A Living Revolution: Anarchism in the Kibbutz Movement

by James Horrox, Uri Gordon (Introduction)

In A Living Revolution, James Horrox explores the foundations of the kibbutz movement, providing a detailed look at its early economic, social, and political organization. Based on newly translated letters, diaries, and essays by key figures, A Living Revolution uncovers a deep, explicitly anarchist strain running through the movement. This book illuminates a neglected aspect of Jewish history, taking serious issue with Marxists and other historians who see the kibbutzim primarily as progenitors of the Israeli State. It depicts anarchism as both an inspiring utopian ideology and a viable social practice.

Praise for A Living Revolution

"A brilliant study of anarchism in the kibbutz movement...Revealing the roots and processes of the influx of anarchist ideas and practices into the early Jewish labour movement, assessing the actual kibbutz practice and seeing the kibbutzim as both a model way to live and a set of experiments to learn from, Horrox gives this history the meticulous attention it deserves"

—Michael Albert, editor Znet and Z Magazine

"Zionism has always been an overly complex phenomenon. From its very inception, it sheltered a plurality of radical ideologies, many of which remain inherently opposed to the nationalist and market-driven values that it has become synonymous with. If Jews are ever going to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict, and bring a just peace to the Middle East, we will need to reacquaint ourselves with these traditions, many of which remain alive and vital today. Moving back in time to the inception of Israel's kibbutz movement, ending up in the misery of the present, British journalist and scholar James Horrox does just that. Excavating Israel's anarchist ideological heritage, Horrox illuminates a progressive political history that Israelis can actually be proud of and look to as a source of renewal, as natural to their politics as militarism and ethnic conflict. At a time when most literature of this kind follows the familiar path of critique and denunciation, James Horrox achieves the same results by going in the opposite direction. This is a deeply inspiring book that will make you think twice, and question the prevailing consensus that only right-wing politics work in Israel".

— Joel Schalit, author of Israel vs. Utopia

"The defining influence of anarchist currents in the early kibbutz movement has been one of official Zionist historiography's best-kept secrets...It is against this background of induced collective amnesia that A Living Revolution makes its vital contribution. James Horrox has drawn on archival research, interviews and political analysis to thread together the story of a period all but gone from living memory, presenting it for the first time to an English-reading audience. These pages bring to life the most radical and passionate voices that shaped the second and third waves of Jewish immigration to Palestine, and also encounter those contemporary projects working to revive the spirit of the kibbutz as it was intended to be, despite, and because of, their predecessors' fate."

—Uri Gordon, author of Anarchy Alive!

"Interesting and informative...a refreshing reminder of the constructive possibilities of anarchist ideas."

—Ruth Kinna, editor Anarchist Studies

Genres: History

250 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2009

Reviews

[Arawak Amargi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Le mouvement des kibboutz prend forme en Palestine sous domination ottomane à partir de 1910, et deviendra l'une des expériences de vie communautaire et de progrès social les plus abouties du XXe siècle. S'il s'inscrit pleinement dans le cadre plus général du sionisme, on sait peu à quel point ses fondements idéologiques et politiques sont ancrés dans la pensée anarchiste, incarnée par des auteurs comme Pierre Kropotkine ou Gustav Landauer. "Etait en jeu, alors, rien moins que l'opportunité de transformer la mobilisation juive autour de la Palestine en un projet de libération sociale de tous les peuples, et qui n'aurait pu voir le jour que sous la bannière d'un socialisme sans Etat", écrit Uri Gordon dans la préface à l'édition anglaise de ce livre de James Horrox qui retrace l'histoire de cette révolution vivante. Et s'il en analyse aussi le déclin à partir des années 1980, il rend compte également des formes multiples de sa renaissance à l'aube du nouveau siècle, qui témoignent de la singulière vitalité des habitants de cette "terre sujette aux tremblements".

[Rory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book. I didn’t really know the extent to which the Kibbutz were a) influenced by anarchist ideas and b) were internally so communist, and in line with the idea of “from each according to their ability to each according to their need.” Also, interesting was the exploration of the professed marxism-leninism of the kibbutz but the anarchist-communist practice, as well as the many shortcomings and problems they have faced over the years resulting in them looking very different (much more capitalist, much more hierarchical) now than they did.

The fact that they are enmeshed in a racist settler colonial state project built on ethnic cleansing is also true. Certainly, now the kibbutz is a key part of the Zionist state and provides its most fervent soldiers. I would have liked to see more discussion of this- the book sort of implies that a lot of early Kibbutz pioneers before the establishment of Israel professed a sort of non-state Zionism which was based on Arab-Jewish cooperation- the implication I guess is that things could have turned out quite differently. But having talked to Uri Gordon (the author of the introduction) it seems like this isn’t the case, and a Jewish supremacism was always present from the start. Perhaps this is the reason the left rarely discusses the kibbutz- it’s true that they are one of the most interesting experiments in communist relations, from which we can learn a lot. It’s also true they are a core part of a far-right settler colonial project based on forced displacement. These two things can both be true- for a left that finds things that are not black and white impossible to deal with, the preference is to just ignore and pretend it doesn’t exist.

I think this section best sums it up:

“In his postscript to a 1974 edition of Kropotkins book Fields, Factories and Workshops, British anarchist Colin Ward cites the kibbutz as one of the few examples in history where Kropotkins social theory has found successful practical expression. With this statement however, comes one caveat: “In citing the Jewish collective settlements as an exemplification of Kropotkins ideal commune,” he writes, “we have to consider them without reference to the functions they have performed in the last decades in the service of Israeli nationalism and imperialism.”

For some, this will be quite a caveat. The kibbutz movements post—1948 link to the state of Israel—a country who ́se name has, to the contemporary global Left, become synonymous with apartheid and contemporary colonialism—including the number of its members who join the security services, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) and the political elite, certainly goes a long way towards explaining why the kibbutzim have generally not been perceived by anarchist movements as partners in their struggles. Many see the kibbutz’s very existence as predicated on the forcible displacement and subjugation of the region’s native Arab population, and would consider any progressive ideals of equality and social justice that the kibbutzim profess to hold nullified by the massive inequality on which the practical manifestation of these ideals has come to be based.

By definition, no commune that is officially loyal to any state can be viewed as an anarchist entity. However, that does not mean that we cannot identify and learn from the political precepts actualised within that commune. An article in Londons anarchist newspaper Freedom in 1962 observed how [The kibbutz] is one of the best examples of democracy and certainly the nearest thing to practising anarchism that exists. Every pet theory of anarchism, like decentralisation, minority opinion, “law” without government, freedom and not license, delegation of representation are all part of the daily pattern of existence. Here in microcosm may be seen the beginnings of what might happen in a genuinely free society.

Throughout history, all projects attempting to self—organise have been caught in different types of power networks that have complicated their existence. The kibbutz is no different."

[Aaniella Desai · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for a class… not bad though

[Michael Caplan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A movement overlook or disregarded by many left libertarians, Horrox's A Living Revolution places the Israeli Kibbutz movement firmly in the pages of anarchist history where it belongs. Horrox offers a meticulously researched and well argued presentation of the Kibbutz's relevance to anarchism and the Kibbutz's associations with this politics,

Horrox however fails to discuss in adequate details the conflicts with the Kibbutz movement and the Arab world. Horrox recognizes this issue, but stops there. This seems rather short sighted considering the goal of this book. Questions about the nature of pioneering Kibbutzniks relationship with Israeli nationalism, the Kibbutz participation in a destructive colonialism, and Arab relations are glossed over at best.

These oversights aside, this study of the Kibbutz offers many values lessons to those interested in anarchist social, political, and economic reconstruction.

[Adam Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book describes how the Kibbutz movement could be used as a template in many ways for an anti-authoritarian community and describes the similarities between revolutionary thinking and the historical Kibbutz movement. I was mostly interested in how the Kibbutz movement could even be compared to revolutionarily ideology since my previous understanding was that the Kibbutz movement was a predicate to Zionism. In this book, Horrox basically shows how the Zionist movement hijacked the Kibbutz movement for their own ends. I do believe this is somewhat true and the Kibbutz movement does have an many exemplary aspects but it is of course not enough on its own. Overall interesting book and I would recommend to anyone interested in community attempts at a utopian society or anyone interested in anarchist theory.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horrox does a great job providing a detailed overview of the anarchist and left-Marxist influences on the early kibbutz system in Israel. I came away feeling like I had a good understanding of the ideological influences of anarchism and left-Marxism on the kibbutz as well as how they were and are organized. Would have liked to read more about radical culture inside the kibbutz - for example, gender and race relations. Also missing is a discussion about the relationship anarchist Jewish settlers had with Palestinians and their thoughts on colonization. Otherwise a great book, would recommend!