LE MUNICIPALISME LIBERTAIRE

by Janet Biehl, Murray Bookchin

Le municipalisme libertaire est le programme politique de l’écologie sociale, telle que l’a conçue le philosophe américain Murray Bookchin (1921-2006). Dans cette synthèse accessible, à la fois théorique et pratique, Janet Biehl retrace la ruine de nos démocraties représentatives et présente un programme réaliste de démocratie directe profondément décentralisée. Après un portrait historique de la démocratie municipale, de la cité athénienne à l’urbanisation actuelle en passant par les cités médiévales, l’auteure nous met en garde devant les institutions étatiques et urbaines qui entravent la démocratie directe. Elle défend la nécessité de redéfinir le champ politique par la décentralisation et la démocratisation des institutions. « Contrairement à beaucoup d’anarchistes de tendance individualiste, écrit l’auteure, Bookchin n’est pas l’ennemi des institutions en tant que telles. Selon lui, la liberté conçue en termes purement personnels et qui ne s’incarne dans aucune institution sombre dans la complaisance narcissique. Une société favorisant à la fois la liberté individuelle et la liberté sociale doit reposer fermement sur des institutions elles-mêmes libératrices. Elle doit fournir la structure qui permettra aux citoyens de diriger collectivement leurs propres affaires. La question n’est donc pas de savoir si une société doit avoir des institutions, mais bien lesquelles. » Dans la seconde partie de l’ouvrage, l’auteure propose un long entretien avec Murray Bookchin à propos de la mise en œuvre du municipalisme libertaire.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Ecology, Theory, Philosophy, Environment, Green

208 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1997

About the author

My first graphic memoir, or book-length comic, is Their Blood Got Mixed: Revolutionary Rojava and the War Against ISIS, published by PM Press in 2022.

My translations (German to English) of two volumes of the memoirs of Sakine Cansiz were published in 2018 and 2020 by Pluto Press.

My translation (German to English) of Revolution Rojava: Democratic Autonomy and Women's Liberation, in Northern Syria by Knapp, Flach, and Ayboga, was published by Pluto Press in October 2016.

My book Ecology or Catastrophe: The Life of Murray Bookchin, was published by Oxford University Press in October 2015.

Reviews

[Camille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stop what you're doing and read this book. This is the basic building block of what we need to be doing. Yes I know it displays typical anarchist Eurocentrism but we can read our Lorde and Robinson and Fanon and Spivak and Saïd and Spillers alongside. Just read this then get together with your neighbors and start educating yourselves and practicing regular participatory governance. It seems so subtle and reformist but it is huge and potentially transformative. Ok lemme know what you think after you read it.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very useful little book, almost has me convinced to run for city council! Bookchin's ideas as presented by Biehl are much more digestible and practical, I think this is the way we replace capitalism. Occupy almost had it right, we do need general assemblies and direct democracy. Libertarian municipalism, as explained in this book, adds a bit more structure and majority voting instead of consensus. There is a good section in here on why consensus does not work well for larger groups, so I'll just encourage you all to read it. The important thing is that Biehl presents what looks to me like a workable way to get out from under the corporatocracy.

[Javier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must say I was a bit skeptical about reading this one, as I'm familiar with a few of Murray Bookchin's works (the 'founder' of social ecology). The first half is pretty standard, but Biehl really shines through with the second half. I love her discussion on dual power and confederated municipalities--fantastic. The interview with Bookchin at the end is alright, and the appendix (the statement of principles of a Vermont-based libertarian municipalist movement) is heartening--compared with the shit that is taken for 'politics' nowadays (though it's hardly an end-all and be-all, for that).

[NOLaBookish aka blue-collared mind · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clear outline of Bookchin's theories and a further explanation of direct democractic municipalism. Biehl frames his work better than Bookchin ever did. I still read Bookchin's work as the beginning of an argument rather than as a complete system; in fact, its criticism of social democracy and of anarchist theory is the best thing about it. One of the best overviews of social ecology out there.

[Florian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting introduction and synthesis of Bookchin's thoughts. A must read for anyone wishing to explore libertarian municipalism, perfect before reading bookchin's heavier literature.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have political disagreements with some aspects of the ideas proposed, but if you're interested in them this is an essential introduction to the ideas of social ecology and libertarian muncipalism in my opinion. Extra-special feature of an interview with Bookchin at the end where he gives some spicy takes on Bernie Sanders (pre-presidential election run fame).

[Pierre-Olivier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Le municipalisme libertaire , stratégie politique de l’écologie sociale nous est ici présenté sur toute ses coutures par Janet Biehl. Le municipalisme libertaire est selon moi , la méthodologie politique anarchiste la plus étoffée et réelles qui m’a été donnée de lire au niveau théorique. Démocratie directe , commune des communes , assemblée citoyenne , idéologie et fonctionnement social communiste basé sur les communs, destruction de la propriété privée et du capitalisme, rejet de la pensée néolibérale individualiste, prémisse de base qui met le citoyen ( dans un citoyenneté solidaire , coopérative , éthique et morale à travers la dépendance mutuelle et l’entraide ) comme acteur et protagoniste de son autogestion autant personnelle que communautaire. Totalement la voie révolutionnaire à suivre pour la société de demain qui est très inspiré des écrits de kropotkine sur le communisme libertaire. Bémols : la mise de côté de la luttes des classes , car la classe bourgeoise sera totalement réfractaire à laisser de côté ses privilèges et la société capitaliste hiérarchique dans un processus révolutionnaire de décentralisation communaliste. La sacralisation de l’industrialisation et des machines qui sont dépendant de l’extractivisme et du pétrole. la stratégie armée de milice locale encrée dans un paradigme étasunien. Et un certain manque de pragmatisme matérialiste au niveau de la production des besoins de bases à la vie humaine , comme kropotkine le disait : la révolution aura besoin de pain !! Très bon livre !! Surtout la première partie apportant le cadre historique des processus décentralisé societal , la partie de l’idéologie du communisme libertaire et la deuxième partie qui se trouve être un entretient avec Bookchin sous forme de q/a.

[Jesse Houle · Rating 4 out of 5]

In general, I'm very glad this book exists. On the grand political spectrum, I think I'm much closer to Biehl and Bookchin than most folks in the world. However, there were some specifics I don't particularly agree with as well as some aspects of the strategy of Libertarian Municipalism that raise pretty big questions. My friend Adam read this before me and gave it to me to read so we could discuss. I'ma write him an email with my thoughts, and after we work some of them out, I'll probably post something considerably more thoughtful (and lengthy) on here.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Janet Biehl does a fantastic job in summarizing the basics social ecology, and its political practice: libertarian municipalism. Oftimes it expresses Murray Bookchin's ideas better than he managed to do himself. But—as the author warns—one should not take this as more than a breadth-first introduction to the subject.

The latter part of the book is an interview with Murray, and provides a good medium of exposing ideas, and stating clarification for contentious points. I find it to be an inspired idea to have structured the book as such, and can only commend it.

[Muhannad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bookchin romanticizes "The community" a little too much for my taste. He shrugs off legitimate criticism of it's short-comings. That aside, he makes his case well enough for this to be a good introduction to Libertarian Socialism

[Setjoeil Asa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eskapisme Utopis (atau panduan mewujudkan realitas terkhayalkan?)
Satu dari banyak buku yang sehabis dibaca bakal melontarkan ekspektasi ke stratosfer, cuma untuk kandas oleh realitas banal sehari-hari. Namun, katanya bahkan bulan-bulan sebelum kejadian dalam 1789 orang-orang Prancis juga nggak tahu badai macam apa yang bakal menerpa mereka.
apendiksnya oke, nggak kayak apendiks di sistem pencernaan manusia.

[B · Rating 2 out of 5]

Betrays a disappointing lack of curiosity about how communities actually provide services and tiresome focus on Eurocentric models for governance while carelessly dismissing potential models in African, indigenous, and Asian societies

[Zuhri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Menjelaskan politik yang benar benar politik, juga apa arti sesunguhnya dari demokrasi, buku ini sangat cocok untuk dibaca bagi kita semua. Rasionalitas & etika itu pondasi dari semua ini. 🏴

[Ege Akpınar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oldukça kapsamlı ve konu üzerine yeni başlayanlar için bence güzel bir başlangıç el kitabı. Maalesef kısa olmasına rağmen bazı noktalarda tekrara düştüğünü düşünüyorum.

[Simon Laurendeau · Rating 1 out of 5]

Les défauts de l'anarchisme et du socialisme avec aucun des avantages? Impressionant. Lisez Kropotkine à la place.

[Rodrigo Goller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the simple to understand prose used by Biehl to explain the complex ideas developed by Bookchin.

[Dimitar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good introduction to the idea of libertarian municipalism and Bookchin's works.