Historically, anarchist movements have used a range of tactics as a means of attacking states and ruling classes. Examples include terrorism (the “propaganda by the deed period”), labor unions and general strikes (the anarcho-syndicalism era), mutual aid societies, communes, mass protests and civil disobedience (the 1960s model that is still more or less in use), forming civilian militias (Spanish civil war), forming conflict resolution models functioning independently of the state, and creation of autonomous zones (Catalonia, Chiapas, Rojava). Over 20 years ago, I developed the idea of “pan-secessionism” as a means of synthesizing all of these tactical models into a modern anarchist strategy that would allow anarchists to reach beyond conventional anarchist subcultures and transcend conflict between different political, cultural, economic, and ideological tendencies (the modern equivalent of religious sects and ethnocultural/linguistic tribes).
Interestingly, many people have experienced difficulty comprehending the idea of “pan-secessionism” on a conceptual level. I generally attribute this to many people’s lack of experience with multi-dimensional or paradoxical thinking, and the hegemony of monistic, universalist worldviews (from liberalism to Christianity to Marxism). Nonetheless, it has been interesting to observe the proliferation of movements and activities that actually practice the pan-secessionist model in various ways, even if most of the participants have obviously never heard of the concept. Some examples:
-The creation of sanctuary cities as havens for undocumented migrants in defiance of federal immigration laws
-The creation of Second Amendment sanctuary counties for firearms enthusiasts in defiance of state gun control laws
-State and local nullification of drug prohibition laws through popular referendums (which is merely a reflection of pre-existing popular organizing and civil disobedience)
-The creation of autonomous zones like CHAZ/CHOP within the context of larger protest movements
-Civil disobedience to public health orders by businesses who simply refuse to comply
-Sheriffs, police officers, and other officials refusing to enforce lockdown orders
-The proliferation of anti-lockdown protestors both in the USA and in other nations
-The proliferation of anti-police protestors in nations ranging from the USA to Belgium to Japan to Nigeria
-The establishment of pro-life sanctuary counties in Red Tribe territories
-Proposals for pro-choice sanctuary cities in Blue Tribe territories
-Proposed sanctuaries for sex workers
-The creation of “safe spaces” for subcultures of left-wing activists
-The growth of wildcat labor strikes by “essential workers” excessively burdened by pandemic conditions
-The development of tenant strikes in opposition to economic conditions imposed by the state’s lockdown policies
-Civil disobedience against the expropriation of indigenous lands or environmental destruction (for example, the Standing Rock protests)
-Efforts by localities to receive Confederate monuments unwanted or subjected to vandalism in other communities
-The growth of intentional communities reflecting value systems ranging from far-left to far-right to religious fundamentalism to religious mysticism to the apolitical
-The increased number of people living off the grid
-The creation of civilian militias ranging from the Boogaloos and Oathkeepers to the Proud Boys and Three Percenters to Black Lives Matter and Antifa to the Pink Pistols to Redneck Revolt
-The increased number of mutual aid projects
-The proliferation of alternative dispute resolution systems
-Efforts creation of startup societies such as seasteads and eco-villages
-New country proposals such as Liberland
-Mock political parties such as the Pirate Party
-Anarchist infiltration of larger political organizations such as the Libertarian Party, Green Party, or Democratic Socialists of America
-Proposals or instances of actual territorial secession such Brexit, the creation of new states or localities in the USA, outright territorial secession from the USA like California or Vermont independence
-Instances of direct action involving the destruction of enemy military outposts (“police stations”) and modern star chambers (“courthouses”), and the direct expropriation of ruling class resources (“looting”).
The efforts above have involved leftists, rightists, centrists, libertarians, anarchists, druggies, gun nuts, illegal immigrants, African-Americans, police officers, rednecks, business people, workers, tenants, pro-lifers, pro-choicers, environmentalists, and every conceivable personality type from do-gooders and bleeding hearts to self-seekers and sociopaths, including many people who are diametrical opposites from each other and hate each others’ guts. And 99+% of the people participating in such efforts are not anarchists. Most have never heard of anarchism, and others are vehemently anti-anarchist, and yet they are still directly or indirectly practicing situational anarchism in a way that contributes to the sum total effect of weakening the state and forcing the ruling class into a defensive position.
