Draft talk:Revolutionary Confederation of Anarcho-Syndicalists

Draft improvements

In the process of attempting to improve this draft, I have removed a lot of text that is unsourced and I haven't been able to verify. For posterity, I'm copying the text here, feel free to reinstate it with reliable sources. --Grnrchst (talk) 09:16, 9 November 2022 (UTC)

Extended content

In addition to the newspaper Anarchy, the RKAS began publishing the internal information-analytical bulletin Anarcho-Syndicalist in Russian and English, which was published from 1994 to 2002, and an information leaflet for the workers of Golos Truda, published by the RKAS Information Agency of the Labor Movement (distributed only in Donetsk in 1995–1996). Later, the list of publications was supplemented by the magazine "Rising Ukraine", and a number of publications of international sections: "Anarchy" in Georgian, "Black Rose" in Russian-Hebrew. Unlike the other anarchist organizations in Ukraine at the time, the RKAS had a clear structure, introduced the practice of division of labor within the organization, resolved issues of internal discipline. Its principles were based on the popularly formulated provisions of revolutionary anarcho-communism, class struggle, with a focus on syndicalism. The charter of the RKAS was adopted when the Confederation was formed in 1994. The program, in turn, was approved after lengthy discussions in a general referendum in late 1998. At the end of 1994 and the beginning of 1996, they participated in propaganda raids on enterprises in Donetsk and other cities of Donbass and also in a three-month hunger strike of miners in Horlivka. Representatives of the RKAS participated in trade union activists' meetings since 1996, and anarcho-syndicalist newspapers and leaflets were distributed with the direct assistance of the Pitmen's grassroots unions. In 1999, due to the downturn in the labor movement, the RKAS focused its efforts on organizing a youth anarcho-syndicalist movement. Young people joined the organization, who, in addition to promoting anarchism at enterprises, which had become traditional for the RKAS, organized new areas of cultural, political and militant activities. So RKAS created an anarchic rock band "Movement of Resistance" around which a revolutionary rock front was formed consisting of young musicians, poets and music groups. RKAS held a number of anarchist rock festivals: "Memory of Makhno" (1999), "Rock against the War in Chechnya" (2000), "Anarchic Rock Revolution" (2001) and others. The RKAS Cultural Youth Front became a means for promoting anarchist ideas and mobilizing young people into the organization. The RKAS saw the anti-fascist struggle not only in street clashes with the right, but also in the broad involvement of public opinion and those interested in resisting the neo-Nazis. So RKAS leaflets and brochures were distributed in Donetsk, Dnepropetrovsk, Kyiv and other cities. To work with the population, the RKAS registered a public organization, through which it conducted the legal part of the work. The culmination of this activity was the first open public anti-fascist action "Let there be no fascist music in our city!" which was widely covered by the media. The action was timed to the anniversary of the Nazi invasion on June 22, 2001. Thus, the RKAS can be considered the first anti-fascist organization in independent Ukraine. RKAS delegations actively participated in international conferences held in Russia, Ukraine, France, and Germany. Thanks to international contacts and friendly solidarity, the RKAS was able to conduct a number of joint tours to share experiences with anarcho-syndicalist and anti-fascist groups in Germany, to participate in a number of international trade union conferences and congresses. RKAS activists together with comrades from Europe organized actions to help victims of the war in Chechnya.