The flexible structure and emphasis on trust and action is intentionally there to prevent some trappings that political groups often fall into. That anarchist networks are informal also makes it hard for state investigators to map them out. This helps keep repression and potential damage from informers to a minimum.
An affinity group conspires together, figures out logistics, and does the thing. When doing illegal things, it’s best to operate on a “need-to-know” basis. If you’re planning to do illegal things together, you definitely should make sure you trust the people you’re doing them with and know how they act under pressure. Whether they’re long-term or short-term, a key element in forming an affinity group is trust. A large mass of people may actually be significantly less capable than a small affinity group, simply because people in the latter learn to be strategic with their small numbers and are aware of their capacity together.Īffinity groups can exist for a long time or form temporarily to accomplish one task: for example hanging a banner from a highway overpass or removing police barricades during a demonstration. While it is certainly true that there’s power in numbers, there’s also power in confidence, self-initiative, courage, and the bonds that come from shared experiences in the streets. When the focus is explicitly not to recruit, a whole world of possibilities opens up, and you begin to realize that you have more power than you previously thought. The basic formula for being in one is to feel out your desires, talk with your comrades, survey the situations you’re in, and take action or form projects that make sense to you. Things such as wheatpasting propaganda around town, reading and discussing texts, navigating a demonstration, sabotaging gentrification efforts, learning a skill together, or working on a publication. In fact, the label “affinity group” makes it seem more formal than it actually is: a more fitting name would be “crew.” An affinity group doesn’t even have to be political: bands and sewing circles are examples of affinity groups.Īffinity groups are simple, they are a vehicle for like-minded people to do things together. People come together as an affinity group to act, not to grow the group through recruitment. There are no membership lists, and the organization of the group is minimal. If affinities weaken, people will leave the group or choose to dissolve it altogether. The uniqueness of each group means that they follow paths of their own choosing, experimenting with actions that are specific to their shared skills and desires without seeking permission from a larger decision-making body. Those who form an affinity group often share ideas, strategies, and goals. In light of there being so many formal organizations with acronyms in Bloomington, I’m writing this piece hoping to encourage people to act with those they trust on their own initiative, and be skeptical of joining preexisting groups, because I believe “joining” hinders creativity and the blossoming of self-initiative.Īn affinity group is an informal convergence of people who choose to struggle together, usually consisting of two to ten people.
Because it is flexible, leaderless, and informal, the affinity group is one way to facilitate these drives. From 1890’s Spain to present day Bloomington, anarchists of varying stripes organize ourselves and take action together in what’s called an “affinity group.” Central to anarchy is not only respect for autonomy, but the belief that without stifling systems of control, people are capable of creativity, beauty, and courage.
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