A-Infos (en) UK, ACG: Reforms and Reformism: Intro to Anarchist Communism 3 (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

Should we demand reforms? Do they undermine our rulers and increase 
working class self-confidence or do they maintain them in power? ---- 
Anarchist Communist Group Online Meeting. 7pm, Wednesday June 18th June, 
18th. ---- "In the course of human history it is generally the case that 
the malcontents, the oppressed, and the rebels, before being able to 
conceive and desire a radical change in the political and social 
institutions, restrict their demands to partial changes, to concessions 
by the rulers, and to improvements. Hopes of obtaining reforms as well 
as in their efficacy, precede the conviction that in order to destroy 
the power of a government or of a class, it is necessary to deny the 
reasons for that power, and therefore to make a revolution.

In the order of things, reforms are then introduced or they are not, and 
once introduced either consolidate the existing regime or undermine it; 
assist the advent of revolution or hamper it and benefit or harm 
progress in general, depending on their specific characteristic, the 
spirit in which they have been granted, and above all, the spirit in 
which they are asked for, claimed or seized by the people.

Governments and the privileged classes are naturally always guided by 
instincts of self preservation, of consolidation and the development of 
their powers and privileges; and when they consent to reforms it is 
either because they consider that they will serve their ends or because 
they do not feel strong enough to resist, and give in, fearing what 
might otherwise be a worse alternative.

The oppressed, either ask for and welcome improvements as a benefit 
graciously conceded, recognise the legitimacy of the power which is over 
them, and so do more harm than good by helping to slow down, or divert 
and perhaps even stop the processes of emancipation. Or instead they 
demand and impose improvements by their action, and welcome them as 
partial victories over the class enemy, using them as a spur to greater 
achievements, and thus they are a valid help and a preparation to the 
total overthrow of privilege, that is, for the revolution. A point is 
reached when the demands of the dominated class cannot be acceded to by 
the ruling class without compromising their power. Then the violent 
conflict inevitably occurs.

It is not true to say therefore, that revolutionaries are systematically 
opposed to improvements, to reforms. They oppose the reformists on the 
one hand because their methods are less effective for securing reforms 
from governments and employers, who only give in through fear, and on 
the other hand because very often the reforms they prefer are those 
which not only bring doubtful immediate benefits, but also serve to 
consolidate the existing regime and to give the workers a vested 
interest in its continued existence."

Errico Malatesta

https://www.anarchistcommunism.org/2025/06/02/reforms-and-reformism-intro-to-anarchist-communism-3/
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