Albert Meltzer was a central figure in the development of the Kate Sharpley Library, both
practically (laying out and distributing the bulletin and pamphlets) and also
philosophically. His concern at seeing the history of anarchism rewritten to suit other
people?s agendas was part of the motivation for the founding of the Library. [1] It also
connected with the rest of his anarchism: class-conscious, committed to liberation from
below, sceptical of ?experts? and unafraid of criticising them. ---- His historical
writing, like all of his writing, was punchy, humorous and anecdotal. ?Our historical
judgement was criticised as based only on anecdotal history from veterans but knowing how
conventional history is concocted I doubt if it suffered from that.? [2] Albert wrote
anarchist history from his own experience and the accounts of comrades he knew.
He did not have the leisure (or the patience) to comb through archives. He also knew that
relying on published sources could write the people who made up the anarchist movement out
of history. To Albert, most academics had proven themselves incapable of understanding the
anarchist movement: ?Working-class theoreticians who express and formulate theories are
totally ignored as of no consequence: what they say is attributed to the next available
?Intellectual?.? [3] Albert was sceptical of both academic methodology: ??Research?? often
means looking up dated reference books, and passing it off as knowledge.? [4] and also
their motivation: ?Anarchism has become fair game for those eager to climb on the academic
gravy train?. [5]
History, and the writing of history, was deeply political to Albert. ?Many would like to
filch the history of the Anarchist movement.? [6] A shining example of this ? and the
?sectarian? riposte ? came in Black Flag?s response to Keith Paton?s ?Alternative
Liberalism : in search of ideological neighbours? suggesting Young Liberals adopt
?non-violent? anarchism. Paton wrote ??I?m not talking about the violent or destructive
currents of anarchism or the anarchism that tail-ends Marxism and is obsessed with
preventing the ?emasculation? (sic) of the revolution? We claim a long and largely
honourable tradition: e.g. it was we anarchists whom the Bolsheviks first attacked in
post-revolutionary Russia, April 1918; e.g. the social creativity of the anarchist
influenced workers and peasants in Spain in 1936-37, before snuffed out by the troops of
right and left; May '68 to some extent[?]? Black Flag responded ?Humbug! ?We anarchists?
whom the Bolsheviks attacked, ?we anarchists? who fought in Spain, and struggled ever
since ? what have ?we? to do with you? Or are you pretending that it was ?Peace News?
types that fought in Russia and Spain? What with, bunches of posies?? [7]
Albert pointed out the positive value of history ? and its contested nature ? in his
review of British syndicalism by Bob Holton: ?The histories of whole peoples were wiped
out for precisely the same reason that the history of the working class movement in recent
times is wiped out: it does not suit the conquerors for it to be known, because traditions
keep alive the spirit of revolt.? [8]
The study of anarchism has ballooned since Albert?s death. Much solid history has been
written and, importantly, published (not all of it by academics). Those of us who work on
the history of the anarchist movement ? a history from below if ever there was one ? will
keep digging. If we move on from Albert?s anecdotal approach to history, we would do well
not to forget his scepticism. It would be unfortunate to leave history (or theory) to the
?experts? only to find ourselves lamenting, like the ?uncontrollable? from the Iron
Column, ?maybe we have failed to make ourselves understood?. [9]
Notes
1, See ?The Kate Sharpley Library Then, Now and Next: An Interview with Barry Pateman?
KSL: Bulletin of the Kate Sharpley Library No. 63-64, October 2010
http://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/0vt50w
2, Describing Cuddon?s Cosmopolitan Review, in chapter 12, pages 182-3 of I couldn?t paint
golden angels (1996) http://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/ngf32q
3, Albert Meltzer ?Only a few intellectuals? Black Flag vol.3, no.19 page 7 (April 1975)
4, Albert Meltzer I couldn?t paint golden angels chapter 9, page 166
http://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/6djj4k
5, Albert Meltzer Anarchism: arguments for and against, 2nd edition (2000), page 18.
6, Albert Meltzer ?What is the anarchist movement?? Black Flag vol.7, no.7 page 36 (Autumn
1984)
7, Anonymous but probably Albert Meltzer ?Roon ?n? aboot : Keith Paton knew my father?
Black Flag vol.4, no.13 page 4 (1977)
8, Cienfuegos Press Anarchist Review no.2 page 16 (1977)
9, An uncontrollable from the Iron Column, ?The Iron Column, militarisation and the
revolutionary future of Spain? [AKA A day mournful and overcast] in Abel Paz The story of
the Iron Column (2011) page 188.
From KSL: Bulletin of the Kate Sharpley Library No. 76, October 2013
Link esterno: http://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/qz62j9
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