"Our Being is Becoming, not stasis. Our Science is Utopia, our Reality is Eros, our Desire is Revolution"

Last week Murray Bookchin died.  Bookchin's work fills a good portion of our library and his disappearance from this world is a profound loss.

Bookchin was a prolific author and perhaps the most distinguished American anarchist theorist.  His introduction of social ecology into the philosophical landscape and political language will probably be his most lasting legacy.  We think Bookchin might appreciate our suggestion that he was the great Oracle of American anarchism.

Beyond his social theory, Bookchin was also a stellar historian, writing extensively about the rise of socialist-libertarianism in Spain throughout the 19th and 20th centuries before Franco's extermination.

For those unfamiliar with his writing we recommend an interview he gave to Harbinger.  And an informative tribute.

We noticed that the best compliment that the religiously capitalist libertarians at Reason Magazine could pay to Bookchin was to compare him to fucking Murray Rothbard!  We created a bit of a stir with Rothbard disciples when we mocked President Bush's solutions for post-Katrina New Orleans as more a tribute to Rothbard's chaotic capitalism than FDR statesmanship.  It's not that we don't appreciate Rothbard's contribution to libertarian thought and anti-authoritarianism, but ultimately the irrational faith which his brand of chaotic capitalism demands warrants the prefix "fucking" before every mention of his name (at least on this blog).  There are far worse people than Rothbard to be paired with, but the Bookchin/Rothbard comparison possibly maligns Bookchin's contributions.

The differences between left anarchists and right libertarians might seem trivial to those who share little with either, but to us lefties those differences are probably irreconcilable.  Bookchin didn't always think so; he may have even seen those right libertarians as possible allies in the struggle against the state.  Sadly, we aren't so optimistic.

Comments

[Tim]

Hi,

Re Murray Bookchin passing away.

I run the websites:
http://www.bluegreenearth.com
http://www.europeansocialecologyinstitute.org

The latest issue of blue (BlueGreenEarth Vol.5 #11 - August 20th 2006) has run two Bookchin pieces

Whither Bookchin? - Obituary, by Tim Barton
Obituary, by Rob Allen (for Freedom Anarchist Fortnightly)

We also republished our review of Re-Enchanting Humanity

In the previous issue we had run a reprint of our Local-Global Organising feature from November 2005's Lancaster University KnowledgeLab (UK), at which I gave a Social Ecology related seminar.

Our Institute is still in its early stages, despite plans over 15 years ago to get it running, However, in the last few months things have begun to forge ahead and in 2007 we hope to have several courses available. These may be in Hastings, Ipswich, or Cork, and we hope offer them further afield over the next few years.

I hope this is of interest to you. We too were very sad to hear of Murray's death, though aware it was kind of due.

Regards
Tim

PS I also run the blog:
http://socialecologyinstitute.blogspot.com

[Alex Peak]

I'm a free-market libertarian, but would never describe myself as a "right libertarian." I don't believe such a thing exists. I am very optimistic about working with mutualists and even libertarian socialists, for I think we have more in common with each other than with any other groups out there.