Anarchism, Metalhead Politics, and the Power of Government
Musings on a history of power.
During World War II, certain emergency laws were put into place, which were designed to secure “the public safety, the defence of the realm, the maintenance of public order and the efficient prosecution of any war.” These laws came as the Russian and Nazi non-aggression treaty went into effect, and it became clear that the balance of power had shifted.
But, while there were clear reasons to implement defenses against attack and subterfuge, the powers put in place were incredibly broad, and created an atmosphere utterly hostile to the functioning of democracy.
Sir Herbert Read, a renowned art theorist, anarchist philosopher, and public speaker, was one of the main leaders in building an argument against these totalitarian measures.
Read had long decried the emergency measures, but began speaking out actively against them following the imprisonment of four anarchists who were convicted for promoting “revolution.”
These anarchists, who were apparently engaged in anti-war activism near a military base, were not the first to be imprisoned under the new laws. In fact, the British government came down heavily on anyone who suggested that war was a net negative, including conscientious objectors who…
