as lifestylists, Class War as workerists. and Class War, despite both being identified as ‘punk’ anarchists, are associated with opposite ends of this tension-CrimethInc. A widely shared ‘composite’ image which mocks CrimethInc., accompanying the ‘Ramor Ryan’ article on, (accessed 14 March 2018)Ī key tension in discussion of punk and anarchism is that between ‘lifestylism’ and ‘workerism,’ and CrimethInc. Both groups have published prolifically and each has enjoyed considerable longevity, and as such, they provide a wealth of material for analysis and comparison when thinking about their respective explications of ‘punk anarchism.’įigure 9. have been criticized for their particular approaches, it is hard to refute their huge influence within the anarchist movement in recent decades. The relationship between punk and anarchism is viewed as problematic, and even damaging, by some sections of the broader anarchist ‘movement’ (and by some punks too), but while both Class War and CrimethInc. (active in the US since the mid 1990s, with international influence, including many non-English-speaking contexts). There are numerous examples of anarchist activist groups which are in one way or another identifiable as ‘punk,’ but certainly two of the most prominent are Class War (active in the UK since the early 1980s, with wider influence in places such as Ireland and Australia) and CrimethInc. Particular activisms such as Food Not Bombs, squatting, hunt sabbing and antifa are especially associated with punk-though the relationship is not limited to these and is also evident in grassroots trade union groups like the IWW and other syndicalist groups. The relationship is also evident in the reciprocal influence of punk on the anarchist movement, both as a politicizing influence on individuals and as a cultural bedrock for various elements of the anarchist movement. While this genealogical link to their ‘early punk’ forebears remains vital, contemporary punk scenes defy many of the wider stereotypical assumptions conjured by ‘punk,’ not least in the influence of anarchism on the punk scene, as evident in DIY production practices and in the imagery and lyrics of punk bands.

From ‘early punk’s’ shock tactic invocation of anarchy, a deeper relationship quickly developed, and this interrelationship has been evident in punk’s continued development and global spread. Punk and anarchism have been significantly intertwined for more than 40 years. Introduction Punk, anarchism, ‘lifestylism’ and ‘workerism’ Their distinct, yet overlapping, political approaches are compared and contrasted, and in doing so, pervasive assumptions about the relationship between punk and anarchism are challenged, refuting the supposed dichotomy between ‘lifestylist’ anarchism and ‘workerist’ anarchism.

This article addresses this apparent gap by exploring the ‘punk anarchisms’ of two of the most prominent and influential activist groups of recent decades (in English-speaking contexts at least), Class War and CrimethInc. This recognition is usually focussed on how punk bands and scenes express anarchist political philosophies or anarchistic praxes, while much less attention is paid to expressions of ‘punk’ by anarchist activist groups.

Many of the connections between punk and anarchism are well recognized (albeit with some important contentions).

Punk wars figures