The cover of issue 280 has the image of a “sans papiers”, and relates to an article by Maria Matteo, “transportation of livestock”. When a boat of clandestine immigrants goes down in the Sicilian Channel, who is responsible? Is it “[...] those who maintain that goods may circulate freely, but not people”?
Following Maria’s report on the World Social Forum last month, other opinions are expressed on the subject in this issue: a letter from Renato Ramos is substantially in line with Maria’s view, criticising Massimo Rossi’s interview with Henrique Fontana published in no. 277, whereas Lorenzo Guadagnucci, journalist at the Resto del Carlino, writes in praise of the event. Antonio Cardella touches on the subject, finding the Forum hypocritical and ineffectual, in his discussion of the Enron scandal. Also on the subject of global capitalism, an extract from Serge Latouche’s “End of the Western Dream. Essay on the Americanisation of the World”.

Following the dramatic implosion of the Argentine economy and government at the tail end of last year, there are seeds growing from the ashes: the burgeoning neighbourhood assembly movement. The comrades of the José Ingenieros Popular Library analyse the phenomenon (translation by yours truly).

Cosimo Scarinzi reports on the national strike on 15 February.
Carlo Oliva informs us that the first Italian peep show has opened in Milan. Francesco Codello discusses pluralism, a pillar of anarchism, with reference to Kropotkin, Malatesta and Isaiah Berlin.

In the “fatti e misfatti” column, Francesca Palombo reports on the Risingtide climate change conference held in Barcelona in February, while Franco Trincale the ballad singer is praised in a piece by Paolo Finzi. Also, two antimilitarism items from the Cassa di Solidarietà Antimilitarista, and an article by Fulvio Abbate reprinted from L’Unità, “it was the anarchists”.

In “à nous la liberté”, Felice Accame reviews Gore Vidal’s book “Screening History” (1992). Also reviewed this month are “Noi della Diaz”, about the violence committed by the police in Genoa, “Africa Ribelle” by Sam Mbah and I.E. Igariwey, about libertarian perspectives in Africa, and “Dizionario del Futurismo” edited by Ezio Godoli.

Continuing the debate on Genoa, Francesco Berti replies to the letter by Tobia Imperato in support of the Black Bloc (issue 278); Francesco distances himself from the “metropolitan guerrillas of the spectacle” who call themselves anarchists today, but tomorrow, who knows?

Closing the issue, in “Ritratti in Piedi” Massimo Ortalli looks at the conflict between capital and labour in the mines of the 19th century, with extracts from works by Emilio Tanfani, Renato Zangheri, Pier Carlo Masini and G.D.H. Cole.

translated by Leslie Ray