science in an anarchist society

Anarchism is often confused with Luddism, the belief that science and technology are inherently bad. Although Anarcho-Primitivists do exist, their views are not held by the vast majority of Anarchists, quite the contrary.

Most anarchists would agree with Situationist Ken Knabb in arguing that "in a liberated world computers and other modern technologies could be used to eliminate dangerous or boring tasks, freeing everyone to concentrate on more interesting activities." Obviously "certain technologies -- nuclear power is the most obvious example -- are indeed so insanely dangerous that they will no doubt be brought to a prompt halt. Many other industries which produce absurd, obsolete or superfluous commodities will, of course, cease automatically with the disappearance of their commercial rationales. But many technologies, however they may presently be misused, have few if any inherent drawbacks. It's simply a matter of using them more sensibly, bringing them under popular control, introducing a few ecological improvements, and redesigning them for human rather than capitalistic ends." Thus most eco-anarchists see the use of appropriate technology as the means of creating a society which lives in balance with nature.

Technology

It is technology, the application of science, and not the science itself that is most often criticised by anarchists. While anarcho-primitivists argue that technology takes as farther from the nature, most class struggle anarchists believe that the problem lies in the control of the technology.

During Zerzan's visit to London in 2007(?) a following view was expressed from one of the attendee. The society can distinguish between 'technology' and 'technique', the former is an attempt to subvert the nature and to take control away from the people who will use it, while latter is a way to better lives of all. In some way this can be akined to free software argument, but applied to the whole of production, not just software.

See Also

• Luddism
• anarcho-primitivism
• nuclear technology in an anarchist society
• eco-anarchism
• Green Anarchism