Peter Gelderloos – "Victoria" Anarchist Reading Circle

Peter Gelderloos – Chapter 5 ‘Crime’ from Anarchy Works

Feb 4: ‘Who will protect us without police?’

Posted on January 29, 2020 - January 29, 2020 by Creatrix

Peter Gelderloos

In a hierarchical society, whom do police protect? Who has more to fear from crime, and who has more to fear from police? In some communities, the police are like an occupying force; police and crime form the interlocking jaws of a trap that prevents people from escaping oppressive situations or rescuing their communities from violence, poverty, and fragmentation.

Our next reading is on alternatives to policing and community-based, self-organized ways to take care of our social needs and problems. Anarchists wish to create a society that can protect itself and resolve internal problems without police, judges, or prisons; a society that does not view its problems in terms of good and evil, permitted and prohibited, law-abiders and criminals.

We will discuss the common question asked of anarchists: ‘Yes, but who will protect us without police?’ that kicks off chapter 5, “Crime” from ‘Anarchy Works’, an excellent introduction to anarchism and response to many of the popular criticisms and reactions to the anarchist worldview, by Peter Gelderloos. Peter Gelderloos is an American anarchist and activist, and author of How Nonviolence Protects the State, Worshipping Power, Consensus, and Anarchy Works.

You can read the chapter online here:

https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/peter-gelderloos-anarchy-works#toc41

A PDF version of the reading is available for download at the top of the ‘Readings’ column, from the right-hand menu.

As usual, we will be meeting at 2620 Quadra Street, on unceded Lekwungen territory. Doors will be open at 6:50pm, and discussion starts at 7pm.

Next Meeting Dec 4th | Reading ‘Fragments’ from David Greaber

Posted on November 24, 2018 - November 24, 2018 by Creatrix

Overview: As always, our next meeting at Camas Books (2620 Quadra). It’s at 7pm on December 4th, 2018. We are reading David Greaber’s Fragments of an Anarchist Anthropology, pages 38-53. A .pdf of the text can be found on the right hand side of our website. Details: Our last meeting brought out the really big questions most people ask of anarchism: 1. “What does/how would an anarchist society look like?” In other words, “how does anarchism work?” So we decided to look at sections of David Greaber’s Fragments of an Anarchist Anthropology. We are beginning with the section called “Blowing up Walls,” which features Greaber’s theoretical conversation between an anarchist and a skeptic. It starts on page 38 and then the topic shifts to a discussion of revolution, and modernity, so please continue reading to page 53. If you wish to get into anthropological examples of anarchism, you may optionally decide to read the rest of the chapter. Hopefully, we will see you at the circle!

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