Principles & Purpose

The Wild Rose Collective is an anarchist organization based in Iowa City, Iowa. We are open to those who agree to the requirements of membership, as outlined in our constitution.

These are our principles, which should be understood as a quick overview of where we stand:

1. Anarchism, as we understand it, is a social system based around attaining the maximum possible liberty and equality for all by the elimination of institutional hierarchy. It will be brought about by the struggle between the vast, diverse working class majority of society and the tiny minority that currently rules.

2. We believe in combating all forms of oppression such as those based on race, ethnicity, sex, gender, immigration status, and sexuality, among others. These forms of oppression, in addition to class, are interlinked and reinforce each other. For a truly liberatory society, they all must be abolished.

3. We do not see the state as a means to create the world we want to see, and we reject the view that seeking power in governments or solutions for social liberation from governmental powers is viable. It can only maintain hierarchy and privilege for those that control it.

4. Modern environmental destruction is a result of capitalism’s need for endless growth and expansion, commodifying the natural world for the benefit of a small minority. We recognize that social transformation is the first step towards ecological balance, not solely lifestyle choices and technological innovations.

The purpose and aims of our group are:

1. Advocating horizontal, directly democratic and revolutionary forms of organizing and decision making within social movements as rank-and-file.

2. The promotion of our views through position papers, propaganda, media dissemination, events and projects.

3. Creating goals and a corresponding strategy to accomplish them, while reviewing our successes and failures and learning from them.

We see the need for a specific anarchist group built around agreement on key issues, a dedication to avoid isolation in regards to the larger social movements and a process of assessing our own situation, what actions we take and how to implement them.

There may never be a time in which all or the majority of the working class considers themselves anarchists. However, through our coherent and concerted efforts within social movements that exist, it is realistic that our views can spread, be accepted and acted upon by people regardless of their status as a self-proclaimed anarchist or not.

A truly liberatory revolution or the possibility of one will only occur if large segments of the working class share elements of the anarchist vision and have control of the organizations they participate in. Without serious organizing, involvement and commitment, this is impossible.