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There are several comments here to the effect that Riseup is “communist” (although I cannot tell whether that's intended as a slur or compliment). Reading their

by zellyn 8y ago

There are several comments here to the effect that Riseup is “communist” (although I cannot tell whether that's intended as a slur or compliment). Reading their “About us” and even “Political Principles” page, there's nothing terribly Communisty. Anyone have a pointer to backstory?

sandov 8y ago
>We do this by providing communication and computer resources to allies engaged in struggles against capitalism and other forms of oppression. To them, capitalism is a form of oppression.
lainga 8y ago
They are at the very least anti-capitalist. I won't make any assumptions beyond that, but in the West it is not so big a leap of faith from one to the other. https://riseup.net/en/about-us https://riseup.net/en/about-us Our purpose is to aid in the creation of a free society, a world with freedom from want and freedom of expression, a world without oppression or hierarchy, where power is shared equally. We do this by providing communication and computer resources to allies engaged in struggles against capitalism and other forms of oppression. We oppose all forms of prejudice, authoritarianism, and vanguardism (possibly a reference to Leninist party vanguardism, which anarcho-communists reject.) We work to create revolution and a free society in the here and now Also FWIW, their favicon is a star in anarcho-communist colours.
imbokodo 8y ago
You are correct. Their about page says "We oppose all forms of prejudice, authoritarianism and vanguardism". Opposing authoritarianism is implicitly saying they are not communist, saying they are against vanguardism (a word used by Lenin) means they are explicitly saying they are not communist. Also as their web page says, they are not really a group with an ideology. They are a bunch of left-leaning techs who provide mailing lists, web site service etc. for left-leaning groups who "believe it is vital that essential communication infrastructure be controlled by movement organizations and not corporations". My guess for what happened - the police were looking for one person or group that uses Riseup. As so many progressive organizations use Riseup, the targeting of one user or group of the service became a targeting of five locations, of people who provide the technological infrastructure of much of the left in Germany.
- lainga 8y ago
  >explicitly saying they are not communist Just explicitly not Marxist-Leninist. I thought there were plenty of communists who made up with anarchists after balking at Lenin and the Comintern's demands in the 1920s.
- mdekkers 8y ago
  "we oppose all forms of oppression blah blah". I find they stop being interested in your oppression as soon as your views differ from theirs.

by zellyn 8y ago

sandov 8y ago

>We do this by providing communication and computer resources to allies engaged in struggles against capitalism and other forms of oppression. To them, capitalism is a form of oppression.

lainga 8y ago

They are at the very least anti-capitalist. I won't make any assumptions beyond that, but in the West it is not so big a leap of faith from one to the other. https://riseup.net/en/about-us https://riseup.net/en/about-us Our purpose is to aid in the creation of a free society, a world with freedom from want and freedom of expression, a world without oppression or hierarchy, where power is shared equally. We do this by providing communication and computer resources to allies engaged in struggles against capitalism and other forms of oppression. We oppose all forms of prejudice, authoritarianism, and vanguardism (possibly a reference to Leninist party vanguardism, which anarcho-communists reject.) We work to create revolution and a free society in the here and now Also FWIW, their favicon is a star in anarcho-communist colours.

imbokodo 8y ago

You are correct. Their about page says "We oppose all forms of prejudice, authoritarianism and vanguardism". Opposing authoritarianism is implicitly saying they are not communist, saying they are against vanguardism (a word used by Lenin) means they are explicitly saying they are not communist. Also as their web page says, they are not really a group with an ideology. They are a bunch of left-leaning techs who provide mailing lists, web site service etc. for left-leaning groups who "believe it is vital that essential communication infrastructure be controlled by movement organizations and not corporations". My guess for what happened - the police were looking for one person or group that uses Riseup. As so many progressive organizations use Riseup, the targeting of one user or group of the service became a targeting of five locations, of people who provide the technological infrastructure of much of the left in Germany.

lainga 8y ago
>explicitly saying they are not communist Just explicitly not Marxist-Leninist. I thought there were plenty of communists who made up with anarchists after balking at Lenin and the Comintern's demands in the 1920s.
mdekkers 8y ago
"we oppose all forms of oppression blah blah". I find they stop being interested in your oppression as soon as your views differ from theirs.