The impact of Orwell's "Homage to Catalonia" on Noam Chomsky's path to anarchism
Debate over George Orwell’s influence on Noam Chomsky quickly broadens into a primer on anarchism: what it is, how it differs from “everyone for themselves,” and whether non‑hierarchical structures can function beyond small groups. Commenters contrast Chomsky’s stated anarcho‑syndicalist ideals with his positions on issues like COVID and foreign policy, and use the Spanish Civil War, Soviet communism and fascism as case studies in how revolutionary and anti‑authoritarian projects succeed, fail, or are crushed by more centralized powers.
Scope of Anarchism and Its Definitions
- Commenters note there is no single agreed definition; “anarchism” is used so variably it borders on meaningless.
- Common threads offered: rejection of unjustified hierarchy; mutual aid; horizontal, voluntary cooperation; skepticism of both state and corporate power.
- Disputes arise over whether focusing on voluntary transactions leads to anarcho‑capitalism, how to treat private property, and whether anarchist communities could choose capitalist arrangements.
Practicality, Scale, and Historical Examples
- Critics argue anarchist structures work only in small groups, otherwise devolving into warlords, tribalism, or feudal city‑state dynamics.
- Supporters cite episodes in Spain, Indigenous/Zapatista zones, worker co‑ops, some online communities, and 12‑step groups as partial counterexamples.
- One side says Spain “worked” until crushed by major powers; the other replies that being easily crushed is itself evidence of unworkability in a hostile world.
- External predation and propaganda by centralized states are seen as key obstacles to any lasting large‑scale anarchism.
Authority, Democracy, and Worker Control
- A recurring principle: authority bears the burden of justification; unjustified authority should be dismantled.
- Many apply this primarily to corporations, described as unaccountable private dictatorships; they advocate worker‑run enterprises and stronger direct democracy (sometimes via digital “instant recall”).
- Others object that dismantling corporate power would itself require coercion and could breed new authoritarianism.
- There is a sharp debate over whether “choosing” to work under a boss is meaningful freedom or analogous to choosing slavery.
Terminology, Public Reception, and Strategy
- “Anarchism” is seen as rhetorically toxic; alternatives like “libertarian socialism,” “syndicalism,” or “social anarchism” are proposed but considered only partially helpful.
- Some argue that any movement whose goal is to reduce its own power is structurally disadvantaged against openly power‑seeking ideologies.
The Thinker, COVID, and Foreign Policy
- Several commenters admire the linguist’s work on media bias and US foreign policy.
- Others question his anarchist credentials, citing remarks on isolating the unvaccinated and perceived double standards toward communist vs Western crimes (Cambodia, Ukraine).
- Defenders reply that he consistently prioritizes criticizing his own state’s abuses and has explicitly condemned atrocities by non‑Western regimes.
Spanish Civil War, the Memoir, and Antifascism
- The book is valued as an eyewitness account of factional complexity and small‑scale humanity more than as pure theory.
- Disagreement over whether revolutionary left groups in Spain heroically pursued egalitarianism or disastrously undermined the anti‑fascist war effort.
- Extended side‑debate compares the historical harms of fascism vs communism, with no consensus.