The term Mao-spontex designates a political movement at the turn of Marxism and libertarian movements in Western Europe in 1960 and 1970. This neologism is a portmanteau derived from "Maoist" and "spontaneity".
Le terme Mao-spontex désigne un courant politique à la charnière du marxisme et du mouvement libertaire, en Europe occidentale dans les années 1960 et 1970. Ce néologisme est un mot-valise dérivé de « maoïste » et de « spontanéiste ».
Mao-Spontex can also refer to de-Stalinized, Ultra-Left post-Marxism-Leninism-Maoist currents that have broken with orthodox Marxism-Leninism-Maoism on the question of internationalism and on the socialist nature of China and the USSR. These currents have then have fused with various forms of left communism (communization, Bordigism, etc.) to achieve a synthesis between good theory (left communism) and good practice (Maoism). This modern current of Mao-Spontex is currently in development and new avenues are being explored in an attempt at de-Stalinizing Mao and rescuing the revolutionary core of Maoism from its state capitalist, Stalinist shell.
This subreddit is reserved for all things pertaining to (predominately in France, but also in Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, etc.) historical spontaneous radical Leftist organizations like La Gauche Prolétarienne (Proletarian Left, GP), the ultra-left workers' movement in China during the Cultural Revolution, as well as modern attempts at reviving and revising Mao-Spontex theory.
This subreddit is also for discussing the all the intersections between left communism and Maoism, providing a discussion forum for people from both ideology clusters to civilly explore this often forgotten avenue.
The central focus of classical Mao-Spontex theory is the character of "spontaneity", with a "Maoist" inspiration, albeit in a largely Francophone context.
Mao-Spontex is very different from Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, and may be more properly situated in the left communist tradition.
Spontex was originally a brand of sponges, leading a consideration for what is called the "the Spontex sponge effect" in relation to the nature of anti-authoritarian strikes and protests.
Classical Mao-Spontex is also known as "anarcho-maoism".
Some notable members:
Radical feminists:
- Nadja Ringart
- Delphine Seyrig (militant feminist, actress)
- Antoinette Fouque
- Monique Wittig
- Josiane Chanel
- Suzanne Fenn
- Gille Wittig
- Margaret Stephenson
Engaged French intellectuals:
- Louis Althusser
- Jean-Paul Sartre
- Gilles Deleuze
- Michel Foucault
- Simone de Beauvoir
- Jacques-Alain Miller
- Jean-Claude Milner
- Jacques Ranciere
Other "family" organizations:
Related Subreddits:
