THIS IS CLASS WAR

HISTORY



The first issue of Class war was produced in 1983 by a small group of people
based in Swansea. Their background was in the production of a local,populist,
agitational paper called the Alarm, which achieved some notoriety by exposing
the corrution of local council leaders. The first issues of Class War were aimed
at the large,punk ,anarchist and pacifist movement of the time,for instance
followers of bands like Crass. 
The articles in Class War slagged off pacifism and the Peace movement and
encouraged the idea that violence is necessary. They put forward a straigh
forward analysis, identifying the enemy not only as "the system" or the "State"
,but as the ruling class(not ony as a class,but also as individuals within that
class) .
The miner's strike started in 1984 and the paper and its followers reacted to it
swiftly. The writers of Class War had wanted to see the anarchist/punk ghetto
take up the rebellion unleashed by the inner-city riots of 1981. Now that anger
was taken up by thousands of miners throughout the country. To a large extent
the paper dropped its discussion of the inadequacies of the CND and called for
direct physical support for the miners. Class War alone supported the direct
action of the strikers. Readership soared, not least in mining areas. miners
queued 20 or more for the paper at the big Mansfield demonstration in 1984. 
Class war was now a paper with readers and supporters well beyond the wildest
expecations of its first producers. 
The Class War Collective decided that the time was ripe to go beyond the paper
and called a Bash. the Rich march in 1985, from Notting Hill to Kensington The
Stop the City demonstrations of the early 80's(which were not called by Class
War) Had reflected the new mood in the anarchist scene, and around 500 people
took part in this first incursion(albeit symbolic) of a hostile working class
mob into a rich area since the 19th century.
Another Bash the Rich march took place from Camden to Hampstead(well, yes,we did
get stopped halfway) and a very enjoyable day out to Henley Regatta took place
in 1986. What was significant about all this was that we went to them , to the
areas where they lived, which made them uncomfortable if only for a shortime.
The First Class war conference of some 50 people took place in 1985, and a rally
of over 200 people was held in Holloway. The inner-city riots of late1985 proved
to be another boost for Class War (12,000 papers were being sold each issue that
Autumn)but following the end of the Bash The Rich campaign,an increasing number
of people around the country wanted to consolidate the gains of the last three
years. 
A national conference in Manchester supported their proposal that the groups and
individuals who wrote and sold the paper should form "Class War" groups as part
of a National Federation with common 'aims and principles'. The reason we chose
to federate was that it is the most democratic form of organisation, whereby
groups within the federation have a large degree of freedom within an agreed set
of politics and strategy. Some people could not accept the idea of such a degree
of organisation and left - whoops! The end of the miners strike was the last
straw fo th British Left. They had failed dismally to come o terms with the
changing political climate and the strongest Tory government since the war. The
Labour Party went to the right, and groups like the Communist Party and the
Workes Revolutionary Party faded inot obscurity. The traditional areas of class
conflict had all but disappeared(eg. the work-place) The new battles were taking
places in the streets and the communities of our towns and cities,like the
yuppification of traditional working class areas. This is where Class War
politics came into the forefront. We thrived! 
In 1988 we launched an ambitious national tour called "Rock Against the Rich"
with ex-Clash singer Joe Strummer. This was to promote Class War's politics and
name far and wide. It was the biggest event or campaign ever put on by an
Anarchis/libertarian organisation in this country. Spring 1989 saw the
production and distribution of Class War start to improve. From being an eight
page bi-monthly we went to being a six-weekly,sixteen page,full colour tabloid. 
The Federation shot to prominence after the 1990 poll tax riot in Trafalgar
Square where the Metropolitan Police got a well deserved beating at the hands of
thousands of people from all over the country. In stark contrast to the Left,
particularly Militant,who all rushed to condemn the rioters, a Federation
spokesman said they were "working class heroes" on national TV and radio. The
Media was gobsmaked,questions were asked in parliament and Class War was read
out in the House of Commons and Lords. 
At the Autumn 1990 National Conference in Manchester the Federation voted to
become a membership organisation,with membership fees, and a straightforward
constitution. We decided to do this to pull together, more efficiently, the
Federation's resources,to make us a more effective national organisation and to
bring in increased democracy with the proper election of officials and
deligates. 
At the Victory March in late March 1991,celebrating the repeal of the Poll Tax,
the Class War Federation contingent was by far the biggest, with thousands of
people marching with us. Much to the annoyance of Militant and the Police,who
thought they were going to have it all their own way! In association with grass
roots anti-Poll Tax groups and prisoners support organisations the Federation
organised a successful Bailiff Day of Action,in July 1991,which saw poll tax
bailiffs intimidated and harassed all over the country,turning the tables on
these scum who profit out of misery and poverty. Class war has also taken off
internationally in the early 1990's with new Class War groups springing up in
Europe and the USA and an international conference in London in 1991. 


