In this (too) short essay, researcher Manon Him-Aquilli examines the horizontal organizational structures of anti-authoritarian assemblies, organizations, and collectives seeking to organize themselves politically by becoming (as much as possible) autonomous from power relations. Drawing on her field of expertise, linguistics, she explores, within the framework of mechanisms designed to reduce the effects of power-collectively approved agendas, organized speaking turns, etc.-"the existence of other avenues taken by language to bring about relations of authority."
In the first chapter, the author recounts a "brief history of the organization of French anarchist and autonomous movements" since 1864, divided into two parts: one before 1968 and the other from 1968 to the CPE (First Employment Contract). The first part, quite descriptive, might seem a little too brief and anecdotal given the vastness of the period and the fact that entire sections of this rich history are necessarily omitted. The second part deals with the post-1968 period, notably the emergence of a materialist feminist movement inventing specific modes of organization, on the one hand, and autonomous movements, on the other. These two movements share the common feature of making general assemblies (GAs) central political spaces: "GAs[began]to be explicitly named and discussed as the best way to experiment with political autonomy conceived as direct democracy." This section, dealing with the contemporary period and questioning the form of the general assembly, deserved more extensive development, particularly given the various experiences and movements overlooked, notably those of the 1980s and 1990s: anti-nuclear, anti-racist, anti-fascist, etc.
The second section deals more specifically with the "discursive positions" concerning general assemblies and the potential power dynamics that develop around accusations of authoritarianism leveled against each other by those who advocate for an explicit formalism framing general assemblies, on the one hand, and those who reject such mechanisms on the grounds that they hinder "political progress," on the other. These two "ideal-typical" figures, as sociologists would say, while illuminating opposing positions that are easy to visualize, only partially account for the diversity of spaces between these two positions. Collectives can move closer to one space or another depending on the circumstances and the moment.
In a third and final section, the author proposes to explain how speaking out in general assemblies can become implicit risks or power grabs, focusing on demonstrating "the linguistic dimension of power relations."
This essay, both exciting because of its subject matter and frustrating because of its brevity, has the advantage of being easy to read and can prove to be a useful tool for activist groups or collectives to collectively examine their relationship to the multiple expressions of power that manifest in our activist relationships, particularly through public speaking.
David (Friend of AL)
Manon Him-Aquilli, Speaking Out Without Taking Power: A History of Anti-Authoritarian Assemblies, Éditions du Commun, 2026, 100 pages, EUR10.
https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Lire-Manon-Him-Aquilli-Prendre-la-parole-sans-prendre-le-pouvoir-Une-histoire
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Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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