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Anarchism
Historical Overview
Anarchist ideas have roots in various philosophies, including Taoism, Buddhism, Stoicism, and the English
Civil War Diggers. The first clear expression of anarchist principles came from William Godwin in 1793.
During the 19th century, anarchism gained traction within the socialist movement. The International
Workingmen’s Association, formed in 1864, collapsed in 1871 due to conflicts between Marxists and
anarchists, led by Mikhail Bakunin.

In the late 19th century, anarchists sought support among peasants in Russia and southern Europe.
Anarcho-syndicalism, particularly in France, Italy, and Spain, made anarchism a mass movement in the
early 20th century. The CGT union in France and the CNT in Spain, both dominated by anarchists, were
influential. However, authoritarianism and repression led to a decline.

Despite setbacks, anarchism revived in the 1960s and 1970s with the New Left and New Right
movements. The New Left promoted activist politics, while the New Right revived interest in anarcho-
capitalism. Anarchism gained prominence again in the late 1990s with anti-capitalist protests, notably
the 'Battle of Seattle' in 1999. This activist-based theatrical politics continued in subsequent protests,
linked to the growth of cyberspace and digital technologies.

Core Themes
Anarchism is all about saying "no" to one person or group having too much power over others.
Anarchists want a world without a strong government, where people can work together freely and agree
on things without being forced. But there are some misunderstandings about anarchism. Some think it's
just about believing everyone is naturally good. While anarchists do think people can live well without
rulers, it's not just based on thinking everyone is good by nature.

Anarchists have different views on how people really are. Some, like Godwin, stress being kind and
reasonable, while others, like Stirner, say people should focus on themselves. But all anarchists agree
that people are shaped by their surroundings and can change them by working together. They see
human nature as realistic, knowing that having too much power can lead to bad things.

Anarchism isn't one clear ideology; it's like a mix of two ideas - liberalism and socialism. It says no to
strong government control, just like liberals, but also aims for a fair and equal society, like socialists.
Anarchism can be seen as super-free individualism or extreme collectivism. Despite coming from
different political ideas, anarchists share common principles like saying no to a strong government,
wanting a natural order, being against the influence of the church, and supporting economic freedom.

Despite drawing from different political traditions, anarchism is treated as a separate ideology united by
principles such as

 Anti-statism
 Natural Order
 Anti-clericalism
 Economic Freedom
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Anti Statism
Anarchists strongly oppose authority, which they see as a threat to freedom and equality. Sébastien
Faure described anarchism as the "negation of the principle of Authority." They argue that authority,
particularly in the form of the state, enslaves and oppresses people, limiting human life. This creates a
"psychology of power," leading to a society where many are ruthless, and most live in fear.

Anarchists firmly reject state power, emphasizing its absolute and unlimited nature. They criticize the
state for being coercive, exploitative, and oppressive, often favoring the wealthy. The state's laws, backed
by the threat of punishment, are seen as compulsory and restricting individual freedom, hence the
concept of social contract is null and void since it is coercive. The definition of state includes the word
sovereign without which there is no state. A state is a sovereign body that exercises supreme authority
over all individuals and associations living within a defined geographical area. Anarchists reject this
notion. For Emma Goldman, government was symbolized by

‘The club, the gun, the handcuff, or the prison’

The state is also exploitative, in that it robs individuals of their property through a system of taxation.
Finally, the state is destructive because it engages in war for territorial expansion, plunder or national
glory by one state at the expense of others

People, when given power, privilege, or wealth, can turn into oppressive tyrants. Anarchists argue that
any form of power corrupts absolutely, considering the state, with its concentrated authority, as a form
of evil.

Natural Order
Anarchists think the state is not just bad but also unnecessary. William Godwin argued against the
popular idea that the state is needed for social order. Social contract theory, proposed by thinkers like
Hobbes and Locke, suggests that without a state, society would be chaotic because people are selfish
and aggressive. They believed only a strong government can control these impulses and maintain order.

Contrary to this, Godwin believed people are rational and can live peacefully without strict laws. He
thought that government and unnatural laws create injustice, greed, and aggression. In essence, he saw
government as the cause of the problem, not the solution. Anarchists often resonate with Rousseau's
words, "Man was born free, yet everywhere he is in chains."

Anarchists are utopian thinkers, imagining a society without imposed order. Some anarchists find
inspiration in Eastern religions like Buddhism and Daoism, which highlight interdependence and oneness.
Social ecology, as proposed by Murray Bookchin, also supports the idea of natural order.

Anarchist views on human nature are complex, recognizing both positive and negative aspects. They
acknowledge the potential for corruption within individuals. The idea of natural order is supported
through a combination of understanding human potential and emphasizing social institutions that foster
positive traits.

Anti-clericalism
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Anarchists don't like the state, but they also criticize any other form of compulsory authority. They have
shown bitterness toward the church, especially in the nineteenth century. Anarchism has thrived in
places with strong religious traditions like Catholic Spain, France, Italy, and Latin American countries,
where it has voiced anti-clerical sentiments.

Anarchists object to organized religion, seeing it as a source of authority. The idea of God as a 'supreme
being' with unquestionable authority clashes with the belief in human freedom. Proudhon and Bakunin
believed that rejecting Christianity was essential for true liberation. Anarchists suspect that religious and
political authority often work together. Bakunin insisted on abolishing both the Church and the State for
genuine societal liberation.

Religion, according to anarchists, supports the state by promoting obedience to spiritual and earthly
leaders. Earthly rulers have historically used religion to justify their power, as seen in the divine right of
kings. Religion imposes moral principles, restricting individual autonomy and ethical judgments. Despite
this, anarchists don't entirely reject the religious impulse.

Economic Freedom
Anarchists don't just want to overthrow the state; they also aim to challenge social and economic
structures. Bakunin believed that political power and wealth go hand in hand. In the nineteenth century,
anarchists aligned with the working-class movement and held broadly socialist views. They saw
capitalism as a system where a 'ruling class’ exploits and oppresses 'the masses.' This ruling class
included not only industrialists but also politicians, state officials, judges, police officers, and clergy.

Bakunin identified three social groups in developed societies: a vast majority exploited, a minority both
exploited and exploiting, and a small minority of pure exploiters and oppressors. Nineteenth-century
anarchists aligned with the poor and oppressed, seeking a social revolution to eliminate both capitalism
and the state.

However, economic differences within anarchism create tensions. While some anarchists lean towards
socialism, disliking property and inequality, others defend property rights and support competitive
capitalism. This divides anarchists into collectivist (cooperative and collective ownership) and
individualist (market and private property) traditions.

Despite these differences, anarchists agree on disliking the economic systems of the twentieth century.
They oppose managed capitalism and Soviet-style state socialism. Collectivist anarchists see state
intervention as supporting class exploitation, while individualist anarchists argue it infringes on property
rights and individual freedom. All anarchists prefer an economy where individuals manage their affairs
without state control, allowing for diverse economic systems, from anarcho-communism to anarcho-
capitalism.

Types of Anarchism
Collective Anarchism
Collectivist anarchism, also known as anarcho-collectivism or social anarchism, roots itself in socialism
rather than liberalism. It extends socialist collectivism to emphasize that humans, as social beings, are
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better off working together for the common good than pursuing individual self-interest. Collectivist
anarchists highlight human capacity for social solidarity or 'mutual aid,' emphasizing potential goodness
within all people.

This belief doesn't suggest a naive trust in 'natural goodness' but acknowledges the innate sociability,
cooperativeness, and gregariousness of humans. In this view, the ideal relationship between people is
one of sympathy, affection, and harmony. Social solidarity is seen as the primary human law, making
government regulation unnecessary and counterproductive.

Collectivist anarchism shares similarities with socialism, especially Marxist socialism, as both
fundamentally reject capitalism, endorse revolution for political change, prefer collective ownership,
envision an anarchic communist society, and believe in humans' capacity to organize without political
authority. Anarchists see the state as inherently corrupt and oppressive, advocating for its immediate
abolition, while Marxists believe in a transitional proletarian state. Collectivist anarchism takes various
forms, including

 Mutualism,
 Anarcho-syndicalism,
 And Anarcho-communism.

Each of these expresses the idea of social cooperation, collective ownership, and the rejection of
hierarchical structures.

Mutualism

Anarchists believe in social solidarity, promoting various forms of cooperative behavior. This belief ranges
from pure communism to more modest ideas like mutualism, associated with Pierre Joseph Proudhon.
Proudhon, positioned between individualist and collectivist traditions, expressed ideas like US
individualists like Josiah Warren.

In 'What Is Property?', Proudhon famously declared, 'Property is theft,' criticizing an exploitative

economic system based on capital accumulation. Unlike Marx, Proudhon didn't oppose all private
property, distinguishing between property and 'possessions.' He admired independent small
communities, like Swiss watchmakers, managing their affairs through cooperation. Through mutualism,
Proudhon aimed to establish a property ownership system avoiding exploitation and fostering social
harmony. In this system, social interaction would be voluntary and mutually beneficial, requiring no
government regulation. Proudhon's followers attempted to implement these ideas by establishing
mutual credit banks in France and Switzerland, offering affordable loans and charging interest only to
cover bank costs, not for profit.

Anarcho-syndicalism

Anarchism gained momentum as a mass movement through anarcho-syndicalism, a form of

revolutionary trade unionism. Syndicalism, rooted in socialist ideas, envisions a class war where workers
and peasants are oppressed, while industrialists, landlords, politicians, judges, and police are seen as
exploiters. Workers organize syndicates or unions to defend themselves, initially focusing on traditional
trade union goals like higher wages and better working conditions.
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However, syndicalists are also revolutionaries who anticipate overthrowing capitalism and taking power.
Georges Sorel, a key French syndicalist theorist, proposed the concept of a general strike as a symbol of
working-class power capable of inspiring revolt.

Anarchists found appeal in syndicalism, leading to the development of anarcho-syndicalism. Anarchists

admired syndicalists' rejection of conventional politics and their emphasis on direct action, boycotts,
sabotage, and strikes, especially the general strike. They also appreciated the syndicate as a model for a
decentralized, non-hierarchical future society, with grassroots democracy and federations.

Despite enjoying mass support, anarcho-syndicalism fell short of its revolutionary goals, lacking a clear
political strategy or a comprehensive theory of revolution.

Anarcho-communism

At its most extreme, the belief in social solidarity leads to collectivism and full communism. This means
that sociable human beings should live together in a shared and communal way. For instance, when
people work together, the wealth they create should be owned collectively by the community, not by
any single person. Anarcho-communism argues that private property is exploitative because it allows
employers to benefit from the wealth created by workers. It also believes that private property
encourages selfishness and creates conflict and social disharmony. Inequality in wealth ownership fosters
negative feelings like greed, envy, and resentment, leading to crime and disorder.

Anarcho-communism emphasizes the human capacity for cooperation, as seen in Peter Kropotkin's
theory of 'mutual aid.' Kropotkin argued that successful species, like humans, thrive through cooperation
rather than competition, contrary to some interpretations of Darwin's theory. He believed that
capitalism had distorted the natural human inclination toward mutual aid.

Anarcho-communists like Kropotkin and Errico Malatesta argued that true communism necessitates the
abolition of the state. They envisioned an anarchic society consisting of self-sufficient communes, each
collectively owning its wealth. Anarcho-communists see communal organization as advantageous
because it strengthens compassion and solidarity, ensures participatory democracy within communities,
and allows people to manage their affairs through direct, face-to-face interaction, avoiding
depersonalized bureaucratic processes associated with centralization.

Individualist anarchism
Individualist anarchism, also known as anarcho-individualism, is rooted in the liberal concept of the
sovereign individual. Anarchist ideas often push liberal individualism to its logical extreme, as seen in
William Godwin's anarchism, which is an extreme form of classical liberalism. Liberalism places a strong
emphasis on individual freedom, viewing it as the absence of external constraints on the individual.
When taken to its extreme, individualism implies individual sovereignty, suggesting that each person has
absolute and unlimited authority. This perspective sees any constraint on the individual as evil, especially
when imposed by the state, which is considered a sovereign, compulsory, and coercive body.

Despite the liberal inspiration, there are significant differences between liberalism and individualist
anarchism. Liberals argue that some minimal state is necessary to prevent individuals from abusing each
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other, relying on law to protect freedom. In contrast, anarchists believe that individuals can live
peacefully without the need for government intervention. Anarchists trust in the rationality and morality
of individuals to resolve conflicts through arbitration or debate, not violence.

Anarchists, however, reject the notion of limited government, asserting that all states infringe on
individual liberty, regardless of their form. Anarcho-individualism takes various forms, with the most
important being

 Egoism,
 Libertarianism,
 And Anarcho-capitalism.

Egoism

Max Stirner, in his work "The Ego and His Own," boldly expressed anarchist beliefs centered around the
idea of the sovereign individual. Stirner, influenced by philosopher G. W. F. Hegel, took individualism to
an extreme level, introducing the concept of egoism. Egoism, in Stirner's view, doesn't just mean self-
interest but places the individual self at the core of the moral universe.

Stirner's egoism advocates for individuals to act as they choose without regard for laws, social norms, or
moral principles. This philosophy leans towards both atheism and an extreme form of individualist
anarchism. However, Stirner's anarchism lacked detailed proposals on maintaining order in a stateless
society, limiting its impact on the emerging anarchist movement. Despite this, Stirner's ideas influenced
thinkers like Friedrich Nietzsche and the existentialist movement of the twentieth century.

Libertarianism

In the USA, individualist ideas were developed further by thinkers like Henry David Thoreau, Lysander
Spooner, Benjamin Tucker, and Josiah Warren. Thoreau, known for seeking spiritual truth and self-
reliance, lived in solitude close to nature, as described in his work "Walden." In his political essay "Civil
Disobedience," Thoreau embraced the idea that "That government is best which governs not at all,"
aligning with his anarchist beliefs. According to Thoreau, individualism leads to civil disobedience, where
individuals follow their conscience, doing what they believe is right despite societal or government
demands. Thoreau practiced this by disobeying the US government he deemed immoral in supporting
slavery and engaging in wars.

Anarcho-capitalism

He renewed interest in free-market economics in the late twentieth century, which led to radical political
ideas. New Right conservatives, inspired by classical economics, wanted less government involvement in
business, advocating for market forces to discipline the economy rather than state intervention. Right-
wing libertarians like Robert Nozick proposed a minimal state focused on protecting individual rights.
Some thinkers, including Ayn Rand, Murray Rothbard, and David Friedman, took free-market ideas to the
extreme, proposing anarcho-capitalism. They argued for abolishing the government and letting
unregulated market competition replace it. In this system, sovereign individuals own property, entering
voluntary contracts to pursue self-interest, while the market regulates social interactions independently.

Anarcho-capitalists take free-market ideas even further than traditional liberals. Anarcho-capitalists
argue that the market can fulfill all needs. For instance, in an anarchist society, individuals could seek
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protection from privately owned "protection associations" and use "private courts" without relying on a
police force or state court system.

Anarcho-capitalists suggest that profit-driven protection agencies would offer superior service due to
competition, ensuring affordability, efficiency, and responsiveness to consumer needs. Private courts
would need to build a reputation for fairness to attract individuals looking to resolve conflicts.

While these proposals may seem radical, privatization has already made significant strides in Western
countries. Some U.S. states use private prisons, and private courts and arbitration services are being
experimented with.

Future of Anarchism
The future of anarchism is often seen as limited, given its rare and short-lived experiments like
Makhnovia and Catalonia. Critics argue that the goal of dismantling the state is impractical and that
achieving social harmony without political order is challenging. Another obstacle is the means anarchists
use; pursuing government power contradicts their anti-authority stance. Anarchists rejecting traditional
political activism sometimes resort to violence, which has historically strengthened the state. However,
anarchism persists due to its moral appeal, especially among the young. Its refusal to conform to
conventional power dynamics keeps alive the belief in a 'better world.' Anarchism's influence extends
beyond politics into various socio-cultural concerns, contributing to diverse movements like anti-
globalization. Despite its impressive range of issues, this diversity raises questions about the coherence
of anarchist ideology.