Only a Beginning: An Anarchist Anthology

Compiled and edited by Allan Antliff, this thought-provoking anthology documents over a quarter-century of grassroots activism in Canada, including protests and gatherings, art exhibitions, street theatre, Internet sites, and squats, as well as specific movements such as environmentalism, anti-globalisation, feminism, queer rights, indigenous struggles, and prisoners’ rights. In today’s post-9/11 climate, major demonstrations attempting to resist globalisation, war-mongering, and anti-environmental policies, among others, are becoming more organised and high-profile, while at the same time being subject to increasing suspicion and repression by politicians and police. But in the muddle of today’s political centrism, it seems at times that anarchism is the only real voice speaking out passionately against the ruling class. ONLY A BEGINNING casts light on the rich, diverse, and progressive history of these movements, placing them in the context of the era in which they appeared and demonstrating their relevance to contemporary action. Included are the histories of major anarchist journals as well as essays on specific anarchist practice relevant to activist movements across Canada and North America.