(en) Aotearoa, 100 years of anarchism in New Zealand celebrated today

100 years ago today, the Freedom Group was formed in Wellington, New Zealand.----A Jewish 
tailor and fox terrier owner; a Wellington carpenter and staunch family-man?not your 
typical anarchist-cum-bomber stereotypes. Yet one hundred years ago today, Philip Josephs 
and Carl Mumme were two founding members of the Freedom Group?one of New Zealand's first 
anarchist collectives. ---- "Although the image of a cloak-and-dagger figure dressed in 
black springs to mind" notes Jared Davidson, author of Sewing Freedom: Philip Josephs, 
Transnationalism & Early New Zealand Anarchism, "anarchists such as Josephs and Mumme were 
everyday people. They were active in their trade unions, on the street corners, and in 
their communities." What set them apart, says Davidson, was "their critique of coercive 
relations, wage slavery, and a vision of a more equitable and humane world."

The Freedom Group was formed on 9 July 1913 at Philip Josephs' tailor shop, on the first 
floor of 4 Willis Street, Wellington. ?A matter that should have an effect in clearing the 
somewhat misty atmosphere in this city is the movement to form an Anarchist Group in 
Wellington,? wrote the radical labour newspaper, the Maoriland Worker, ?for it will 
provide those who accept the Anarchist philosophy with the place where they belong? we 
understand that this will be the first Anarchist group formed in the history of New Zealand.?

Little material exists on the Freedom Group and its members, but as Davidson argues, "the 
emergence of the Freedom Group in 1913 signified a real advance in New Zealand anarchist 
praxis." As well as importing popular pamphlets from the around the globe, the Freedom 
Group held regular discussion nights on a range of radical topics.

"So popular were these talks" writes Davidson, "they were soon moved from Willis Street to 
the larger Socialist Hall at Manners Street."

On one night in September 1913, 120 people attended an anarchist social event the likes of 
which had never been seen in New Zealand. Billed in the ?form of an Anarchist-Communist 
society, where one is equal to another, where no criminals, no officials, and no authority 
exists,? attendees could enjoy short speeches, readings of prominent authors, recitations 
and musical entertainment, ?enjoying for at least one evening the benefits of a perfectly 
free society.?

Freedom Group co-founder Josephs was also involved in the Great Strike of 1913?another 
centennial marked this year?by expressing "his views publicly from a platform in the 
vicinity of the Queen?s wharf.? Rumour has it that the Freedom Group also engaged in 
running scraps with special constables during the strike.

Josephs had been in constant contact with notable international figures such as Emma 
Goldman since 1904. Later, during the First World War, it was letters to Goldman and the 
distribution of anti-war literature that saw the home and office of Josephs raided by Police.

Carl Mumme, a German naturalised in 1896, also felt the wrath of the National Coalition 
Government. In May 1916 he was taken from his workplace and interned on Somes Island due 
to his anti-militarist views. The ex-Freedom Group speaker was finally released back to 
his wife and five children in October 1919?11 months after the war had ended.

According to Davidson, this and other anarchist activity shows that "the activism of 
Josephs and others like him, whether from the soapbox or through the mailbox, played a key 
role in the establishment of a distinct anarchist identity and culture in New Zealand and 
abroad?a culture that emerged and enveloped simultaneously around the globe." Not only did 
anarchist exist in New Zealand; they were a part of some of our most tumultuous industrial 
disputes, and conveyed a uniquely radical message to workers across the country.

"At the very least, the Freedom Group was obviously a visible and vibrant feature of 
Wellington?s working class counter-culture, and the facilitator of thought-provoking 
(maybe even politically changing) conversation."

The Freedom Group's struggle for social change?for a society based on people before 
profit?linked New Zealand to the global anarchist movement of the day. It also signaled 
the first of many anarchist collectives to play a vibrant part in the history of the New 
Zealand left.

http://sewingfreedom.org