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What's New in Reason in Revolt: February 2025

Summary

In this edition of Reason in Revolt we present an eclectic mix of documents mainly addressing socialism, environmentalism, anarchism, and three major protest movements from the late 20th century relating to South African apartheid (1989), the Gulf War (1990) and anti-globalisation (S11, 2000). The documents span the time period from the 1930s to 2018. As usual, we position these documents within the wider context of radical activism by linking them to 'context-entity records' which address the key subjects, people, places, events, institutions, and publications relating to the history of social movements in Australia. This edition contains 91 new published resources and 17 new context-entity entries, in addition to existing records which have been edited. The new context-entity records contain carefully researched commentaries, including a detailed note on the Sydney Libertarians and the Push, which together formed an influential social movement and bohemian sub-culture from the late 1940s through to the 1970s. This set of highly curated and interlinked records provides important insights for students, academics, activists and members of the general public who are interested in the role of intellectuals in the history of Australian radical politics.

Details

We begin with the memoirs of socialist activist, writer, unionist and itinerant worker Alf Wilson, who set up the Australian section of the Workers' International Industrial Union to replace the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) after it was declared an illegal organisation in 1916. Wilson's 233-page manuscript includes reflections on his working life; propaganda efforts; interactions with key activists such as Tom Mann; and thoughts on the DeLeonist Socialist Party and the IWW. His observations regarding the key philosophical trends and organisations of the time provide vital insights into workers' political and social movements from the 1890s through to the 1930s.

We then turn to the period of 1965 to 2001. Here, we trace out some important work of Jack Grancharoff, who fled Bulgaria after World War II to escape Stalinism and became an influential member of a group of libertarian thinkers in Sydney which formed the intellectual core of the anti-authoritarian subculture known as 'the Push'. We present a selection of issues of Red and Black: An Anarchist Journal, edited by Grancharoff, which was widely circulated around Australia. These issues have been scanned - using the latest technology - to Australian archival standards. Grancharoff visited Melbourne in 1996 to speak at the National Anarchist Conference. We include a program from that conference and other related materials. These documents which are linked to 'context-entity' records describing various associated organisations, writers and social movements, allow readers to examine and assess Grancharoff's role in Australian radical politics. In particular we link these documents to a substantially edited note for the context-entity record for 'anarchism'.

Our next set of documents address climate change and eco-socialism, focussing on the life and work of comedian, performance artist and activist, Rod Quantock. We were very fortunate to obtain 6 interviews with Quantock conducted by Hans Baer (eco-socialist writer, activist, anthropologist and sociologist). The interviews were recorded in 2018 and span Quantock's life from the 1960s, when he was growing up in the working-class suburb of Coburg in Victoria, through to his live one-man climate-activism shows in 2018. We also include a short biography of Quantock and a link to Baer's book chapter. Today, the need to address global warming is more important than ever. These documents provide important insights into that subject by examining the life and work of one of Australia's most important activists.

We also shine a spotlight on significant protests, focussing on the anti-war, anti-globalisation, international solidarity and student movements. We are coming up to the 22nd anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq (18 March 2025), which was preceded by the largest anti-war protests ever to occur before a war had been declared. In this upload, we look back even further to invasion of Iraq in 1990/91 with a set of protest-related fliers. With the current eruption of the shocking events in the Middle East and Ukraine, the need to learn from the peace movements of the past is of paramount importance. Skipping forward to 2000, we present a second set of fliers related to the S11 protests in Melbourne in 2000, which add to our growing collection of documents on the anti-globalisation movement. Here, we highlight some of the problematic interactions between protestors and police, and their aftermath. In terms of international solidarity, we include a smattering of documents from the 1970s and 1980s related to the anti-apartheid movement and some more linked to Western Sahara from the 2000s. We also touch on women in the trade union movement (1980s) the Seamen's Union, shutting down Hazelwood power station (2010) and one of Australia's most well-known draft-dodgers Mike Matteson (1971-72). Our 'lucky dip' record (which we happened to pull out of our archives) is a PDF of three handbills distributed at the university cuts rally in Melbourne in 2014. One handbill provides chants for the rally such as "No cuts, no fees, no corporate universities". Another invites protesters to 'give Tony Tinnitus' (referring to then Prime Minister Tony Abbot) by gathering outside the Liberal Party of Australia Melbourne office with pots and pans.

As part of our continuing commitment to documenting the history of radical activism, we also provide a link to the Commons Social Change Library and the People's History of Australia podcast.

Enjoy reading …

Resources

Articles

  • Costar, Brian, Vigorous S11 Debate, Herald-Sun, Newspaper cutting, 29 November, 2000, 1 pp. Details

Books

  • Wilson, Alfred William, All for the Cause: Being the Experience of a Socialist Propagandist [manuscript], Also includes three appended documents: Preface by T. Gilmore; "The Late A.W. Wilson", letter from T. Gilmore to the editor of the Age newspaper (c1937); Short biography of Wilson (possibly by Gilmore), c1938, 236 pp. PDF Details

Conference Papers

  • Bingham, Red, 'Student Anarchist Activism: the Dragon Awakens', in National Anarchist Conference, LaTrobe University, Bundoora, 8-10 June, 1996., Melbourne, 8 June, 1996, p. 5. PDF Details

Fliers

  • Foreign Shipowner Attacks Aussie Workers: Crimes Act Threat, Wally Pritchard, ?, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • Equal Pay Rally, Sydney, 1988, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • Afrika Nite: Stop the Frame up Concert, Pan Africanist Congress Pan Africanist Congress P.O. Box 43, Chippendale NSW 2008., Sydney, 1989, 2 pp. PDF Details
  • Western Sahara and East Timor: What has Really Been Stolen?, Australian Western Sahara Association, Melbourne, 2006, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • Aftrica's Last Colony: Human Rights Defender Speaks Out, Australian Western Sahara Association and the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, Sydney, 2007, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • Three Handbills from National Day of Action Against Cuts to University Funding, Melbourne, 2014, 3 pp. PDF Details
  • The Gulf Crisis: The Middle East Tinderbox., Network for Peace in the Middle East, Network for Peace in the Middle East [This scan courtesy of Viola Wilkins], c1990, 2 pp. PDF Details
  • Anarchist Collective, University of NSW, New World Order?, Anarchist Collective, University of NSW [This scan courtesy of Viola Wilkins], Sydney, c1990, 2 pp. PDF Details
  • Australia Western Sahara Association (Victoria), Statement: 20 December 2007: A chance to escape blacklisting, 20 December, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • Autonomous Web of Liberation (AWOL), AWOL Aims, Autonomous Web of Liberation (AWOL) [This scan courtesy of Viola Willkins], Melbourne, 2000, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • Autonomous Web of Liberation (AWOL), Converge S11, Autonomous Web of Liberation (AWOL) [This scan courtesy of Viola Wilkins], 2000, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • Bring the Frigates Home Coalition, Bring the Frigates Home: No Gulf War, Bring the Frigates Home: No Gulf War [This scan courtesy of Viola Wilkins], Sydney, 1991, 2 pp. PDF Details
  • Campaign Against Racial Exploitation (Australia) Inc Western Australian Branch, Press Release: Funde of the ANC to Visit Perth, Perth, 21 May, 1989, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • Freedom Socialist Party and Radical Women, There will Never be Peace under Capitalism, Freedom Socialist Party and Radical Women [This scan courtesy of Viola Wilkins], Melbourne, c1990, 2 pp. PDF Details
  • Injured Protesters League, Bracks = Jeff: Why is he Rewarding Police Violence?, Melbourne, September, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • McDonald, Tom; Sharkey, Stan; Boatswain, Ernie; and many others, End the Gulf War: An Urgent Call from Trade Unionists in Australia., c1990, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • Prahran People for Nuclear Disarmament; Australian Democrats and Network for Peace, Public Meeting: Understand Islam and the Arab World, Prahran People for Nuclear Disarmament, Australian Democrats and Network for Peace [This scan courtesy of Viola Wilkins], Melbourne, 1991, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • Public First, Public Meeting on the World Economic Forum, Melbourne, July, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • Replace Hazelwood, Replace all of Hazelwood, 2010, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • S11 Alliance, Stand up for Justice: Shut Down the World Economic Forum, 2000, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • S11 Alliance, No GST: Give to the rich; Slug the Poor; Tax, Melbourne, 2000, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • s11.org, Virus: Saturday August 12, Melbourne, 2000, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • s11.org, Travel in Comfort with Your Eyes Blind to the Misery: Stop the World Economic Forum, Melbourne, 2000, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • s11-AWOL (Autonomous Web of Liberation), S11-AWOL: Autonomous Web of Liberation, Melbourne, June, 2 pp. PDF Details
  • SKA TV, Melbourne Rising: S11: Protest Against the World Economic Forum, Melbourne, September, 2000, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • Socialist Party of Australia, Stop this War, Socialist Party of Australia [This scan courtesy of Viola Wilkins], Sydney, c1990, 2 pp. PDF Details
  • Sullivan, Damien; Jorge Jorquera; Karina Nolan, Draft Proposal for a Joint Community Declaration: To the Melbourne Asia Pacific Summit of the World Economic Forum: September 11, [This copy courtesy of Viola Wilkins], Melbourne, 2000, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • The Citizen's Commission on Human Rights (Psychiatric Violations) Inc, Psychiatry and war: Who will profit?, The Citizen's Commission on Human Rights (Psychiatric Violations) Inc. [This scan courtesy of Viola Wilkins], Sydney, c1990, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • The Stegley Foundation and the RMIT School of Social Science and Planning Community Advocacy Unit, Global Capitalism: Local Responses: Bridging the Economic and Social, [This scan courtesy of Viola Wilkins] The Stegley Foundation and the RMIT School of Social Science and Planning Community Advocacy Unit, Melbourne, 2000, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • The Working Women's Centre, Fight Sexual Harrassment, Melbourne, c1988?, 1 pp. PDF Details

Journals

  • Peacemaker [front cover, with image of Mike Matteson], vol. 33, no. 9-12, September to December, 1971, 1 pp. PDF Details
  • Grancharoff, Jack (ed.), Red and Black: An Anarchist Journal, [No. 9], no. 9, Grancharoff, Jack [This scan courtesy Viola Wilkins], Spring, 1979, 24 pp. PDF Details
  • Grancharoff, Jack (ed.), Red and Black: An Anarchist Journal, [No. 8], no. 8, Grancharoff, Jack [This scan courtesy Viola Wilkins], Summer, 1978/79, 20 pp. PDF Details
  • Grancharoff, Jack (ed.), Red and Black: An Anarchist Journal, [No. 10], no. 10, Grancharoff, Jack [This scan courtesy Viola Wilkins], Sydney, Winter, 1981, 52 pp. PDF Details
  • Grancharoff, Jack (ed.), Red and Black: An Anarchist Journal, [No. 12], no. 12, Grancharoff, Jack [This scan courtesy Viola Wilkins], Sydney, Summer, 1984, 48 pp. PDF Details
  • Grancharoff, Jack (ed.), Red and Black: An Anarchist Journal, [No. 14], no. 14, Grancharoff, Jack [This scan courtesy Viola Wilkins], Sydney, August-November, 1985, 48 pp. PDF Details
  • Grancharoff, Jack (ed.), Red and Black: An Anarchist Journal, [No. 15], no. 15, Grancharoff, Jack [This scan courtesy Viola Wilkins], Sydney, March-June, 1986, 48 pp. PDF Details
  • Grancharoff, Jack (ed.), Red and Black: An Anarchist Journal, [No. 16], no. 16, Grancharoff, Jack [This scan courtesy Viola Wilkins], Sydney, Winter, 1987, 44 pp. PDF Details
  • Grancharoff, Jack (ed.), Red and Black: An Anarchist Journal, [No. 17], no. 17, Grancharoff, Jack [This scan courtesy Viola Wilkins], Sydney, Summer, 1988, 48 pp. Details
  • Grancharoff, Jack (ed.), Red and Black: An Anarchist Journal, [No. 19], no. 19, Grancharoff, Jack [This scan courtesy Viola Wilkins], Sydney, Winter, 1989, 44 pp. PDF Details
  • Grancharoff, Jack (ed.), Red and Black: An Anarchist Journal, [No. 18], no. 18, Grancharoff, Jack [This scan courtesy Viola Wilkins], Sydney, Summer, 1989. PDF Details
  • Grancharoff, Jack (ed.), Red and Black: An Anarchist Journal, [No. 20], no. 20, Grancharoff, Jack [This scan courtesy Viola Wilkins], Sydney, Summer, 1990, 36 pp. PDF Details
  • Grancharoff, Jack (ed.), Red and Black: An Anarchist Journal, [No. 21], no. 21, Grancharoff, Jack [This scan courtesy Viola Wilkins], Sydney, Winter, 1991, 40 pp. PDF Details
  • Grancharoff, Jack (ed.), Red and Black: An Anarchist Journal, [No. 22], no. 22, Grancharoff, Jack [This scan courtesy Viola Wilkins], Sydney, Spring, 1992, 40 pp. PDF Details
  • Grancharoff, Jack (ed.), Red and Black: An Anarchist Journal, [No. 26], no. 26, Grancharoff, Jack [This scan courtesy Viola Wilkins], Sydney, Autumn, 1996, 40 pp. PDF Details
  • Grancharoff, Jack (ed.), Red and Black: An Anarchist Journal, [No. 27], no. 27, Grancharoff, Jack [This scan courtesy Viola Wilkins], Sydney, Autumn, 1997, 40 pp. PDF Details
  • Grancharoff, Jack (ed.), Red and Black: An Anarchist Journal, [No. 28], no. 28, Grancharoff, Jack [This scan courtesy Viola Wilkins], Sydney, Spring, 1998, 24 pp. PDF Details

Manuscripts

  • Semi-structured life history interview questions for Rod Quantock, 2018. PDF Details

Newsletters

  • Treason, [no. 9], Melbourne, May, 1982, 24 pp. PDF Details
  • Anarchist Black Cross: Supporting Class Struggle Prisoners, Printed by A Press - PO Box 1052, Preston, Victoria. Published from Brisbane., Brisbane Anarchist Black Cross, Brisbane, June, 1996, 8 pp. PDF Details

Newspapers

  • The Anarchist, [Volume 1: No. 4], vol. 1, no. 4, c1996, 12 pp. PDF Details

Pamphlets

  • A Constitution for the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, Fear and Kingdom, Melbourne, 1915, 32 pp. PDF Details
  • Australian Western Sahara Association, Western Sahara has been occupied and its people living in exile for 33 years … 33 Years is Enough!, Melbourne, 2008, 2 pp. PDF Details
  • Coalition Against Apartheid, Defend Anti-apartheid Activists, c1989, 8 pp. PDF Details

Press Releases

  • Citizens Electoral Council of Australia, Is British Intelligence Planning Violence at the Melbourne WEF Meeting?, Citizens Electoral Council of Australia [This scan courtesy of Viola Wilkins], 8 September, 2000, 1 pp. PDF Details

Programs

  • LaTrobe University Anarchist Collective, National Anarchist Conference: LaTrobe University, 8-10 June, 1996. Program, Melbourne, June, 1996, 5 pp. PDF Details

Sound recordings

  • Quantock, Rod, Interview with Hans Baer: 5, Duration: 42 mins, 58 sec, 23 October, 2018. MP3 Details
  • Quantock, Rod, Interview with Hans Baer: 3, Duration: 1 hour, 6 mins, 7 sec, 18 July, 2018. MP3 Details
  • Quantock, Rod, Interview with Hans Baer: 4, Duration: 1 hour, 53 mins, 57 sec, 10 September, 2018. MP3 Details
  • Quantock, Rod, Interview with Hans Baer: 2, Duration: 1 hour, 3 mins, 48 sec, 6 June, 2018. MP3 Details
  • Quantock, Rod, Interview with Hans Baer: 1, Duration: 1 hour, 7 mins, 56 sec, unidentified date, 2018. MP3 Details
  • Quantock, Rod, Interview with Hans Baer - 6, Duration: 11 mins 23 sec, [This copy courtesy of Hans Baer], 22 January, 2019. MP3 Details

Stickers

  • Eliot, Karen, Blind Authority Manipulation Corporation, [This scan courtesy of Viola Wilkins], 2000. PDF Details
  • Shut Down the World Economic Forum, S11.org, 2000. PDF Details

Zines

Online Resources

Jack Roberts

Created: 31 August 2020, Last modified: 24 January 2025