IBERIAN ANARCHIST FEDERATION Meaning and
Definition
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The Iberian Anarchist Federation, also known as Federación Anarquista Ibérica (FAI), is an anarchist organization that originated in Spain and Portugal. Founded in 1927, the FAI aimed to unite various anarchist groups and individuals in the Iberian Peninsula towards the common goal of anarchism and revolution.
As a federation, the FAI functioned as a loose network of affinity groups and individuals who shared a commitment to anarchist ideals, direct action, and the pursuit of social revolution. The federation sought to foster solidarity and cooperation among anarchists by providing a platform for mutual aid and support.
The FAI operated with a decentralized structure and emphasized autonomous action, allowing each affiliated group to retain its own identity and tactics while working towards the overall objective of creating an anarchist society. This structure enabled a diversity of approaches and strategies within the anarchist movement, ranging from syndicalism to insurrectionary anarchism.
The Iberian Anarchist Federation played a significant role in the Spanish Revolution and Civil War (1936-1939). It promoted the idea of social revolution through worker self-management and the dismantling of hierarchical power structures. The FAI actively participated in armed resistance against fascist forces during the Civil War.
Despite facing repression and persecution, the FAI remained committed to its principles of liberation and refusal of authority. Although its influence waned after the Spanish Civil War, the Iberian Anarchist Federation continues to inspire and influence anarchist movements and ideas around the world.
