Anti-Capitalist Convergences (ACC) are organizations which sprang up in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

in the late 1990s and early 2000s as forms of coordinating activities by the growing

social justice Social justice is justice in relation to the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society where individuals' rights are recognized and protected. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has of ...

anarchist Anarchism is a political philosophy and Political movement, movement that seeks to abolish all institutions that perpetuate authority, coercion, or Social hierarchy, hierarchy, primarily targeting the state (polity), state and capitalism. A ...

, and

environmentalist Environmentalism is a broad Philosophy of life, philosophy, ideology, and social movement about supporting life, habitats, and surroundings. While environmentalism focuses more on the environmental and nature-related aspects of Green politics, g ...

anti-capitalists. Many of the ACCs were set up in anticipation of or as a result of a major protest. Generally, Anti-Capitalist Convergences were assembled as umbrella organisations, to coordinate different groups and struggles. However, many have become groups unto themselves. In the wake of the " Battle of Seattle" and a similar resurgence of anti-capitalist protest and organising, activists in cities such as Seattle; Washington, D.C.; and Chicago formed Convergences to carry out protests more effectively and to ensure that anti-capitalist organising would continue after major demonstrations had left the city. The Convergences were also billed as a counterweight to more mainstream coalitions and trade unions who radicals claimed dominated protests. By far the most successful of the Anti-Capitalist Convergences has been the one, based in Montreal, best known by its French acronym: CLAC (Convergence des Luttes Anti-Capitalistes). Originally formed to coordinate protests at the Quebec City Summit of the Americas in April, 2001, it continued to operate afterwards, and provided the engine for the Take the Capital! protests the following year. It has also proven strong within its own community, launched anti-gentrification campaigns, and worked to help non-status immigrants.Jill Bachelder, Janna Bryson and Igor Sadikov " May Day demonstrations sweep Montreal" ''The McGill Daily'', May 3, 2014
/ref> As quickly as many ACCs sprung up, most of them have fallen apart. Montreal; Seattle; Colorado; Chicago; New York City; and Washington, D.C., have all seen their ACCs collapse. However, there are now ACCs active overseas in the Philippines and Japan and efforts are under way to revive an anti-capitalist umbrella group in Montreal.

References

{{reflist, refs= {{cite news, url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/28/nyregion/anarchy-has-image-problem-face-new-york-police-taste-for-conflict-wavers.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm , accessdate=February 15, 2012 , title=Anarchy Has an Image Problem; In the Face of New York Police, Taste for Conflict Wavers , first=Jacob H. , last=Fries , date=January 28, 2002 , work=The New York Times

External links

"Radical groups rise from the ashes of defunct anticapitalist organization" The McGill Daily 28 september 2006
Advocacy groups in the United Kingdom Anti-capitalist organizations Defunct anarchist organizations in North America Advocacy groups in Canada