Solidarity

The Solidarity group was a libertarian communist organisation that existed in Britain in the late 1960's and 1970's. At it's height* it had several regional/workplace papers but by the end it had declined to a handful of members and split into three groups. However many of the writings produced by the group continue to be influentional, in turn some of these are translations from the French group 'Socialism or Barbarism'.

I'm interested in detailed histories of this organisation from ex-members. Email me with them or any documents you may have available.

* The exact membership number Solidarity had is controversal, some have said thousands others believe it never had more then 60 people.

As we see it, published in 1967 was the first summary of the politics of Solidarity, in 1974 it was added to with 'As we don't see it'

Introduction to Theses On The Chinese Revolution (1974)
- Thesis on the Chinese Revolution (1967)
The Lordstown Struggle And the Real Crisis in Production (1973)
The Bolsheviks and Workers Control
Women in the Spanish revolution (1975)
Paris: May 1968 (1968)

You can print out this account as a PDF booklet The PDF version has been proofread more then the version on this web page

Histories of solidarity

Recollections of my time in Solidarity

From the IISG web page which includes a listing of Solidarity material the IISG hold

Originated in 1960 in London as a split off from the Socialist Labour League and first known as the Socialism Reaffirmed group; published a more or less regular journal, the first five issues of which were called Agitator; from the sixth issue on, the paper and group took the name Solidarity; in addition to the paper a great many pamphlets were published; deeply influenced by the French philosopher Cornelius Castoriadis (Paul Cardan), Solidarity rejected the economic determinism and elitism of much of the marxist left and was committed to a view of socialism based on self management, freedom and a radical transformation in all human relations; without the intention to appoint itself as another political leadership Solidarity supported those who were in conflict with the authoritarian structures of the 1960s; the paper and pamphlets appeared more or less regularly until the early 1980s; divided into three informal tendencies by 1979 Solidarity decided to a ballot on dissolution of the movement in 1981 after which one of these groups started the New Ultra-Left Review later renamed Intercom.

Other disbanded anarchist/libertarian groups