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Autonomism, or Autonomist Marxism is a left wing political movement and theory. Autonomism (autonomia) emerged in Italy in the 1960s from workerist (operaismo) communism. Later, post-Marxist and lifestylist tendencies became significant after influence from Situationism, the failure of the Italian revolutionary era in the 1970s and the emergence of a number of important theorists including Antonio Negri. It influenced the German and Dutch autonomen, the worldwide Social Center movement, and today is influential in Italy, the United States and some other English speaking countries. Those who describe themselves as 'autonomists' now vary from workerist marxists to lifestylist post-Marxists or (post-)anarchists.
Autonomist theory developed Marxism by emphasising the ability of the working class to force changes to the organisation of the capitalist system. It therefore concentrates on working class activity autonomous from the state, trade unions or political parties. Early theorists were Mario Tronti, Antonio Negri, Sergio Bolgna and others in Italy in the 1970s. It has influenced Marxist academics including Harry Cleaver, John Holloway and Steve Wright.
Autonomism may also refer to the Dutch anarchist Autonomen movement from the 1960s which concentrated on squatting, or to the German Autonomen squats of the 1980s.
Due to the inspiration provided by the Autonomist marxist and Autonomen movements for some of the revolutionary left, English language leftist groups with a fundamentally libertarian socialist bent describe themselves as Autonomists, for example, the British WOMBLES.
See also: black bloc, Disobbedienti, Tute Bianche, Ya Basta, Zapatista.
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