Fire by Night Organizing Committee
Encyclopedia
The Fire By Night Organizing Committee was a short-lived revolutionary
leftist organization in the United States
. Fire by Night was formed by about half of the members of the New York City
branch and all the members of the San Francisco branch of the Love and Rage Revolutionary Anarchist Federation
after its dissolution in 1998. In Love & Rage's aftermath, Fire by Night grouped together some members of Love & Rage who were moving away from anarchism
and becoming increasingly influenced by Marxism
, along with some who still considered themselves anarchists but were open to working in the same organization with non-anarchists.
At its formation, Fire by Night was conceived as likely to be a transitional organization. Fire by Night was committed to doing three things: (1) organizing together in a concentrated and strategic way, (2) writing a thorough summation of lessons from the experience of Love & Rage, and (3) carrying out a year-long process of political study which would result in writing a political statement that would clarify the organization's ideological orientation and their view on revolutionary strategy in the United States.
The San Francisco branch of Fire By Night was active in organizing public housing
residents and the New York City
branch was involved in the fight to defend (and restore) open admissions at the City University of New York
. The New York City branch abruptly dissolved itself in January 2000. Subsequently the San Francisco branch, which had moved away from anarchism and toward Marxism, decided to join the Freedom Road Socialist Organization
/ Organización Socialista del Camino para la Libertad (FRSO/OSCL). At that point Fire by Night ceased to exist.
Before it dissolved, The Fire by Night Organizing Committee wrote the most extensive summation of lessons from Love & Rage, After Winter Must Come Spring: Analysis of the Love & Rage Revolutionary Anarchist Federation. After Fire by Night dissolved, this summation of Love & Rage was published as a pamphlet by Freedom Road Socialist Organization / Organización Socialista del Camino para la Libertad (FRSO/OSCL). The pamphlet also includes a new introduction and the Fire by Night Organizing Committee's Point of Unity, but doesn't include the afterword that originally appeared with the document.
Revolutionary
A revolutionary is a person who either actively participates in, or advocates revolution. Also, when used as an adjective, the term revolutionary refers to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor.-Definition:...
leftist organization in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Fire by Night was formed by about half of the members of the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
branch and all the members of the San Francisco branch of the Love and Rage Revolutionary Anarchist Federation
Love and Rage
The Love and Rage Revolutionary Anarchist Federation was formed in the United States in 1993 out of the remaining groups in the Love and Rage Network.-Background:...
after its dissolution in 1998. In Love & Rage's aftermath, Fire by Night grouped together some members of Love & Rage who were moving away from anarchism
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
and becoming increasingly influenced by Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
, along with some who still considered themselves anarchists but were open to working in the same organization with non-anarchists.
At its formation, Fire by Night was conceived as likely to be a transitional organization. Fire by Night was committed to doing three things: (1) organizing together in a concentrated and strategic way, (2) writing a thorough summation of lessons from the experience of Love & Rage, and (3) carrying out a year-long process of political study which would result in writing a political statement that would clarify the organization's ideological orientation and their view on revolutionary strategy in the United States.
The San Francisco branch of Fire By Night was active in organizing public housing
Public housing
Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. Social housing is an umbrella term referring to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by non-profit organizations, or by a combination of the...
residents and the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
branch was involved in the fight to defend (and restore) open admissions at the City University of New York
City University of New York
The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...
. The New York City branch abruptly dissolved itself in January 2000. Subsequently the San Francisco branch, which had moved away from anarchism and toward Marxism, decided to join the Freedom Road Socialist Organization
Freedom Road Socialist Organization
The Freedom Road Socialist Organization — known in Spanish as Organización Socialista del Camino para la Libertad — was formed in 1985 as many of the Maoist-oriented groups formed in the United States New Communist Movement of the 1970s were shrinking or collapsing...
/ Organización Socialista del Camino para la Libertad (FRSO/OSCL). At that point Fire by Night ceased to exist.
Before it dissolved, The Fire by Night Organizing Committee wrote the most extensive summation of lessons from Love & Rage, After Winter Must Come Spring: Analysis of the Love & Rage Revolutionary Anarchist Federation. After Fire by Night dissolved, this summation of Love & Rage was published as a pamphlet by Freedom Road Socialist Organization / Organización Socialista del Camino para la Libertad (FRSO/OSCL). The pamphlet also includes a new introduction and the Fire by Night Organizing Committee's Point of Unity, but doesn't include the afterword that originally appeared with the document.