The terms “left”, “right” and “centre” are, in the purest sense of the words, parliamentary concepts. These “directions” within the political spectrum are derived from the perspective of the representatives in parliament. On the right there were the Conservatives, on the left the Social Democrats or Communists and in the centre the Liberals.

These terms traditionally include some political associations, trade unions and (other) political alliances, who because of their Anarchist principles refrain from parliamentary participation. These can’t actually be categorized within these terms because they are fundamentally distinct from the Social Democratic and Communist movements. They are not centralized and don’t promote statism, nor do they subscribe to the doctrine of historical materialism as the sole explanation for the history and for the future. They don’t find their strength in submission, authority or personality cult, but in thinking for oneself, self awareness and a respect for individual emancipation. They represent a movement that begins at the base, without representatives, bureaucrats or leaders.

 Anarcho-Syndicalism has as much in common with “Socialist” parties, as it has with the authoritarian Monarch or the Capitalist despots. Throughout history free and emancipatory never have been inspired by parliamentary activities, but rather strictly rejected it. Under both the “left”, “right-” and “centre” governments freedom-loving ideas and activities are strongly suppressed. Under all of these regimes Anarcho-Syndicalists were oppressed, persecuted, put in prison or even killed. Both in Fascist and “Democratic” Italy and Germany, Tsarist and Communist Russia, Capitalist and Communist Cuba, monarchist and Fascist Spain. In each state with a centralized structure of police, secret services, bureaucracy and army, they were persecuted and oppressed. Anarcho-Syndicalism, both in theory and in practice, has little in common with Marxists, Capitalists, and Fascists or with terms such as “right”, “left” or “centre”.

These directions and terms are typically used to insinuate that there existed no difference between Marxists and other authoritarian movements on the one hand and Anarcho-Syndicalism on the other hand. But the boundaries don’t run between “left” and “right” but always between “under” and “above”. Parliamentary representatives and governments of any kind, whether these are “rightwing” or “leftist” governments, are fundamentally rejected.