Class War - We Have Found New Homes for the Rich

Class War - We Have Found New Homes for the Rich, 1985

Class War, an anarchist organization founded in the early 1980s, gained notoriety for its provocative tactics and self-titled newspaper, Class War, subtitled Britain's Most Unruly Tabloid.

The newspaper reported on acts of violence against the police and the wealthy, while the group organized shocking activities such as disrupting elite events like the Henley Regatta. These actions were intended to challenge class inequality and provoke a reaction from the establishment. The group’s tactics highlighted the deep class tensions in Thatcher-era Britain.

During the 1984 Miners' Strike, Class War advocated for opening a 'second front' by mobilizing working-class communities on estates across the country. This was intended to divert Government and police resources away from attacks on the striking miners.

Class War’s legacy and influence can be seen in later anti-capitalist and anarchist movements, underscoring their role in the history of British radical politics.

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Anarchist ideas evolved over centuries, with elements traceable to the European Enlightenment, the English Revolution, and the French Revolution.

In the 19th century, anarchism significantly influenced early trade unions and workers' organizations.

Anarchists played a key role in the development of the International Workingmen’s Association (known as the First International). However, they clashed with Marx and his followers over the question of capturing state power and were eventually expelled. The history of the International and its successor organizations became closely tied to the development of Marx’s vision of communism and the concept of the dictatorship of the proletariat.

During this period anarchism became associated with the concept of “propaganda by deed” – taking actions that were intended to inspire others to take actions; and “mutual aid” – a belief that progress is best achieved through working together rather than competition.

Towards the end of the 19th century and into the first half of the 20th century, anarchists developed mass movements across the globe, particularly in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries. In these regions, revolutionary trade unionism—or anarcho-syndicalism—took hold, emphasizing direct action to achieve goals rather than parliamentary representation.

Modern anarchism is more fragmented, but most anarchists still share a common opposition to capitalism and the state.