Monty Python 'Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune'

[youtubeaccount]

"Strange women lying in ponds dispensing swords is not a basis for a system of government!" - Noam Chomsky

[treefrogjohnson]

"Come and see the violence inherent in the system!"

[MiokeDokey]

Dennis knows a thing or two about manufacturing consent.

[robelkton]

This was my first introduction to anarcho-syndicalism

[oliverswartz]

There is another hidden joke in this movie where one person comments that "he must be a king or something" to which the other person asks "how do you know" and the first person replies " he doesn't have shit all over him"!

[clareomarfran]

“... not some farcical aquatic ceremony.” Kills me every time.

[cyanXbacteria]

"i thought we were an autonomous collective"

[niveditatewary]

I feel like this summarises every conversation I have with a non anarchist.

[dplonker]

This scene is far more based than I remember. I could've sworn the scene was poking fun at the obscurity of the ideology but re-watching the clip it would seem the writers actually knew a lot about the subject. Never let it be said the Pythons weren't masters of their craft!

[james]

Meanwhile in a workplace...

Boss:hey pick up that crate and bring in here!
Worker: No
Boss: I am your boss do it!
Worker: I didn't vote for ya!

[TyrSkyFatherOfTheGods]

After over thirty years, I can now admit that Monty Python made me an Anarcho-Syndicalist. Not this sketch, necessarily - just the whole damn thing.

[nachoolo]

The best thing about this after studying Medieval History in college is that these people wouldn't be that odd during The High and Later Middle Ages, as there was a fuck ton of peasant revolts during these periods and a decent amount of societies that based themselves in what we could call "proto-anarchism/communism".


A great example is the Swiss Confederation, which has its origin in the Late Middle Ages when a confederation on rural communes (and a few urban) rebelled against the Habsburg hegemony in the 14th Century a gained independence.

[cloongeorgy]

every time i watch a monty python clip lately, i realise more and more how much ahead of their time they were

[anarseniciste]

"You can't expect to wield supreme executive power just cause some watery tart threw a sword at you !"

[chewie]

I suggest you recreate parts of this sketch at your workplace.
"Person X, do Y"
"Order, heh? Who does he think he is?"
"I am your boss!"
"Well I didn't vote for ya."

[halguy]

after rewatching this years later I feel like it actually makes fun of the king more than the peasants. if you stop and think for a moment, so many systems of power we take for granted in our everyday lives make as little sense as being crowned by a lake fairy. the peasant is still funny tho, great acting

[babygorilla]

goddamn this seen was way funnier after actually having looked into anarchism and specifically anarcho syndicalism for a few days.

[JacktheRah]

One great thing about the anarchist communities is that they usually have no problem with making fun about themselves. I mean here are so many comments who really like the scetch and are anarchists. I really like that. Being able to laugh about yourself is awesome.
Long live anarchy. No gods, no kings, no lords, no masters.

[americangod]

The best thing about this video is all the comrades in the comments.

[tomosprice]

"If I went round saying I was an Emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me they'd put me away" will forever be one of the best lines of dialogue ever in cinema history