The Voice Of Anarchadia New Zealand

My quest for objectivity has allowed me a few great opportunities to speak with some amazing people. Though I feel as if I am stuck in America sometimes, especially in the sense of political climate, it is refreshing to hear a new perspective from the other side of the world. I find over and again that there are others acting out their convictions, and living as an example for others who are either stagnant in their thinking, or frustrated with the environment they find themselves in.

My hope in this interview is to convey to others that the stigma surrounding Anarchism is just that; in general, a misplaced, uninformed stigma. Anarchist movements are being shut down and censored every day, the world over, which leads me to believe that they are perceived as a threat to establishment on some level.

I will let Caleb fill in the rest of these blanks. Enjoy.

You are the owner of Anarchadia New Zealand. Why did you create this page, and what is the focus?

The main reason I setup Anarchadia New Zealand was to provide a source of reliable information based on anarchist values, and to help people come to terms with the true nature of politics. I think the focus really is to give people a reason to ask the big questions themselves. You don't create positive change by telling people what to think, you can only share your ideas and hope it leads people to a similar conclusion based on their own unique and intrinsic set of beliefs.

Most people think of rebellion and violence when they hear the word "anarchy"; is that the case with Anarchadia New Zealand?

I've always argued against violence. I know some people do associate it with anarchy, but i think that's no more than propaganda if not a generalization. To think that some people would consider themselves anarchist while behaving in a manner most harmful to others is questionable. As far as rebellion goes, it's often described out of context in the media, and becomes something looked at out of relative obscurity rather than something we can all be a part of. The only time anarchists are mentioned in the mainstream news, is when a twisted story can be fabricated to manipulate ideas, and turn activists essentially into thugs. 

Is there another philosophy of anarchism that you are attempting to teach?

I think we all have our own idea of a harmonious social structure, depending on what we know to be true or believe to be part of. In my opinion, anarchy is the true nature of all things. The ideas I'm trying to share cannot be used to narrowly define any one particular branch of anarchism, I believe the new world can be crafted from within the old by empowering people to think for themselves. As we all know, the revolutionary process cannot just happen over night, but is the sum total of a wider series of events. I often question the good intentions of syndicalism and trade unions, as it's obvious that there was once some real working class power coming from within these groups that now a days is seldom put to any use. But here in New Zealand, the anarchist role in these movements is weaker than ever, with a once strong labour movement reduced to a political party, one largely supporting the same capitalist apologetics as its rivals.

Do you have a particular political situation that bothers you, or that you are actively trying to change?

Well right now the real issues we face here in this country have a lot to do with our currrent format of government and the individuals behind it. While I'm 100% against any form of governing state, I am well aware of the negative impacts we face under a 'national' led government. All we have seen from [Prime Minister] John key is a series of controversial amendments to laws that only met corporate interests, and in most cases did more to polarize further the increasing margin of income inequality in New Zealand. 

If so, how will you go about changing it?

I don't plan on voting as a means of change, I feel like the electoral system has let us all down. Naturally I assume people will vote back in a labour government only to find more of the same.  If we want real change we can only do so by making dependence on corporations and government a thing of the past. Growing your own food is always a good bet, as this takes away profits from big corporations. If your community has a local farmers market you can always boycott the food monopoly by choosing organic local produce. 

Do you believe that revolution has to be armed and bloody?

It's not necessary in my opinion but I can't see the state going down without putting up a fight in some way or another. So wherever we launch an attack on capitalism we are met with resistance whether it be riot police or internet censorship on most social media platforms.  It's true that when an idea reaches a critical mass, it creates massive potential for real change in a way that meets common interests, and that's the best blood-free revolution I can think of; a revolution of ideas.

Is a true, bloodless exchange of power from corporate interests really possible?

That's a difficult question, because we are yet to see any real shift in economic power away from corporations. But imagine what our world would be like if we all seized control of our workplaces, and in doing so gaining the means of production. This has been done before in some parts of europe in the early 20th century, where anarcho-syndicalist unions locked out the management staff and operated factories without any form of authority for an extended period of time. And so it is often argued that syndicalist Unions are the least violent catalysts for a real anarchist revolution, but who knows, these are exciting times and I'm sure what is yet to come may surprise us all.

What about political revolution?

History has shown that when strong anarchist movements start to operate under a political front,  they are later rewarded by the prevailing party with state socialism, such was the case with the success of the Bolsheviks in russia. So I don't believe any political group can truly be relied on in the long run. I think this whole thing needs to happen on a social level to be successful.

Are you politically active outside of the internet?

Hardly, I don't identify myself with any political group, I believe in direct action and word of mouth as being essential to the revolutionary process, we can all make a difference by helping others to further understand the true nature of  capitalism and it's subsequent class system. And by including such topics in our day to day discussions we can help to broaden people's understanding of the anarchist alternative, and hopefully shed some light on the flaws in our current system.

What would you like to see as far as measurable results from your work on Anarchadia New Zealand?

It would be great if we could get past the censorship, create a bigger audience that actually reaches people. Ultimately, the aim is to create a place for active discussion on real issues. If I can get just one person to see the bigger picture, then the page would have served its purpose as far as I'm concerned. I know that all of the page admins do their best considering they still have other obligations to meet, just like everyone else living within a capitalist dystopia. Perhaps I could find someone else to help create content for anarchadia new Zealand, i think that would really set things in motion.

For further reading and discussion, Anarchadia New Zealand can be found on Facebook.