Factory councils, organised by the proletariat, with the election of delegates (as opposed to representatives), who are all recallable at any point to the proletariat, seems to be the closest that revolutionary theory has come to depicting the beginnings of a new society. However these strike committees are no more than the start, the beginnings of any revolution, they seem to be more of a tool, albeit a democratic and highly effective one, in the class conflict. Perhaps in early capitalism, when the factory was at the centre of industrial society, then the workers councils could have been an appropriate form of organisation for the whole of society. However could these workers councils, these assemblies be reproduced in relation to cultural services, agricultural production and society at large in an post-advanced capitalist society?
Obviously we have to be careful not to think of councils in the parameters of capitalist convention, but would the council be an effective, democratic way to realise the freedom of the proletariat in wider society?
Pannekoek talked of only the factory based proletariat being relevent in terms of a workers democracy, only the council would organise the affairs of society because of the central role of the factory in society. However clearly in europe and much of the nortern and southern hemisphere the constituation of the proletarist has evolved, the nature of work has evolved.
Does anyone have and ideas as to how contemporary councils would work?
In the throws of revolution obviously cultural capital (printers, billboards, computers) could be used as tools, and the councils in that specific area, along with other workers would be able to disseminate ideas through these resources, but what is their future at the beginning of the revolution, following the decisive battles and development and augmentation of the councils, do they become redundant?
I think the closest we've seen to a council-based revolution in recent times has been the uprising in Argentina, with the street assemblies. These were unable and unwilling to push things forward towards a destruction of the local state, but they still acted as a focus for a lot of activity -- still do.
I think any councils/assemblies would have to be based on *something* that brought people togehter. Maybe in some places that would still be a workplace, maybe in other areas it would be a locality, some places it may be a community not based on locality or occupation but something else.
The basic principle of people getting together and sharing out tasks is still good, I think; even in the midst of a riot/reclaim the streets/eviction, there are times when you need to gather together to share info and reaffirm your common goals.