One of the more common forms of anarchist organisation is the affinity group. Affinity groups emerged from the Spanish anarchist movement in the late nineteenth century. More recently, the term has been popularised by the ‘anti-capitalist’ movement. Below is one account, derived from ACT-UP New York, of the role of affinity groups in protest and social change. For access to other words of wisdom on the subject of anarchist organising, please consult the links to the right. Please also note that this page is undergoing permanent reconstruction, and your suggestions for its improvement are (probably) better off in our hands than they are in your head… so fire away!
Affinity Groups
Affinity groups are self-sufficient support systems of about 5 to 15 people. A number of affinity groups may work together toward a common goal in a large action, or one affinity group might conceive of and carry out an action on its own. Sometimes, affinity groups remain together over a long period of time, existing as political support and/or study groups, and only occasionally participating in actions.
If you are planning to do civil disobedience, it is a good idea to either form an affinity group or join an already existing one. Affinity groups serve as a source of support and solidarity for their members. Feelings of being isolated or alienated from the movement, the crowd, or the world in general can be alleviated through the familiarity and trust which develops when an affinity group works and acts together. By generating this familiarity, the affinity group structure reduces the possibility of infiltration by outside provocateurs. However, participants in an action should be prepared to be separated from their affinity group.
Affinity groups form the basic decision-making bodies of mass actions. As long as they remain within the appropriate guidelines, affinity groups are generally encouraged to develop any form of participation they choose.
Every affinity group must decide for itself how it will make decisions and what it wants to do. This process starts when an affinity group forms. If a new person asks to join an affinity group, s/he should find out what the group believes in and what they plan to do, and decide if s/he can share it. Some groups ask that all members share a commitment to anarchism, for example, or to class struggle as a way of life. Others, which have specifically formed to do a particular action, might have less sweeping agreements.
A group cannot hope to reach consensus decisions without having some base of agreement. Once a base is agreed upon, working out the details of specific issues and actions is not as difficult as one might expect, providing that there is a willingness to go along with a good idea, even if it is someone else’s. If you find that you cannot work effectively with your group, it might be better to try to find another one.
Affinity groups for mass actions are often formed during training sessions. It is a good idea to meet with your affinity group a few times before an action to get to know them if you are not already friends, and to discuss issues such as noncooperation and relationship to the legal system, the role your group will play (in a large action), etc. After an action, it is also helpful to meet with your group to evaluate and share experiences.
