Difference between revisions of "Anarchism"

Revision as of 03:05, 21 October 2004

Anarchism is a which aims to create, "the absence of a master, of a sovereign.", What is Property, p. 264] In other words, anarchism is a which aims to create a within which individuals freely co-operate together as. As such anarchism opposes all forms of - be that control by the or a - as harmful to the individual and their individuality as well as unnecessary.

In the words of:

"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]

However, "anarchism" and "" are undoubtedly the most misrepresented ideas in. Generally, the words are used to mean "" or "without order," and so, by implication, desire social chaos and a return to the "laws of the jungle."

This process of misrepresentation is not without historical parallel. For example, in countries which have considered government by one person () necessary, the words "" or "" have been used precisely like "", to imply and. 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 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." [Anarchy, p. 12].

"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].

The meaning of anarchism

To quote, 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]

Anarchism, therefore, is a that aims to create a which is without, or. maintain that anarchy, the absence of, is a viable form of social system and so work for the maximisation of and. They see the goals of and as mutually self-supporting. Or, in famous dictum:

"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]

The of proves this point. without is only liberty for the powerful, and equality without liberty is impossible and a justification for.

While there are many different types of anarchism (from to -- 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 -- and. In the words of the, 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, interest and rent as usury (i.e. as) and so oppose them and the conditions that create them just as much as they oppose and the.

More generally, in the words of, 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 which advocates the creation of, a society based on the maxim of "." 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", Op. Cit., p. 46]

Thus anarchism is both and. It and while at the same time offering a vision of a potential -- a society that fulfils certain needs which the current one denies. These needs, at their most basic, are, and, which will be discussed in <a HREF = secA2.html>section A.2</a>.

Anarchism unites critical analysis with hope, for, as 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

• For a dictionary definition, see Lx:en:anarchism

Historical events

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• () (see)
• , France ()
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Books

Classics

• , '
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• , ' and '
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Publications

• Journals: ', ', ', ', ', ', ', '
• News publications: (Organ Of The), ', ', 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:

Theoretical concepts

Anarchist organizations

While all of these have anarchists as members, many are inclusive beyond anarchist and include and.

Anarchism by region/culture

External links

• Infoshop.org
• An Anarchist FAQ from a perspective
• An Anarchist FAQ from an perspective
• Hundreds of anarchists are listed, with short bios, links & dedicated pages at the Daily Bleed’s Anarchist Encyclopedia
• Anarchy Archives
• Melbourne Anarchist Archives 1966-1973
• International Workers Association (IWA-AIT) website

Credits

• Original text is compilation of two texts: (1) Definition from Wikipedia and (2) An Anarchist FAQ.