Hey y’all!

This is the megathread for the reading group of the book An Anarchist FAQ. Here I will be updating the post body with links to each new post of the reading group. Keep an eye on it as everytime a new post is made progressing further into the book, a link should be added here. Also the title will be updated each week, to denote the week we're in.

Links to An Anarchist FAQ reading posts:

• Section H - Why do anarchists oppose state socialism?

  • Sections H.0-H.1: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/75382969
    • H.0 Introduction
    • H.1 Have anarchists always opposed state socialism?

• Section G - Is individualist anarchism capitalistic?

  • Section G.7: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/75024604
    • G.7 Lysander Spooner: right-"libertarian" or libertarian socialist?
  • Sections G.5-G.6: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/74714799
    • G.5 Benjamin Tucker: capitalist or anarchist?
    • G.6 What are the ideas of Max Stirner?
  • Section G.4: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/74384308
    • G.4 Why do social anarchists reject individualist anarchism?
  • Section G.3: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/74008481
    • G.3 Is "anarcho"-capitalism a new form of individualist anarchism?
  • Section G.2: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/73642091
    • G.2 Why do individualist anarchists reject social anarchism?
  • Sections G.0-G.1: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/72887340
    • G.0 Introduction
    • G.1 Are individualist anarchists anti-capitalist?

• Introduction to Volume 2

  • Introduction to Volume 2: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/72498304

• Appendix: The Symbols of Anarchy

  • Appendix: The Symbols of Anarchy: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/72115433
    • 1 What is the history of the Black Flag?
    • 2 Why the red-and-black flag?
    • 3 Where does the circled A come from?

• Section F - Is "anarcho"-capitalism a type of anarchism?

  • Section F.8: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/71344207
    • F.8 What role did the state take in the creation of capitalism?
  • Sections F.6-F.7: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/70907037
    • F.6 Is "anarcho"-capitalism against the state?
    • F.7 How does the history of "anarcho"-capitalism show that it is not anarchist?
  • Sections F.4-F.5: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/70534477
    • F.4 What is the right-"libertarian" position on private property?
    • F.5 Will privatising "the commons" increase liberty?
  • Section F.3: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/70151192
    • F.3 Why do anarcho"-capitalists place little or no value on equality?
  • Section F.2: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/69761059
    • F.2 What do "anarcho"-capitalists mean by freedom?
  • Sections F.0-F.1: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/69364903
    • F.0 Introduction
    • F.1 Are "anarcho"-capitalists really anarchists?

• Section E - What do anarchists think causes ecological problems?

  • Sections E.5-E.6: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/68964218
    • E.5 Can ethical consumerism stop the ecological crisis?
    • E.6 What is the population myth?
  • Section E.4: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/68163491
    • E.4 Can laissez-faire capitalism protect the environment?
  • Section E.3: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/67779279
    • E.3 Can private property rights protect the environment?
  • Section E.2: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/68538332
    • E.2 What do eco-anarchists propose instead of capitalism?
  • Sections E.0-E.1: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/67379167
    • E.0: Introduction
    • E.1: What are the root causes of our ecological problems?

• Section D - How do statism and capitalism affect society?

  • Sections D.10-D.11: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/66964149
    • D.10 How does capitalism affect technology?
    • D.11 Can politics and economics be separated from each other?
  • Sections D.6-D.9: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/66565265
    • D.6 Are anarchists against Nationalism?
    • D.7 Are anarchists opposed to National Liberation struggles?
    • D.8 What causes militarism and what are its effects?
    • D.9 Why does political power become concentrated under capitalism?
  • Section D.5: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/66169004
    • D.5 What causes imperialism?
  • Sections D.3-D.4: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/65766753
    • D.3 How does wealth influence the mass media?
    • D.4 What is the relationship between capitalism and the ecological crisis?
  • Section D.2: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/65370352
    • D.2 What influence does wealth have over politics?
  • Sections D.0-D.1: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/64962024
    • D.0 Introduction
    • D.1 Why does state intervention occur?

• Section C - What are the myths of capitalist economics?

  • Section C.12: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/64574574
    • C.12 Doesn't Hong Kong show the potentials of "free market" capitalism?
  • Section C.11: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/64183077
    • C.11 Doesn't neo-liberalism in Chile prove that the free market benefits everyone?
  • Section C.10: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/63776701
    • C.10 Is "free market" capitalism the best way to reduce poverty?
  • Section C.9: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/62818331
    • C.9 Would laissez-faire policies reduce unemployment, as supporters of "free market" capitalism claim?
  • Section C.8: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/61828798
    • C.8 Is state control of money the cause of the business cycle?
  • Section C.7: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/61353662
    • C.7 What causes the capitalist business cycle?
  • Sections C.5-C-6: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/60908463
    • C.5 Why does Big Business get a bigger slice of profits?
    • C.6 Can market dominance by Big Business change?
  • Section C.4: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/59995450
    • C.4 Why does the market become dominated by Big Business?
  • Section C.3: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/59538729
    • C.3 What determines the distribution between labour and capital?
  • Section C.2: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/57667336
    • C.2 Why is capitalism exploitative?
  • Section C.1: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/55777470
    • C.1 What is wrong with economics?
  • Section C.0: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/55295947
    • C.0 Introduction

• Section B - Why do anarchists oppose the current system?

  • Sections B.4-B.7: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/54809617
    • B.4 What classes exist within modern society?
    • B.5 But won't decisions made by individuals with their own money be the best?
    • B.6 Is capitalism empowering and based on human action?
    • B.7 How does capitalism affect liberty?
  • Sections B.3: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/54312979
    • B.3 Why are anarchists against private property?
  • Section B.2: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/53715581
    • B.2 Why are anarchists against the state?
  • Sections B.0-B.1: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/53206006
    • B.0 Introduction
    • B.1 Why are anarchists against authority and hierarchy?

• Section A - What is Anarchism?

  • Sections A.4-A.5: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/52709377
    • A.4 Who are the major anarchist thinkers?
    • A.5 What are some examples of "Anarchy in Action"?
  • Section A.3: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/52213671
    • A.3 What types of anarchism are there?
  • Section A.2: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/51731516
    • A.2 What does anarchism stand for?
  • Sections Intros-A.1: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/51243397 (broken)
    • A.0 Introduction
    • A.1 What is anarchism?

There is also an EPUB version of AFAQ, courtesy of @irelephant@lemmy.dbzer0.com: here

Happy reading!

So I just noticed that I (and probably others) link to or refer to the Anarchist FAQ when discussing / answering. How do you think we could connect those threads with the reading group?

Hmm good question, not sure how to answer. I guess we need an index somehow? Maybe the individual reading posts could be used? Shrug

Uh, any tips, advice, or something, about getting into it?

Right now, seeing it already started gives me a mix of "I'm behind", "the posts about the first sections are old now so barely anyone will talk about it" and "what the hell does one do in a reading group anyways" that aren't really helping me get started, but still I think a kind of reading group is the only way I see myself being held accountable to actually read theory.

(I did see this comment ~as you as you sent it, but Im currently a bit out of time, will try to respond properly tomorrow)

Hmmm I guess a few things could be done.

1. You could use the weekly ping I do as a reminder to keep going.
2. You could post your thoughts on a specific section under the appropriate post and I (or you or whoever) can simply create a thread with links to new messages on old posts under this post. This post is pinned so it might get visibility.
3. You could post any general thoughts on this thread

Some afaq speficic stuff:

1. Afaq is (kind of) an faq, which means that you can theoretically not read it linearly as we do. I'd suggest you read section A as an introduction and then you can either keep reading linearly or find any section you like and start reading that, maybe the current section we will be when you finish A.
2. Due to afaq being huuuge, it's almost certain that we (the people in the group) probably wont be on the same page. Combined with the fact thay only a few of us read it, we're a few people at random sections.

I guess a nice idea would be to run parallel reading groups for smaller books so that people can choose what they like.

PS. I estimate that this group will end in about a year.

Okay, thank you for the advice!