Horizontalism

Horizontalism documents the social movements that emerged in Argentina during the economic crisis of 2001. Through interviews and first-hand accounts, Marina Sitrin presents the voices of workers, neighbors, and activists who participated in popular assemblies, recovered factories, and alternative economic networks. The book examines how Argentinians developed new forms of direct democracy and non-hierarchical organizing in response to institutional collapse. Participants share their experiences creating autonomous spaces, building solidarity networks, and making decisions through consensus rather than traditional leadership structures. Workers tell stories of taking over abandoned factories and running them collectively, while neighborhood assemblies describe organizing mutual aid and alternative currencies. The accounts reveal how crisis led communities to reject vertical power structures in favor of horizontal relationships and direct participation. Beyond chronicling these specific events in Argentina, the book explores broader questions about social transformation and alternative forms of organization. The horizontalist practices documented offer insights into possibilities for democratic experimentation and collective self-management during periods of systemic breakdown.

Readers find value in the firsthand accounts of Argentina's social movements and horizontal organizing practices. The interview format provides direct perspectives from participants in neighborhood assemblies, recovered factories, and mutual aid projects. What readers liked: - Clear explanations of horizontalism through real examples - Documentation of grassroots democracy in action - Accessible writing style for those new to social movements - Mix of theory and practice through participant voices What readers disliked: - Some found the interview format repetitive - Limited context and background about Argentina's economic crisis - Organization could be more structured - Translation is sometimes unclear Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (89 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (6 ratings) One reader noted: "The interviews capture the energy and creativity of people building alternatives from below." Another commented: "Would have benefited from more analysis between the interviews to connect themes."

Direct Action by David Graeber A detailed ethnography of anarchist organizing practices and consensus-based decision making in the anti-globalization movement.

We Are Everywhere by Notes from Nowhere Collective A collection of first-hand accounts from global social movements using horizontal organizing and direct democracy from 1994 to 2003.

Assembly by Michael Hardt, Antonio Negri An analysis of leaderless movements and horizontal organizing structures in contemporary social movements.

New Forms of Worker Organization by Immanuel Ness A study of horizontal labor movements and alternative union structures across the global South.

Change the World Without Taking Power by John Holloway An examination of non-hierarchical social movements and their potential to transform society without seizing state power.

📚 The term "horizontalidad" (horizontalism) emerged during Argentina's 2001 economic crisis, when neighbors spontaneously gathered in street assemblies to solve community problems without hierarchical leadership. 🌟 Author Marina Sitrin lived in Argentina during the height of the social movements and participated directly in neighborhood assemblies, allowing her to document the revolution from within. 🤝 The book features firsthand accounts from workers who took over abandoned factories and ran them collectively, creating a network of more than 200 recovered workplaces. 🎓 The social movements documented in the book influenced the structure of Occupy Wall Street, where Sitrin later became involved as both a participant and chronicler. 🗣️ The interviews in the book were conducted in Spanish and translated by Sitrin herself, preserving the authentic voices and local expressions of the movement's participants.