The Humanisphere Anarchist Utopia L Humanisphere Utopie anarchique 1857 by the libertarian communist Joseph Dejacque 11 The Conquest of Bread 1892 by anarcho communist Peter Kropotkin 12 New Babylon 1963 by Situationist Constant Nieuwenhuys 13 A World Without Money Communism 1975 1976 by the French group Friends of 4 Millions of Young Workers Bolo bolo 1983 by anarchist P M 14 15 The Thin Red Line Non market Socialism in the Twentieth Century 1987 by John Crump which offers an account of the ideas of several trends which considered important the free association 16 Quotations editIt follows from all we have been saying up till now that the communal relationship into which the individuals of a class entered and which was determined by their common interests over against a third party was always a community to which these individuals belonged only as average individuals only insofar as they lived within the conditions of existence of their class a relationship in which they participated not as individuals but as members of a class With the community of revolutionary proletarians on the other hand who take their conditions of existence under their control it is just the reverse it is as individuals that the individuals participate in it Communism differs from all previous movements in that it overturns the basis of all earlier relations of production and intercourse and for the first time consciously treats all natural premises as the creatures of hitherto existing men strips them of their natural character and subjugates them to the power of the united individuals Its organization is therefore essentially economic the material production of the conditions of this unity it turns existing conditions into conditions of unity The reality which communism is creating is precisely the true basis for rendering it impossible that anything should exist independently of individuals insofar as reality is only a product of the preceding intercourse of individuals themselves Karl Marx The German IdeologySee also edit nbsp Anarchism portal nbsp Communism portal nbsp Socialism portal nbsp Organized Labour portal nbsp Society portal Cooperative Economic freedom Freedom of association Self governance Workers self management Workplace democracyReferences edit Kropotkin Peter 1920 The Wages System Berkman Alexander 1929 Now and After The ABC of Communist Anarchism PDF New York Vanguard Press Misconceptions of Anarchism Flag Blackened Archived from the original on 6 February 1998 Retrieved August 30 2013 Anarchist response to being called utopian Anarchy 101 Retrieved 30 August 2013 Camp John 1987 The Thin Red Line Non Market Socialism in the Twentieth Century Archived 2019 06 26 at the Wayback Machine Martin Francois Dauve Gilles 1974 Eclipse and Re Emergence of the Communist Movement Council communism an introduction libcom org libcom org Retrieved 2024 02 13 Luxemburg Rosa 1900 Reform or Revolution Part II Chapter VII Co operatives Unions Democracy Engels Friedrich 1880 Socialism Utopian and Scientific The first act by virtue of which the State really constitutes itself the representative of the whole of society the taking possession of the means of production in the name of society this is at the same time its last independent act as a State State interference in social relations becomes in one domain after another superfluous and then dies out of itself the government of persons is replaced by the administration of things and by the conduct of processes of production The State is not abolished It dies out The Alternative to Capitalism Dejacque Joseph 1857 The Humanisphere Anarchist Utopia in French Retrieved 12 July 2013 Kropotkin Peter 1892 The Conquest of Bread Retrieved 12 July 2013 Nieuwenhuis Constant 1963 New Babylon in French Retrieved 12 July 2013 M P 1983 Bolo bolo in French Retrieved 12 July 2013 M P 1983 Bolo bolo Archived 2009 01 06 at the Wayback Machine in Portuguese Retrieved 12 July 2013 Crump John 1987 The Thin Red Line Non Market Socialism in the Twentieth Century Archived 2019 06 26 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 12 July 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Free association of producers amp oldid 1206747895, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
