Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 36, Number 4. 21st March 1973

Resistance Bookshop May Be Best - But..

Resistance Bookshop May Be Best - But...

Drawing of dancing lemons

Resistance is a bookshop of left-wing and "alternative" publications that doubles as a radical action centre. It was founded in Cuba Street in August 1970, and gutted by a mysterious fire in November. By March 1971, however, it was re-established and is now going stronger than ever at its present Willis Street site. Since its founding stock value has increased from $300 to about $2000. Public interest, however, has not increased comparably. Many active radicals have turned into armchair revolutionaries, the type that uses Resistance as a bookshop for important ideas but ignores its functions and potential for organisation and action.

As originally conceived, Resistance is a form of co-operative, with many people participating. If the willingness of people to help falls away, it weakens the basis of the shop. Resistance is still run on considerably different lines to ordinary bookshops, but is slowly moving towards their system of organisation.

Operation

At present, Resistance makes a 'profit' of $37 a week on a turnover of $150 (if you know anything about bookshops, you'll know that's a very small profit margin). Rent and general costs come to $28, leaving $9 total profit which doesn't cover the increase in stock each week. Debts are rising, and stand at present at $1300. A high turnover is obviously necessary for the business to progress. Besides this, there is at present something of a radical information revolution overseas. Much of it is capitalistic rip-off or Trotskyist double-think admittedly, but there is a lot of good stuff that Resistance would like to get hold of, but doesn't have the finance.

Publishing

Besides continuing the present adventures, the Resistance group are intending various new actions, including setting up printing apparatus. Uses for the gear include a Secondary Schools Students' magazine, a Resistance magazine and local pamphlet printing. A gestetner duplicator will be freely available (if one can be procured) for any competent shareholder to use. A new 'bureaucracy' under the name of Resistance Print is to be set up. This requires expensive equipment which, to be frank, is totally beyond Resistance's means at the moment. Once the thing is set up, profits will eventually pay it back, but the initial high capital expense is the biggest problem at the moment.

Other Ideas

Resistance also has various other ideas (some grandiose) planned to further the cause of radicalism in New Zealand. These include:
  • national linkup with Resistance in Auckland and Christchurch.
  • new premises (very optimistic).
  • food co-operative.
  • social involvement in Newtown.
  • second-hand records, scheme already started, but could be greatly expanded.

Money

These intricate plans will obviously need money. At the moment two schemes are operating, but neither has been very successful, largely due to public apathy. They are: One, buying shares in the Cuba Bookshop Society Ltd. at $2 each. About 600 have been bought in 2½ years. Besides money, the Society concept was to allow ideas to filter up from below. This has failed. Of more interest to armchair radicals is the 10% reduction on book purchases and the planned Gestetner operation.

Three of the four signatories want to quit, so new blood is needed quickly. Two, a later idea is for a pledge system whereby people automatically give $2, $4, $6, $8 per month from their wages or incomes.

If you're interested in any of these ideas and want to help, get in touch with Resistance at Box 1126 Wellington, or better still wander into their shop in Willis Street (just down from the Dixon Street intersection on the left), perve over a few 'Young Lust' comics, and introduce yourself to the people.