The CWGers recent post hit the nail on the head I think.

The problem is that the anarchist movement does not see itself as part of a wider struggle. There is a whole lot of bad stuff happening in the world, and there are movements and campaigns opposing this, but for the most part, the anarchist movement sees itself as seperate from all this.

There are exceptions, and the exceptions tend to be the class struggle anarchists like those in ART in Chch, but most of the anarchist movement tends towards organising seperately from the rest of the left, or not organising at all (in some cases).

Todays anarchist movement seems almost entirely an inward looking counterculture alternative lifestyle movement. For most, there is no sense of being part of a long tradition of resistance and struggle going back a hundred years. Anarchists were active in all the major struggles in NZ last century, from 1913, the unemployed movement in the 1930s, the 1951 lockout, the anti veitnam war movement, etc. Anarchsits were active in a whole lot of stuff in the 70s (unemployed rights, anti racist patrols against muldoons dawn raids on pacific islanders etc) then it all faded away. The 1990s movement (which I was part of) was based a lot on the punk and mcGillicuddy scenes and so was very based in alternative lifestyel stuff. Interestingly, the few non punk/non hippy folks there tend to be the ones who are still around. most of the rest dropped anarchism along with the silly haircuts and kilts.

The 1990s anarchist movement fizzled and died, with most of the active people either leaving politics altogether or going into the green party (KT is right, 2 Green MPs and half a dozen of their current parliamentary staff came thru the 1990s anarcho/McGillicuddy scene). KT asked if there had been any analysis done of why such efforts to maintain a movement have been largely ineffective. Unfortunately there hasnt been. the anarchist scene just chugs along with the help of a burst of enthusiams every few years as a new batch of keen young folks come along.

Almost the entire 1990s anarchist scene has disappeared from anarchism
Most were just passing through looking for a good time before they had to think about jobs kids careers etc. Some realised they werent getting anywhere and left anarchism for the green party, "single issue" campaign groups (nothing wrong with that, its what Im doing, but its not a replacement for anarchism), or they became old and grumpy like me. Some discovered class struggle anarchism (and at the same time discover that most of the anarchist movement is not keen at all on debate or criticism, especially if its to do with class politics) and some still plod along happily mingling with the next generation of young keen folks who will soon move on, not realising that they are in a rut.

Going round and round in circles without getting anywhere does not make you a revolutionary :-)
(gosh that was quite witty and clever wasn't it, I think I will write it down!)

Mark