The Free Union or Free League (Dutch: ''Vrije Bond'') is an

anarchist Anarchism is a political philosophy and movement that is skeptical of all justifications for authority and seeks to abolish the institutions it claims maintain unnecessary coercion and hierarchy, typically including, though not neces ...

organisation in the Netherlands and Belgium that was founded in 1990. The Free Union originated from the Business organization Collective Sector (BCS) and the Independent Union of Business Organizations (OVB) in the

1980s File:1980s replacement montage02.PNG, 420px, From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, ''Columbia'', lifts off in 1981; US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev ease tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the ...

.Does the Free Union have a future?
, '' Ravage '', no. 15, November 21, 2003

Ideology

When the Free Union was founded, it initially presented itself as "the base organization for self-management and syndicalism", but has recently become less syndicalist and now presents itself as an anarchist organization. In its own words, the Vrije Bond strives for "an anarchist society in which a person can determine how to organize life."Principles
, Free Union The Free Union aims at the abolition of social classes, borders, the state, and other social relations they deem oppressive. The Free Union advocates equality between people, the autonomy of the individual, and self-management and self-governance. Additionally, the Free Union is an ecological organisation and advocates a "good environment and vital nature." The Free Union is an internationalist organisation, and therefore maintains relations with global anarchist groups and federations.

Structure

The Free Union is based on equal participation and consequently every member is allowed to participate in the decision-making process. The Free Union consists of individual members and constituent autonomous groups. There are Free Union groups in Amsterdam, Utrecht,

Nijmegen Nijmegen (;; Spanish and it, Nimega. Nijmeegs: ''Nimwèège'' ) is the largest city in the Dutch province of Gelderland and tenth largest of the Netherlands as a whole, located on the Waal river close to the German border. It is about 6 ...

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

and Ghent. The Vrije Bond and affiliated groups have several hundred members and govern themselves using participatory democracy. The Free Union was an observer member of the International of Anarchist Federations. The Free Union cooperates, maintains relations with, or operates alongside various other far-left grassroots organisations such as the Anarcho-Syndicalist Union (ASB), Doorbraak (Breakthrough), the

International Communist Current The International Communist Current (ICC) is a left communist international organisation. It was founded at a conference in January 1975 where it was established as a centralised organisation with sections in France, Britain, Spain, USA, Italy, a ...

, the Union of Polish Syndicalists and the German Free Workers' Union, as well as occasionally the International Socialists despite an ambivalent relation.

Activities

The Free Union uses

direct action Direct action originated as a political activist term for economic and political acts in which the actors use their power (e.g. economic or physical) to directly reach certain goals of interest, in contrast to those actions that appeal to oth ...

to further their goals. The Free Union is involved in issues such as ecology, migration, and workplace conflicts. The Vrije Bond organize among local,

immigrant Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, and ...

, and foreign workers. They also organize workshops, libraries and picket lines, and publish a periodical called ''Buiten de Orde'' (Outside the Order). In September 2011, the Free Union organized a demonstration against the policies of the First Rutte cabinet that attracted 1500 people. On March 31, 2012, the Free Union participated in the "European action day against capitalism" with a demonstration in Utrecht that mobilized several hundred people. During the

2012 Dutch general election Early general elections were held in the Netherlands on 12 September 2012 after Prime Minister Mark Rutte handed in his government's resignation to Queen Beatrix on 23 April. The 150 seats of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands were ...

, an 'anti-election campaign' was initiated by the Free Union.Join campaign 'Displeased'!
Vrije Bond, August 12, 2012 The Free Union also participates in the annual May Day and Pinksterlanddagen celebrations.

References

{{Reflist Anarchist organizations in Europe Anarchism in the Netherlands

Ideology

Structure

Activities

See also

References