Difference between revisions of "Anarchism"

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−	[[fr:Anarchisme]]	+	{{anarchism}}
−	[[ru:анархизм]]	+	'''Anarchism''' is a [[political theory]] which aims to create [[anarchy]], which is defined by [[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon|Proudhon]] as "the absence of a master, of a sovereign."<ref>[[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon]], ''What is Property'', p. 264)</ref> In other words, anarchism is a political theory which aims to create a [[society]] within which individuals freely co-operate together as equals. As such, anarchism should not be defined as a "social chaos" or a return to the "laws of the jungle."
−	[[id:Anarkisme]]	+
−	'''Anarchism''' is a [[political theory]] which aims to create [[anarchy]], '''"the absence of a master, of a sovereign."''' [[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon]], '''What is Property''', p. 264] In other words, '''anarchism''' is a [[political theory]] which aims to create a [[society]] within which individuals freely co-operate together as [[equality|equals]]. As such '''anarchism''' opposes all forms of [[hierarchy|hierarchical]] [[control]] - be that control by the [[state]] or a [[capitalism|capitalist]] - as harmful to the individual and their individuality as well as unnecessary.	+	Anarchism holds that the state is undesirable, unnecessary, and/or harmful<ref>"Anarchism." The Shorter Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2005. p. 14 "Anarchism is the view that a society without the state, or government, is both possible and desirable."</ref> and advocates a stateless society instead, often based on self-governed voluntary institutions or non-[[Hierarchy|hierarchical]] free associations.<ref>"In a society developed on these lines, the voluntary associations which already now begin to cover all the fields of human activity would take a still greater extension so as to substitute themselves for the state in all its functions." [http://www.theanarchistlibrary.org/HTML/Petr_Kropotkin___Anarchism__from_the_Encyclopaedia_Britannica.html Peter Kropotkin. "Anarchism" from the Encyclopædia Britannica]</ref> Anarchism rejects the state,<ref name="definition">
		+	{{cite journal |last=Malatesta|first=Errico|title=Towards Anarchism|journal=MAN!|publisher=International Group of San Francisco|location=Los Angeles|oclc=3930443|url=http://www.marxists.org/archive/malatesta/1930s/xx/toanarchy.htm|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20121107221404/http://marxists.org/archive/malatesta/1930s/xx/toanarchy.htm|archivedate=7 November 2012 |deadurl=no|authorlink=Errico Malatesta |ref=harv}}
		+	{{cite journal |url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070514.wxlanarchist14/BNStory/lifeWork/home/
		+	|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070516094548/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070514.wxlanarchist14/BNStory/lifeWork/home |archivedate=16 May 2007 |deadurl=yes |title=Working for The Man |journal=[[The Globe and Mail]] |accessdate=14 April 2008 |last=Agrell |first=Siri |date=14 May 2007 |ref=harv }}
		+	{{cite web |url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9117285|title=Anarchism|year=2006|work=Encyclopædia Britannica|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service|accessdate=29 August 2006| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20061214085638/http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9117285| archivedate= 14 December 2006<!--Added by DASHBot-->}}
		+	{{cite journal |year=2005|title=Anarchism|journal=The Shorter [[Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy]]|page=14|quote=Anarchism is the view that a society without the state, or government, is both possible and desirable. |ref=harv}}
		+	The following sources cite anarchism as a political philosophy:
		+	{{cite book | last = Mclaughlin | first = Paul | title = Anarchism and Authority | publisher = Ashgate | location = Aldershot | year = 2007 | isbn = 0-7546-6196-2 |page=59}}
		+	{{cite book | last = Johnston | first = R. | title = The Dictionary of Human Geography | publisher = Blackwell Publishers | location = Cambridge | year = 2000 | isbn = 0-631-20561-6 |page=24}}</ref><ref name=slevin>Slevin, Carl. "Anarchism." ''The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics''. Ed. Iain McLean and Alistair McMillan. Oxford University Press, 2003.</ref> [[authoritarian]]ism,<ref>"ANARCHISM, a social philosophy that rejects authoritarian government and maintains that voluntary institutions are best suited to express man's natural social tendencies." George Woodcock. "Anarchism" at The Encyclopedia of Philosophy</ref> and hierarchical organisation in general.<ref>"anarchists have stressed, it is not government as such that they find objectionable, but the hierarchical forms of government associated with the nation state." Judith Suissa. ''Anarchism and Education: a Philosophical Perspective''. Routledge. New York. 2006. p. 7</ref>
−	In the words of [[anarchist]] [[L. Susan Brown]]:	+	This process of misrepresentation is not without historical parallel. For example, in countries which have considered government by one person ([[monarchy]]) necessary, the words ''[[republic]]'' or ''[[democracy]]'' have been used in a manner similar to ''[[anarchy]]'', to imply disorder, confusion and chaos. Those with a vested interest in preserving the status quo will obviously wish to imply that opposition to the current system cannot work in practice, and that a new form of society will only lead to chaos. Or, as [[Errico Malatesta]] expresses it:
−	<blockquote>''"While the popular understanding of anarchism is of a violent, anti-State movement, anarchism is a much more subtle and nuanced tradition then a simple opposition to government power. Anarchists oppose the idea that power and domination are necessary for society, and instead advocate more co-operative, anti-hierarchical forms of social, political and economic organisation."'' ['''The Politics of Individualism''', p. 106]</blockquote>	+	<blockquote>since it was thought that government was necessary and that without government there could only be disorder and confusion, it was natural and logical that anarchy, which means absence of government, should sound like absence of order.<ref name="Anarchy">''Anarchy'', pp. 12-13.</ref></blockquote>
−	However, "'''anarchism'''" and "[[anarchy]]" are undoubtedly the most misrepresented ideas in [[political theory]]. Generally, the words are used to mean "[[chaos]]" or "without order," and so, by implication, [[anarchist|anarchists]] desire social chaos and a return to the "laws of the jungle."	+	Anarchists want to change this "common-sense" idea of anarchy, so people will see that government and other hierarchical social relationships are both harmful and unnecessary:
−	This process of misrepresentation is not without historical parallel. For example, in countries which have considered government by one person ([[monarchy]]) necessary, the words "[[republic]]" or "[[democracy]]" have been used precisely like "[[anarchy]]", to imply [[disorder]] and [[confusion]]. Those with a vested interest in preserving the status quo will obviously wish to imply that opposition to the current system cannot work in practice, and that a new form of society will only lead to chaos. Or, as [[Errico Malatesta]] expresses it:	+	<blockquote>Change opinion, convince the public that government is not only unnecessary, but extremely harmful, and then the word anarchy, just because it means absence of government, will come to mean for everybody: natural order, unity of human needs and the interests of all, complete freedom within complete solidarity.<ref name="Anarchy" /></blockquote>
		+	{{popular tag|anarchism}}
−	<blockquote>''"since it was thought that government was necessary and that without government there could only be disorder and confusion, it was natural and logical that anarchy, which means absence of government, should sound like absence of order."'' ['''Anarchy''', p. 12].</blockquote>	+	== The meaning of anarchism ==
		+	{{Echo of Freedom|77116|Hello, World! Anarchism, and I}}
		+	[[Peter Kropotkin|Kropotkin]] defines anarchism as "the no-government system of [[socialism]]."<ref>''Kropotkin's Revolutionary Pamphlets'', p. 46.</ref> [[Errico Malatesta]] elaborates on this point, stating that "the abolition of exploitation and oppression of man by man, that is the abolition of private property [capitalism] and government." <ref>Errico Malatesta, '"Towards Anarchism,"' in ''Man!'', M. Graham (Ed), p. 75</ref>
−	[[anarchist|Anarchists]] want to change this "common-sense" idea of "[[anarchy]]", so people will see that government and other hierarchical social relationships are both harmful '''and''' unnecessary:	+	Anarchism, therefore, is a [[political theory]] that aims to create a [[society]] which is without [[political science|political]], economic or [[society|social]] [[hierarchy|hierarchies]]. [[anarchist|Anarchists]] maintain that anarchy, the absence of rulers, is a viable form of social system and so work for the maximisation of individual liberty and [[social equality]]. They see the goals of [[liberty]] and equality as mutually self-supporting. As [[Mikhail Bakunin|Bakunin]] famously said:
−	<blockquote>''"Change opinion, convince the public that government is not only unnecessary, but extremely harmful, and then the word anarchy, just because it means absence of government, will come to mean for everybody: natural order, unity of human needs and the interests of all, complete freedom within complete solidarity."'' ['''Ibid.''', pp. 12-13].</blockquote>	+	<blockquote>We are convinced that freedom without Socialism is privilege and injustice, and that Socialism without freedom is slavery and brutality. <ref>''The Political Philosophy of Bakunin'', p. 269</ref></blockquote>
−	==The meaning of anarchism==	+	== References ==
−	To quote [[Peter Kropotkin]], anarchism is ''"the no-government system of socialism."'' ['''Kropotkin's Revolutionary Pamphlets''', p. 46]. In other words, ''"the abolition of exploitation and oppression of man by man, that is the abolition of private property [i.e. capitalism] and government."'' [Errico Malatesta, ''"Towards Anarchism,"'' in '''Man!''', M. Graham (Ed), p. 75]	+	{{Reflist|2}}
−	Anarchism, therefore, is a [[political theory]] that aims to create a [[society]] which is without [[political science|political]], [[economy|economic]] or [[society|social]] [[hierarchy|hierarchies]]. [[anarchist|Anarchists]] maintain that anarchy, the absence of [[ruler|rulers]], is a viable form of social system and so work for the maximisation of [[individual liberty]] and [[social equality]]. They see the goals of [[liberty]] and [[equality]] as mutually self-supporting. Or, in [[Mikhail Bakunin|Bakunin's]] famous dictum:	+	== See also ==
−		+	*[[Wikipedia:Anarchism|Wikipedia article on Anarchism]]
−	<blockquote>"''We are convinced that freedom without Socialism is privilege and injustice, and that Socialism without freedom is slavery and brutality."'' ['''The Political Philosophy of Bakunin''', p. 269]</blockquote>	+
−		+
−	The [[history]] of [[human society]] proves this point. [[liberty|Liberty]] without [[equality]] is only liberty for the powerful, and equality without liberty is impossible and a justification for [[slavery]].	+
−		+
−	While there are many different types of anarchism (from [[anarcho-individualism|individualist anarchism]] to [[anarcho-communism|communist-anarchism]] -- see section <a href="secA3.html">A.3</a> for more details), there has always been two common positions at the core of all of them -- [[opposition to government]] and [[opposition to capitalism]]. In the words of the [[anarcho-individualism|individualist-anarchist]] [[Benjamin Tucker]], anarchism insists on ''"the abolition of the State and the abolition of usury; on no more government of man by man, and no more exploitation of man by man."'' [cited in '''Native American Anarchism - A Study of Left-Wing American Individualism''' by Eunice Schuster, p. 140] All anarchists view [[profit]], interest and rent as '''usury''' (i.e. as [[exploitation]]) and so oppose them and the conditions that create them just as much as they oppose [[government]] and the [[state]].	+
−		+
−	More generally, in the words of [[L. Susan Brown]], the ''"unifying link"'' within anarchism ''"is a universal condemnation of hierarchy and domination and a willingness to fight for the freedom of the human individual."'' ['''The Politics of Individualism''', p. 108] For anarchists, a person cannot be free if they are subject to state or capitalist authority.	+
−		+
−	So anarchism is a [[political theory]] which advocates the creation of [[anarchy]], a society based on the maxim of ''"[[no rulers]]."'' To achieve this, ''"[i]n common with all socialists, the anarchists hold that the private ownership of land, capital, and machinery has had its time; that it is condemned to disappear: and that all requisites for production must, and will, become the common property of society, and be managed in common by the producers of wealth. And. . . they maintain that the ideal of the political organisation of society is a condition of things where the functions of government are reduced to minimum. . . [and] that the ultimate aim of society is the reduction of the functions of government to nil -- that is, to a society without government, to an-archy"'' [[Peter Kropotkin]], '''Op. Cit.''', p. 46]	+
−		+
−	Thus anarchism is both [[positive]] and [[negative]]. It [[analyses]] and [[critiques]] [[current society]] while at the same time offering a vision of a potential [[new society]] -- a society that fulfils certain [[human]] needs which the current one denies. These needs, at their most basic, are [[liberty]], [[equality]] and [[solidarity]], which will be discussed in <a HREF = secA2.html>section A.2</a>.	+
−		+
−	Anarchism unites critical analysis with hope, for, as [[Mikhail Bakunin|Bakunin]] pointed out, ''"the urge to destroy is a creative urge."'' One cannot build a better society without understanding what is wrong with the present one.	+
−		+
−	==See also==	+
−	*[[anarchy|Anarchy]]	+
−	*[[history of anarchism|History of anarchism]]	+
−	*[[schools of anarchist thought|Schools of anarchist thought]]	+
−	*[[conceptions of an anarchist society|Conceptions of an anarchist society]]	+
−	*[[anarchism and marxism|Anarchism and Marxism]]	+
−	*[[anarchism and the arts|Anarchism and the arts]]	+
−	*[[major conflicts within anarchist thought|Major conflicts within anarchist thought]]	+
−	*For a dictionary definition, see [[Lx:en:anarchism]]	+
−	*[[anarchist symbolism|Anarchist symbolism]]	+
−	*[[anarcho-punk|Anarcho-punk]]	+
−	*[[anarcho-syndicalism|Anarcho-syndicalism]]	+
−	*[[anarcho-communism|Anarcho-communism]]	+
−	*[[christian anarchism|Christian anarchism]]	+
−	*[[list of anarchists|List of anarchists]]	+
−	*[[list of anarchist organizations]]	+
−	*[[creative works about anarchism|Creative works about anarchism]]	+
−	*[[past and present anarchist communities|Past and present anarchist communities]]	+
−	*[[situationist|Situationist]]	+
−	*[[syndicalism|Syndicalism]]	+
−	*[[temporary autonomous zone|Temporary autonomous zone]]	+
−		+
−	===Historical events===	+
−	*[[Paris Commune]] ([[1871]])	+
−	*[[Haymarket Riot]] ([[1886]])	+
−	*[[Spanish Revolution]] ([[1936]]) (see [[Anarchism in Spain]])	+
−	*[[May 1968]], France ([[1968]])	+
−	*[[WTO Meeting of 1999|WTO Meeting in Seattle]] ([[1999]])	+
−		+
−	===Books===	+
−	'''Classics'''	+
−	*[[Mikhail Bakunin]], ''[[God and the State]]''	+
−	*[[William Godwin]],  ''[[An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice]]''	+
−	*[[Daniel Guérin]], ''[[Anarchism (book)|Anarchism]]''	+
−	*[[Peter Kropotkin]], ''[[Mutual Aid]]'' and ''[[The Conquest of Bread]]''	+
−	*[[Robert Nozick]], ''[[Anarchy, State, and Utopia]]''	+
−	*[[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon]], ''[[What is Property?]]''	+
−	*[[Robert Paul Wolff]], ''[[In Defense of Anarchism]]''	+
−		+
−	===Publications===	+
−	*Journals: ''[[Anarchy: A Journal of Desire Armed]]'', ''[[The Raven (journal)|The Raven]]'', ''[[Fifth Estate]]'', ''[[Green Anarchist]]'', ''[[Anarcho-Syndicalist Review]]'', ''[[Social Anarchism (journal)|Social Anarchism]]'', ''[[Northeastern Anarchist]]'', ''[[The Match! (journal)|The Match!]]''	+
−	*News publications: ''[[Black Flag (newspaper)|Black Flag]] (Organ Of The [[Anarchist Black Cross]])'', ''[[Class War (journal)|Class War]]'', ''[[Freedom newspaper|Freedom]]'', ''[http://inform.motkraft.net/ INFOrm]''	+
−	*Other magazines and zines: Anarchist Panther, Harbinger (CrimethInc), Practical Anarchy, Species Traitor, Profane Existence, Alternative Press Review, Communicating Vessels, Killing King Abacus, Willful Disobedience, Do or Die, In Ya Face, Anarchy and Community, Anchorage Anarchy, Black Badger.	+
−	*Collections: [[Spunk Library]]	+
−		+
−	===Theoretical concepts===	+
−	*[[intellectual worker]]	+
−	*[[direct democracy]]	+
−	*[[media democracy]]	+
−	*[[monopoly on violence]]	+
−	*[[sovereignty of the individual]]	+
−		+
−	===Anarchist organizations===	+
−	*[[AK Press]]	+
−	*[[Anarchist Black Cross]]	+
−	*[[Anarchist Communitarian Network]]	+
−	*[[Anarchist Federation]]	+
−	*[[Anarchist Football Network]]	+
−	*[[Anarchist Party of Canada]]	+
−	*[[Anarchist People of Color]]	+
−	*[[Animal Liberation Front]]	+
−	*[[Biotic Baking Brigade]]	+
−	*[[CrimethInc.]]	+
−	*[[Critical Mass]]	+
−	*[[Earth Liberation Front]]	+
−	*[[Food Not Bombs]]	+
−	*[[FRAC]]	+
−	*[[Homes Not Jails]]	+
−	*[[Industrial Workers of the World]]	+
−	*[[Indymedia]]	+
−	*[[Institute for Anarchist Studies]]	+
−	*[[IWA-AIT]]	+
−	*[[NEFAC]]	+
−	*[[Peoples' Global Action]]	+
−	*[[Red and Anarchist Action Network]]	+
−	*[[Red and Anarchist Skinheads]]	+
−	*[[Workers Solidarity Movement]]	+
−		+
−	While all of these [[organizations]] have anarchists as members, many are inclusive beyond anarchist and include [[anti-authoritarians]] and [[Greens]].	+
−		+
−	===Anarchism by region/culture===	+
−	*[[Anarchism in Phoenix]]	+
−	*[[Anarchism in Spain]]	+
−	*[[Anarchism in the English tradition]]	+
−		+
−	==External links==	+
−	===World Wide Web links===	+
−	* Peter Kropotkin's [http://www.zpub.com/notes/ebanarchy.html Encylopedia entry on anarchism] for the 11th edition Encyclopedia Britannica (1911).	+
−	*An [http://www.infoshop.org/faq/ Anarchist FAQ] is written from the perspective of the traditional anarchist movement.	+
−	* [http://www.libcom.org/forums/ The Libcom forums - anarchist debate]	+
−	* [http://www.aideia.no.sapo.pt A IDEIA - Revista Libertaria - Portugal]	+
−	*[http://www.infoshop.org/fake.html Fake Anarchists and Libertarians]	+
−	*Hundreds of anarchists are listed, with short bios, links & dedicated pages [http://recollectionbooks.com/bleed/gallery/galleryindex.htm at the Daily Bleed's Anarchist Encyclopedia]	+
−	*[http://www.zabalaza.net/texts/african_anarchism/contents.htm African Anarchism: The History of a Movement]	+
−	*[http://anarchoblogs.protest.net/ Anarchoblogs] Blogs by Anarchists.	+
−	*[http://www.anarchopedia.org/ Anarchopedia] intends to be an anarchist encyclopedia using the [[MediaWiki]] engine.	+
−	*[http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/ Anarchy Archives] extensively archives information relating to famous anarchists.  This includes many of their books and other publications.	+
−	*[http://www.antflip.com/anarchy.htm Antflip.com | Anarchism Page] A selection of websites, books, and online articles that explore social anarchism.	+
−	* [http://chuck.mahost.org/weblog/anarchist_direct_actions.pdf Anarchist Direct Actions: A Challenge for Law Enforcement] (pdf) is an article from a law enforcement perspective that includes a look at tactics, philosophy and a history of the Anarchist movement in the United States.	+
−	*[http://www.takver.com/history/melb/maa01.htm Melbourne Anarchist Archives 1966-1973]	+
−	*[http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=03/09/06/9662148 The Inefficient Utopia] - an analysis of anarchist use of consensus, by the [[Curious George Brigade]].	+
−	*[http://www.jura.org.au/ Jura Books (Sydney, Australia)]	+
−	*[http://www.autonome.org/ Autonome]	+
−	*[http://www.earthliberationfront.org/  Earth Liberation Front] (ELF)	+
−	*[http://www.animalliberationfront.net/ Animal Liberation Front] (ALF)	+
−	*[http://www.illegalvoices.org/ Anarchist People of Color]	+
−	*[http://www.zmag.org/grubanar.htm Towards an another anarchism] by Andrej Grubacic at the [[World Social Forum]]	+
−	*[http://road.cjb.cc/ ROAD Collective] Ontario Anarchist Networking	+
−	==== Opposing Views ====	+
	*[http://directory.google.com/Top/Society/Politics/Anarchism/Opposing_Views/ Collection of critical articles]		*[http://directory.google.com/Top/Society/Politics/Anarchism/Opposing_Views/ Collection of critical articles]
	*[http://tmh.floonet.net/articles/object_i.html ''Objections to Anarchism''] Objections and rebuttals, from ''The Dandelion'' 1977-79		*[http://tmh.floonet.net/articles/object_i.html ''Objections to Anarchism''] Objections and rebuttals, from ''The Dandelion'' 1977-79
		+
		+	==Film==
		+	*[[Living Utopia]] - Vivir la utopía about Anarchy in Action in Spain, Documentary by Juan Gamero
	===Freenet links===		===Freenet links===
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	* [http://localhost:8888/SSK@azSCSs~ZYd~qagHKQYqvSd3SGjQPAgM/anarchism// Anarchism] Everything you ever wanted to know about Anarchy.		* [http://localhost:8888/SSK@azSCSs~ZYd~qagHKQYqvSd3SGjQPAgM/anarchism// Anarchism] Everything you ever wanted to know about Anarchy.
−	==Credits==	+	{{afaq}}
−	*Original text is compilation of two texts: (1) Definition from [http://en.wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia] and (2) [http://www.infoshop.org/faq/ An Anarchist FAQ].	+
−		+
	{{wikipedia|Anarchism}}		{{wikipedia|Anarchism}}
−
	[[Category:Anarchism|*]]		[[Category:Anarchism|*]]
	[[Category:Political theories]]		[[Category:Political theories]]
	[[Category:Social philosophy]]		[[Category:Social philosophy]]
−		+	[[Category:Ideology]]
		+	[[hr:anarhizam]]
		+	[[da:anarkisme]]
		+	[[eo:Anarkiismo]]
		+	[[lt:Anarchizmas]]
		+	[[sh:Anarhizam]]
		+	[[ar:لاسلطوية]]
	[[de:Anarchismus]]		[[de:Anarchismus]]
		+	[[el:Αναρχισμός]]
		+	[[es:Anarquismo]]
		+	[[fa:آنارشیسم]]
		+	[[fi:Anarkismi]]
		+	[[fr:Anarchisme]]
		+	[[he:אנרכיזם]]
		+	[[id:Anarkisme]]
		+	[[it:Anarchismo]]
		+	[[ja:アナキズム]]chisme]]
		+	[[no:Anarkisme]]
		+	[[pl:Anarchizm]]
		+	[[pt:anarquismo]]
		+	[[ro:Anarhism]]
		+	[[ru:Анархизм]]
		+	[[sv:Anarkism]]
		+	[[tr:AnarÅŸizm]]
		+	[[zh:无政府主义]]

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Latest revision as of 22:42, 5 February 2015

Anarchism

Traditions

anarcha-feminism anarcho-communism anarcho-primitivism anarcho-syndicalism anarcho-tribalism Christian anarchism collectivist anarchism eco-anarchism egoist anarchism green anarchism individualist anarchism Post-anarchism

Anarchism in culture

anarchism and religion anarchism and society anarchism and the arts criticisms of anarchism history of anarchism

Anarchist theory

origins of anarchism anarchist economics anarchism and capitalism anarchism and Marxism anarchism w/o adjectives anarchist symbolism propaganda of the deed post-left anarchy

Anarchism by region

anarchism in Africa anarchism in Americas anarchism in Asia anarchism in Europe anarchism in Oceania

Associated concepts

alter-globalization anomie, anti-racist action autonomism, black blocs Copwatch, Consensus Diggers, DIY direct democracy freeganism Indymedia, infoshops squatting, wikis

Relevant lists

Anarchists | Books Communities | Concepts Organizations

Anarchism is a political theory which aims to create anarchy, which is defined by Proudhon as "the absence of a master, of a sovereign."^[1] In other words, anarchism is a political theory which aims to create a society within which individuals freely co-operate together as equals. As such, anarchism should not be defined as a "social chaos" or a return to the "laws of the jungle."

Anarchism holds that the state is undesirable, unnecessary, and/or harmful^[2] and advocates a stateless society instead, often based on self-governed voluntary institutions or non-hierarchical free associations.^[3] Anarchism rejects the state,^[4][5] authoritarianism,^[6] and hierarchical organisation in general.^[7]

This process of misrepresentation is not without historical parallel. For example, in countries which have considered government by one person (monarchy) necessary, the words republic or democracy have been used in a manner similar to anarchy, to imply disorder, confusion and chaos. Those with a vested interest in preserving the status quo will obviously wish to imply that opposition to the current system cannot work in practice, and that a new form of society will only lead to chaos. Or, as Errico Malatesta expresses it:

since it was thought that government was necessary and that without government there could only be disorder and confusion, it was natural and logical that anarchy, which means absence of government, should sound like absence of order.^[8]

Anarchists want to change this "common-sense" idea of anarchy, so people will see that government and other hierarchical social relationships are both harmful and unnecessary:

Change opinion, convince the public that government is not only unnecessary, but extremely harmful, and then the word anarchy, just because it means absence of government, will come to mean for everybody: natural order, unity of human needs and the interests of all, complete freedom within complete solidarity.^[8]

anarchism is a popular tag and you can find media on this topic on LibSyn YouTube Radio4All.net OneBigTorrent.org indyPeer

Tag

The meaning of anarchism[edit]

Echo of Freedom, Radical Podcast has a podcast related to this aticle Hello, World! Anarchism, and I

EoF

Kropotkin defines anarchism as "the no-government system of socialism."^[9] Errico Malatesta elaborates on this point, stating that "the abolition of exploitation and oppression of man by man, that is the abolition of private property [capitalism] and government." ^[10]

Anarchism, therefore, is a political theory that aims to create a society which is without political, economic or social hierarchies. Anarchists maintain that anarchy, the absence of rulers, is a viable form of social system and so work for the maximisation of individual liberty and social equality. They see the goals of liberty and equality as mutually self-supporting. As Bakunin famously said:

We are convinced that freedom without Socialism is privilege and injustice, and that Socialism without freedom is slavery and brutality. ^[11]

References[edit]

See also[edit]

• Wikipedia article on Anarchism
• Collection of critical articles
• Objections to Anarchism Objections and rebuttals, from The Dandelion 1977-79

Film[edit]

• Living Utopia - Vivir la utopía about Anarchy in Action in Spain, Documentary by Juan Gamero

Freenet links[edit]

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• An Anarchist FAQ
• Anarchism Everything you ever wanted to know about Anarchy.

This article incorporates text from An Anarchist FAQ [1]

@-faq

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