LeaderlessResistance

http://www.louisbeam.com/leaderless.htm

SEDITIONIST

ISSUE12,FEBRUARY1992:FINALEDITION

LEADERLESSRESISTANCE

TheconceptofLeaderlessResistancewasproposedbyCol.Ulius
LouisAmoss,whowasthefounderofInternationalServiceof
InformationIncorporated,locatedinBaltimore,Maryland.Col.Amoss
diedmorethanfifteenyearsago,butduringhislifewasatireless
opponentofcommunism,aswellasaskilledIntelligenceOfficer.Col.
AmossfirstwroteofLeaderlessResistanceonApril17,1962.His
theoriesoforganizationwereprimarilydirectedagainstthethreatof
eventualCommunisttake-overintheUnitedStates.Thepresentwriter,
withthebenefitofhavinglivedmanyyearsbeyondCol.Amoss,has
takenhistheoriesandexpoundeduponthem.Col.Amossfearedthe
Communists.Thisauthorfearsthefederalgovernment.Communism
nowrepresentsathreattonooneintheUnitedStates,whilefederal
tyrannyrepresentsathreattoeveryone.Thewriterhasjoyfullylived
longenoughtoseethedyingbreathsofcommunism,butmay,
unhappily,remainlongenoughtoseethelastgraspsoffreedomin
America.
Inthehopethat,somehow,Americacanstillproducethebravesonsanddaughtersnecessarytofightoffever
increasingpersecutionandoppression,thisessayisoffered.Frankly,itistooclosetocallatthispoint.Thosewho
loveliberty,andbelieveinfreedomenoughtofightforitareraretoday,butwithinthebosomofeveryoncegreat
nation,thereremainssecreted,thepearlsofformergreatness.Theyarethere.Ihavelookedintotheirsparkingeyes;
sharingabriefmomentintimewiththemasIpassedthroughthislife.Relishedtheirfriendship,enduredtheirpain,
andtheymine.Weareabandofbrothers,nativetothesoilgainingstrengthonefromanotheraswehaverushedhead
longintoabattlethatalltheweaker,timidmen,saywecannotwin.Perhaps...butthenagain,perhapswecan.It'snot
overtillthelastfreedomfighterisburiedorimprisoned,orthesamehappenstothosewhowoulddestroytheir
freedom.
Barringanycataclysmicevents,thestrugglewillyetgoonforyears.
Thepassageoftimewillmakeitcleartoeventhemoreslowamong

1of6

10/15/201308:47PM

LeaderlessResistance

http://www.louisbeam.com/leaderless.htm

usthatthegovernmentistheforemostthreattothelife,andlibertyof
thefolk.Thegovernmentwillnodoubtmaketoday'soppressiveness
looklikegradeschoolworkcomparedtowhattheyhaveplannedin
thefuture.Meanwhile,therearethoseofuswhocontinuetohopethatsomehowthefewcandowhatthemanyhave
not.Wearecognizantthatbeforethingsgetbettertheywillcertainlygetworseasgovernmentshowsawillingnessto
useevermoreseverepolicestatemeasuresagainstdissidents.Thischangingsituationmakesitclearthatthosewho
opposestaterepressionmustbepreparedtoalter,adapt,andmodifytheirbehavior,strategy,andtacticsas
circumstanceswarrant.Failuretoconsidernewmethodsandimplementthemasnecessarywillmakethe
government'seffortsatsuppressionuncomplicated.Itisthedutyofeverypatriottomakethetyrant'slifemiserable.
Whenonefailstodosohenotonlyfailshimself,buthispeople.
Withthisinmind,currentmethodsofresistancetotyrannyemployedbythosewholoveourrace,culture,and
heritagemustpassalitmustestofsoundness.Methodsmustbeobjectivelymeasuredastotheireffectiveness,aswell
astowhethertheymakethegovernment'sintentionofrepressionmorepossibleormoredifficult.Thosenotworking
toaidourobjectivesmustbediscardedorthegovernmentbenefitsfromourfailuretodoso.
Ashonestmenwhohavebandedtogetherintogroupsorassociationsofapoliticalorreligiousnaturearefalsely
labeled"domesticterrorists"or"cultists"andsuppressed,itwillbecomenecessarytoconsiderothermethodsof
organization--orasthecasemayverywellcallfor:non-organization.Oneshouldkeepinmindthatitisnotinthe
government'sinteresttoeliminateallgroups.Somefewmustremaininordertoperpetuatethesmokeandmirrors
visionforthemassesthatAmericaisa"freedemocraticcountry"wheredissentisallowed.Mostorganizations,
however,thatpossessthepotentialforeffectiveresistancewillnotbeallowedtocontinue.Anyonewhoissonaiveas
tobelievethemostpowerfulgovernmentonearthwillnotcrushanywhoposearealthreattothatpower,shouldnot
beactive,butrather,athomestudyingpoliticalhistory.
Thequestionastowhoistobeleftaloneandwhoisnot,willbeansweredbyhowgroupsandindividualsdealwith
severalfactorssuchas:avoidanceofconspiracyplots,rejectionoffeeblemindedmalcontents,insistenceuponquality
oftheparticipants,avoidanceofallcontactwiththefrontmenforthefederals--thenewsmedia--and,finally,
camouflage(whichcanbedefinedastheabilitytoblendinthepublic'seyethemorecommittedgroupsofresistance
withmainstream"kosher"associationsthataregenerallyseenasharmless.)Primarilythough,whetherany
organizationisallowedtocontinueinthefuturewillbeamatterofhowbigathreatagrouprepresents.Notathreatin
termsofarmedmightorpoliticalability,forthereisnoneofeitherforthepresent,butrather,threatintermsof
potentiality.Itispotentialthefederalsfearmost.Whetherthatpotentialexistsinanindividualorgroupisincidental.
Thefederalsmeasurepotentialthreatintermsofwhatmighthappengivenasituationconducivetoactiononthepart
ofarestiveorganizationorindividual.Accurateintelligencegatheringallowsthemtoassessthepotential.Showing
one'shandbeforethebetsaremade,isasurewaytoloose.
Themovementforfreedomisrapidlyapproachingthepointwhereformanypeople,theoptionofbelongingtoa
groupwillbenonexistent.Forothers,groupmembershipwillbeaviableoptionforonlytheimmediatefuture.
Eventually,andperhapsmuchsoonerthanmostbelievepossible,thepricepaidformembershipwillexceedany
perceivedbenefit.Butfornow,someofthegroupsthatdoexistoftenserveausefulpurposeeitherforthenewcomer
whocanbeindoctrinatedintotheideologyofthestruggle,orforgeneratingpositivepropagandatoreachpotential
freedomfighters.Itissurethat,forthemostpart,thisstruggleisrapidlybecomingamatterofindividualaction,each
ofitsparticipantsmakingaprivatedecisioninthequietnessofhishearttoresist:toresistbyanymeansnecessary.It
ishardtoknowwhatotherswilldo,fornomantrulyknowsanotherman'sheart.Itisenoughtoknowwhatone
himselfwilldo.Agreatteacheroncesaid"knowthyself."Fewmenreallydo,butleteachofus,promiseourselves,
nottogoquietlytothefateourwould-bemastershaveplanned.

2of6

10/15/201308:47PM

LeaderlessResistance

http://www.louisbeam.com/leaderless.htm

TheconceptofLeaderlessResistanceisnothinglessthanafundamentaldepartureintheoriesoforganization.The
orthodoxschemeoforganizationisdiagrammaticallyrepresentedbythepyramid,withthemassatthebottomandthe
leaderatthetop.Thisfundamentaloforganizationistobeseennotonlyinarmies,whichareofcourse,thebest
illustrationofthepyramidstructure,withthemassofsoldiery,theprivates,atthebottomresponsibletocorporals
whoareinturnresponsibletosergeants,andsoonuptheentirechainofcommandtothegeneralsatthetop.Butthe
samestructureisseenincorporations,ladies'gardenclubsandinourpoliticalsystemitself.Thisorthodox"pyramid"
schemeoforganizationistobeseenbasicallyinallexistingpolitical,socialandreligiousstructuresintheworldtoday
fromtheFederalgovernmenttotheRomanCatholicChurch.TheConstitutionoftheUnitedStates,inthewisdomof
theFounders,triedtosublimatetheessentialdictatorialnatureofpyramidalorganizationbydividingauthorityinto
three:executive,legislativeandjudicial.Butthepyramidremainsessentiallyuntouched.
Thisschemeoforganization,thepyramid,ishowever,notonlyuseless,butextremelydangerousfortheparticipants
whenitisutilizedinaresistancemovementagainststatetyranny.Especiallyisthissointechnologicallyadvanced
societieswhereelectronicsurveillancecanoftenpenetratethestructurerevealingitschainofcommand.Experience
hasrevealedoverandoveragainthatanti-state,politicalorganizationsutilizingthismethodofcommandandcontrol
areeasypreyforgovernmentinfiltration,entrapment,anddestructionofthepersonnelinvolved.Thishasbeenseen
repeatedlyintheUnitedStateswherepro-governmentinfiltratorsoragentprovocateursweaseltheirwayintopatriotic
groupsanddestroythemfromwithin.
Inthepyramidtypeoforganization,aninfiltratorcandestroyanythingwhichis
beneathhislevelofinfiltrationandoftenthoseabovehimaswell.Ifthetraitor
hasinfiltratedatthetop,thentheentireorganizationfromthetopdownis
compromisedandmaybetraducedatwill.
Analternativetothepyramidtypeoforganizationisthecellsystem.Inthepast,
manypoliticalgroups(bothrightandleft)haveusedthecellsystemtofurther
theirobjectives.Twoexampleswillsuffice.DuringtheAmericanRevolution
"committeesofcorrespondence"wereformedthroughouttheThirteencolonies.
Theirpurposewastosubvertthegovernmentandtherebyaidthecauseof
independence.The"SonsofLiberty",whomadeanameforthemselves
dumpinggovernmenttaxedteaintotheharboratBoston,weretheactionarmof
thecommitteesofcorrespondence.Eachcommitteewasasecretcellthat
operatedtotallyindependentlyoftheothercells.Informationonthegovernment
waspassedfromcommitteetocommittee,fromcolonytocolony,andthenactedupononalocalbasis.Yetevenin
thesebygonedaysofpoorcommunication,ofweekstomonthsforalettertobedelivered,thecommitteeswithout
anycentraldirectionwhatsoever,wereremarkablesimilarintacticsemployedtoresistgovernmenttyranny.Itwas,as
thefirstAmericanpatriotsknew,totallyunnecessaryforanyonetogiveanorderforanything.Informationwasmade
availabletoeachcommittee,andeachcommitteeactedasitsawfit.Arecentexampleofthecellsystemtakenfromthe
leftwingofpoliticsaretheCommunists.TheCommunist,inordertogetaroundtheobviousproblemsinvolvedin
pyramidalorganization,developedtoanartthecellsystem.Theyhadnumerousindependentcellswhichoperated
completelyisolatedfromoneanotherandparticularlywithnoknowledgeofeachother,butwereorchestrated
togetherbyacentralheadquarters.Forinstance,duringWorldWarII,inWashington,itisknownthattherewereat
leastsixsecretCommunistcellsoperatingathighlevelsintheUnitedStatesgovernment(plusalltheopen
CommunistswhowereprotectedandpromotedbyPresidentRoosevelt),however,onlyoneofthecellswasrooted
outanddestroyed.Howmanymoreactuallywereoperatingnoonecansayforsure.

3of6

10/15/201308:47PM

LeaderlessResistance

http://www.louisbeam.com/leaderless.htm

TheCommunistcellswhichoperatedintheU.Suntillate1991underSovietcontrolcouldhaveattheircommanda
leader,whoheldasocialpositionwhichappearedtobeverylowly.Hecouldbe,forexample,abusboyina
restaurant,butinrealityacolonelorageneralintheSovietSecretService,theKGB.Underhimcouldbeanumberof
cellsandapersonactiveinonecellwouldalmostneverhaveknowledgeofindividualswhoareactiveinanothercell.
Thevalueofthisisthatwhileanyonecellcanbeinfiltrated,exposedordestroyed,suchactionwillhavenoeffecton
theothercells;infact,themembersoftheothercellswillbesupportingthatcellwhichisunderattackandordinarily
wouldlendverystrongsupporttoitinmanyways.Thisisatleastpartofthereason,nodoubt,thatwheneverinthe
pastCommunistswereattackedinthiscountry,supportforthemsprangupinmanyunexpectedplaces.
TheefficientandeffectiveoperationofacellsystemaftertheCommunistmodel,isofcourse,dependentuponcentral
direction,whichmeansimpressiveorganization,fundingfromthetop,andoutsidesupport,allofwhichthe
Communistshad.Obviously,Americanpatriotshavenoneofthesethingsatthetoporanywhereelse,andsoan
effectivecellorganizationbasedupontheSovietsystemofoperationisimpossible.
Twothingsbecomeclearfromtheabovediscussion.First,thatthepyramidtypeoforganizationcanbepenetrated
quiteeasilyanditthusisnotasoundmethodoforganizationinsituationswherethegovernmenthastheresources
anddesiretopenetratethestructure;whichisthesituationinthiscountry.Secondly,thatthenormalqualificationsfor
thecellstructurebasedupontheRedmodeldoesnotexistintheU.S.forpatriots.Thisunderstood,thequestion
arises"Whatmethodisleftforthoseresistingstatetyranny?"TheanswercomesfromCol.Amosswhoproposedthe
"PhantomCell"modeoforganization.WhichhedescribedasLeaderlessResistance.Asystemoforganizationthat
isbaseduponthecellorganization,butdoesnothaveanycentralcontrolordirection,thatisinfactalmostidenticalto
themethodsusedbytheCommitteesofCorrespondenceduringtheAmericanRevolution.UtilizingtheLeaderless
Resistanceconcept,allindividualsandgroupsoperateindependentlyofeachother,andneverreporttoacentral
headquartersorsingleleaderfordirectionorinstruction,aswouldthosewhobelongtoatypicalpyramid
organization.
Atfirstglance,suchatypeoforganizationseemsunrealistic,primarilybecausethereappearstobenoorganization.
Thenaturalquestionthusarisesastohowarethe"Phantomcells"andindividualstocooperatewitheachotherwhen
thereisnointercommunicationorcentraldirection?Theanswertothisquestionisthatparticipantsinaprogramof
LeaderlessResistancethroughphantomcellorindividualactionmustknowexactlywhattheyaredoing,andhowto
doit.Itbecomestheresponsibilityoftheindividualtoacquirethenecessaryskillsandinformationastowhatistobe
done.Thisisbynomeansasimpracticalasitappears,becauseitiscertainlytruethatinanymovement,allpersons
involvedhavethesamegeneraloutlook,areacquaintedwiththesamephilosophy,andgenerallyreacttogiven
situationsinsimilarways.ThepervioushistoryofthecommitteesofcorrespondenceduringtheAmericanRevolution
showthistobetrue.
SincetheentirepurposeofLeaderlessResistanceistodefeatstatetyranny(atleastinsofarasthisessayis
concerned),allmembersofphantomcellsorindividualswilltendtoreacttoobjectiveeventsinthesamewaythrough
usualtacticsofresistance.Organsofinformationdistributionsuchasnewspapers,leaflets,computers,etc.,whichare
widelyavailabletoall,keepeachpersoninformedofevents,allowingforaplannedresponsethatwilltakemany
variations.Nooneneedissueanordertoanyone.Thoseidealisttrulycommittedtothecauseoffreedomwillact
whentheyfeelthetimeisripe,orwilltaketheircuefromotherswhoprecedethem.Whileitistruethatmuchcould
besaidagainstthistypeofstructureasamethodofresistance,itmustbekeptinmindthatLeaderlessResistanceis
achildofnecessity.Thealternativestoithavebeenshowtobeunworkableorimpractical.LeaderlessResistance
hasworkedbeforeintheAmericanRevolution,andifthetrulycommittedputittouseforthemselves,itwillwork
now.

4of6

10/15/201308:47PM

LeaderlessResistance

http://www.louisbeam.com/leaderless.htm

ItgoesalmostwithoutsayingthatLeaderlessResistanceleadstoverysmalloreven
onemancellsofresistance.Thosewhojoinorganizationstoplay"let'spretend"orwho
are"groupies"willquicklybeweededout.Whileforthosewhoareseriousabouttheir
oppositiontofederaldespotism,thisisexactlywhatisdesired.
Fromthepointofviewoftyrantsandwouldbepotentatesinthefederalbureaucracy
andpoliceagencies,nothingismoredesirablethanthatthosewhoopposethembe
UNIFIEDintheircommandstructure,andthateverypersonwhoopposesthembelong
toapyramidtypegroup.Suchgroupsandorganizationsareaneasykill.Especiallyin
lightofthefactthattheJustice(sic)Departmentpromisedin1987thattherewould
neverbeanothergroupthatopposedthemthattheydidnothaveatleastoneinformerin.Thesefederal"friendsof
government"areintelligenceagents.TheygatherinformationthatcanbeusedatthewhimofafederalD.A.to
prosecute.Thelineofbattlehasbeendrawn.Patriotsarerequiredtherefore,tomakeaconsciousdecisiontoeitheraid
thegovernmentinitsillegalspying,bycontinuingwitholdmethodsoforganizationandresistance,ortomakethe
enemie'sjobmoredifficultbyimplementingeffectivecountermeasures.
Nowtherewill,nodoubt,bementallyhandicappedpeopleouttherewho,whilestandingatapodiumwithan
Americanflagdrapedinthebackground,andaloneeaglesoaringintheskyabove,willstateemphaticallyintheir
bestsoundingred,white,andbluevoice,"Sowhatifthegovernmentisspying?Wearenotviolatinganylaws."Such
crippledthinkingbyanyseriouspersonisthebestexamplethatthereisaneedforspecialeducationclasses.The
personmakingsuchastatementistotallyoutofcontactwithpoliticalrealityinthiscountry,andunfitforleadership
ofanythingmorethanadogsleighintheAlaskanwilderness.Theold"BornonthefourthofJuly"mentalitythat
hasinfluencedsomuchoftheAmericanpatriot'sthinkinginthepastwillnotsavehimfromthegovernmentinthe
future."Reeducation"fornon-thinkersofthistypewilltakeplaceinthefederalprisonsystemwherethereareno
flagsoreagles,butabundanceofmenwhowere"notviolatinganylaw."
Mostgroupswho"unify"theirdisparateassociatesintoasinglestructurehaveshortpoliticallives.Therefore,those
movementleadersconstantlycallingforunityoforganizationratherthanthedesirableunityofpurpose,usuallyfall
intooneofthreecategories.
Theymaynotbesoundpoliticaltacticians,butrather,justcommittedmenwhofeelunitywouldhelptheircause,
whilenotrealizingthatthegovernmentwouldgreatlybenefitfromsuchefforts.TheFederalobjective,toimprisonor
destroyallwhoopposethem,ismadeeasierinpyramidorganizations.Orperhaps,theydonotfullyunderstandthe
struggletheyareinvolvedinandthatthegovernmenttheyopposehasdeclaredastateofwaragainstthosefighting
forfaith,folk,freedomandconstitutionalliberty.Thoseinpowerwilluseanymeanstoridthemselvesofopposition.
Thethirdclasscallingforunityandletushopethisistheminorityofthethree,aremenmoredesirousofthe
supposedpowerthatalargeorganizationwouldbestow,thanofactuallyachievingtheirstatedpurpose.
Conversely,thelastthingFederalsnoopswouldhave,iftheyhadanychoiceinthematter,isathousanddifferent
smallphantomcellsopposingthem.Itiseasytoseewhy.Suchasituationisanintelligencenightmarefora
governmentintentuponknowingeverythingtheypossiblycanaboutthosewhoopposethem.TheFederals,ableto
amassoverwhelmingstrengthofnumbers,manpower,resources,intelligencegathering,andcapabilityatanygiven
time,needonlyafocalpointtodirecttheiranger.Asinglepenetrationofapyramidtypeoforganizationcanleadto
thedestructionofthewhole.Whereas,LeaderlessResistancepresentsnosingleopportunityfortheFederalsto
destroyasignificantportionoftheResistance.
WiththeannouncementbytheDepartmentofJustice(sic)that300FBIagentsformerlyassignedtowatchingSoviet

5of6

10/15/201308:47PM

LeaderlessResistance

http://www.louisbeam.com/leaderless.htm

spiesintheUS(domesticcounterintelligence)arenowtobeusedto"combatcrime",thefederalgovernmentis
preparingthewayforamajorassaultuponthosepersonsopposedtotheirpolicies.Manyanti-governmentgroups
dedicatedtothepreservationoftheAmericaofourforefatherscanexpectshortlytofeelthebruntofanewfederal
assaultuponliberty.
Itisclear,therefore,thatitistimetorethinktraditionalstrategyandtacticswhenitcomestoopposingamodernpolice
state.Americaisquicklymovingintoalongdarknightofpolicestatetyranny,wheretherightsnowacceptedby
mostasbeinginalienablewilldisappear.Letthecomingnightbefilledwithathousandpointsofresistance.Likethe
fogwhichformswhenconditionsarerightanddisappearswhentheyarenot,somusttheresistancetotyrannybe.

"Ifeverypersonhastherighttodefend--evenbyforce--hisperson,hisliberty,andhisproperty,thenitfollowsthata
groupofmenhavetherighttoorganizeandsupportacommonforcetoprotecttheserightsconstantly."---TheLaw.
FrederickBastiatParis,1850.

EditorsNote:ThisessaywaswrittenbyLouisBeamin1983andpublishedatthattime.Republishedabovein1992.Idonottakecreditforthe
theoriesexpoundeduponhere,Col.Amossdeservesthecreditforhisbrilliantanalysisandinsightfulthinking.

6of6

10/15/201308:47PM