London is a disneyland for the world’s dominators. The scientific and economic elites and their armies of technicians rule here unopposed – without having to fight against any idea which could challenge the foundations of this society. For this reason, they are free to use this city as a stable base to plan, launch, and profit from one-sided slaughters which subdue the lands where ‘critical resources’ are to be found, whether in Congo (cobalt), Yemen (Saudi oil fields) or Gaza and the West Bank (water and land).
But London is not spared from the relentless sacrifice of life to the economy. The bosses and their enforcers have us exactly where they want us: our time and life sucked dry in forced pointless activity called work and school, made sick by toxic materials in order to sustain addiction to useless objects. This city of exploitation and control is an endless ‘opportunity’ for anyone with money and power and an upgraded, high-tech hell for the rest of us.
The latest ‘upgrade’ here in south London is the proposal to expand the tube network of hyper-speed exploitation down the Old Kent Road to Lewisham – a dirty deal between TFL and finance capital which is already yielding luxury developments, springing up like a rash. Rent, energy, food-price hikes which sow desperation and abject dependence on charity… The oppression of passing the days in mouldy, pest-ridden, flood-prone, flammable boxes… Limitless police-state controls on the neighbourhoods… These are just a few of the attacks being deployed.
Not everyone wants to accommodate themselves, fit in, bow their heads, conform to all this. And among those who want to fight back, not everyone wants to put their trust in political parties, trade unions, pressure groups, activists, university career-critics, community leaders, official organisations, federations, large social movements.
Some make the choice of individual revolt which can spread. These ideas and acts of rebellion have nothing to say to those in power, but instead speak directly to raging hearts. Each one in struggle to unleash their own freedom, breathing life into a self-organised struggle for the freedom of all.
This is what we want to explore in the South London Anarchist Bookfair – with discussions and publications, delving into ideas which are outside of time, outside of measure and popularity, out of control. We want to share and explore our choices in the struggle against power in all its disguises, here and now.
Contact:
slab [at] inventati [dot] org