freschne's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
ostrava's review against another edition
What is the relevancy of Anarcho-syndicalism?
This is not a rethorical question, I'm genuinely clueless.
The book itself was a great introduction to it, but a bit bloated in history that's irrelevant for the average reader. So... skip chapter 6.
I'm still not sure what I am, though I do seem to find modern anarchists like Graeber more useful by and large. Rocker had vision, but the working class as we know it has changed quite a lot, and I'm not sure if experience has proven to us that counterrevolutionary movements can be stopped through the anarchist social structure. Personally, I still have a lot to study and learn but the anarchist movement is sort of dead at the moment...and I usually define myself as a "democratic socialist" anyway.
Either way, I desire a democratic workplace as much as the next guy so... call me a syndicalist too if you want? I don't know.
But Rocker had some right ideas for his time.
This is not a rethorical question, I'm genuinely clueless.
The book itself was a great introduction to it, but a bit bloated in history that's irrelevant for the average reader. So... skip chapter 6.
I'm still not sure what I am, though I do seem to find modern anarchists like Graeber more useful by and large. Rocker had vision, but the working class as we know it has changed quite a lot, and I'm not sure if experience has proven to us that counterrevolutionary movements can be stopped through the anarchist social structure. Personally, I still have a lot to study and learn but the anarchist movement is sort of dead at the moment...and I usually define myself as a "democratic socialist" anyway.
Either way, I desire a democratic workplace as much as the next guy so... call me a syndicalist too if you want? I don't know.
But Rocker had some right ideas for his time.
vangluss's review against another edition
4.0
In this book, the history, practice, and theory of the most popular (I think?) and long-lasting school of anarchism is laid-out. The hilarious grandstanding tone typical of a lot of radical leftist literature has a special charm to it. Other than that, I liked the critique on socialism and communism by somebody who clearly understood the systems. I didn't know communism had a concept called the "dictatorship of the proletariat" before reading this. What a horrifying idea that is.
lord_tyronisis's review against another edition
2.0
This review will be very similar to my other reviews of Anarcho-Communist books I’ve read.
The author’s points about the State are very pertinent, his economic analysis is dreadful.
Rocker doesn’t define any of his terms. He uses the term “exploitation” quite a bit, yet I don’t know what he means by it.
Nowhere does he ever consider the role of the entrepreneur in creating businesses, like Marx to Rocker they are just parasites.
I quite enjoyed the critique of Marx and his intellectual progeny, yet Rocker still relies upon a Marxist framework for his analysis. The dialectics of history, “exploitation,” class consciousness, the state as an edifice on the superstructure. For someone who denounces Marxism, he appears to rely on it heavily.
I also found it quite humorous how much praise he heaped upon the Spanish anarchists, particularly when they were defeated so crushingly, largely thanks to the Communists.
The author’s points about the State are very pertinent, his economic analysis is dreadful.
Rocker doesn’t define any of his terms. He uses the term “exploitation” quite a bit, yet I don’t know what he means by it.
Nowhere does he ever consider the role of the entrepreneur in creating businesses, like Marx to Rocker they are just parasites.
I quite enjoyed the critique of Marx and his intellectual progeny, yet Rocker still relies upon a Marxist framework for his analysis. The dialectics of history, “exploitation,” class consciousness, the state as an edifice on the superstructure. For someone who denounces Marxism, he appears to rely on it heavily.
I also found it quite humorous how much praise he heaped upon the Spanish anarchists, particularly when they were defeated so crushingly, largely thanks to the Communists.
superiour_medium's review against another edition
informative
4.5
This book is one of the most interesting takes on political philosophy and history regarding the anarchist movement I have had the pleasure of reading. Rocker's statements about anarchist & socialist history have informed my theoretical background significantly, and I plan to recommend this book to anyone who is considering anarcho-syndicalism as a political school
fyodoralekseyev's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.75
I think Rocker spent a bit too much time simply listing the names of parties.
mlok's review against another edition
5.0
Sure, it might be dry as reviewers say, but it’s a useful historical primer. And the theory isn’t always abstract and poetic. Good book to start with.
jacobinreads's review against another edition
4.0
Compact, accessible, and clear- if somewhat dated. Worth reading for a quick introductory exposition of Anarchist methods, history, and strategy.
wolfiedude14's review
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Interesting.
It lacks some more concrete economic proposals I think, and contains within it quite a lot of misconceptions of Marxist ideas (such as a common misconception concerning the Dictatorship of the Proletariat) but overall as a history of the movement, and as a call to the workers to take political struggles into their own hands it's admirable.
Overall I can't knock it for not being incredibly rigorous considering it was essentially produced as a pamphlet, but it would have been nice to see slightly less rhetoric, more argumentation for what an anarcho-syndicalist society would look like.
It lacks some more concrete economic proposals I think, and contains within it quite a lot of misconceptions of Marxist ideas (such as a common misconception concerning the Dictatorship of the Proletariat) but overall as a history of the movement, and as a call to the workers to take political struggles into their own hands it's admirable.
Overall I can't knock it for not being incredibly rigorous considering it was essentially produced as a pamphlet, but it would have been nice to see slightly less rhetoric, more argumentation for what an anarcho-syndicalist society would look like.
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