Part of the Politics series on Anarchism

Traditions Anarcha-feminism Anarchist communism Anarcho-primitivism Anarcho-syndicalism Christian anarchism Collectivist anarchism Eco-anarchism Green anarchism Individualist anarchism Politics is a process by which decisions are made within groups. ... Anarchism is the name for both a political philosophy and political movement, derived from the Greek αναρχία (without archons or without rulers). Thus anarchism, in its most general meaning, is the belief that all forms of domination, coersion, and rulership are undesirable and should be abolished. ... Image File history File links Anarchy-symbol. ... Anarcha-feminism combines anarchism with feminism. ... Anarchist communism is a form of anarchism that advocates the abolition of the State and capitalism in favor of a horizontal network of voluntary associations through which everyone will be free to satisfy his or her needs. ... Anarcho-primitivism is an anarchist critique of the origins and progress of civilization. ... Anarcho-syndicalism is a branch of anarchism which focuses on the labor movement, Syndicalisme is a French word meaning trade unionism hence the syndicalism qualification. ... Christian anarchism (also known as Christian libertarianism) is the belief that the only source of authority to which Christians are ultimately answerable is God, embodied in the teachings of Jesus. ... Left Anarchism is a term used almost exclusively by opponents of traditional anarchism to denominate philosophies that oppose private ownership of the means of production (or capitalism). ... Eco-anarchism argues that small eco-villages (of no more than a few hundred people) are a scale of human living preferable to civilization, and that infrastructure and political systems should be re-organized to ensure that these are created. ... Green anarchism is a set of related political theories that is derived from philosophical and social movements such as social ecologists, feminism, egoism, situationism, surrealism, the Luddittes, primitivism, post- and anti-leftists, indigenous, anti-industrialism, and pre-civilized people. ... Individualist Anarchism is an anarchist philosophical tradition that has a strong emphasis on sovereignty of the individual[1] and is generally opposed to collectivism[2]. The tradition appears most often in the United States, most notably in regard to its advocacy of private property. ... Anarcho-capitalism (disputed) Anarcho-capitalism refers to an anti-statist philosophy that embraces capitalism as one of its foundational principles. ... Anarchism in culture Anarchism and religion Anarchism and society Anarchism and the arts Criticisms of anarchism History of anarchism Anarchists traditionally have been skeptical and opposed to organized religion. ... This article discusses the anarchist critiques of society and proposed solutions from the anarchist perspective. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The theory and practice of anarchism has been controversial since it came to prominence in the 19th century. ... Anarcho-primitivists assert that, for the longest period before recorded history, human society was organized on anarchist principles. ... 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 Anarchist economics entails theory and practice relating to economic activity within the philosophical outlines of anarchism. ... Though the libertarian socialist critique of capitalism is rooted in socialist theory, there are certain key distinctions in their critiques, which this article attempts to elucidate. ... Even though anarchist communism and Marxism are two very different political philosophies, there is some similarity between the methodology and ideology of some anarchists and some Marxists, and the history of the two have often been intertwined. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... This article discusses various anarchist symbols, including the circle-A and the black flag. ... Propaganda of the deed (or propaganda by the deed, from the French propagande par le fait) is a concept of anarchist origin, which appeared towards the end of the 19th century, that promotes the decisive action of individuals to inspire further action by others. ... Post-left anarchy is a recent current in anarchist thought that seeks to distance itself from the traditional left and to escape the confines of ideology in general. ... Relevant lists Anarchists Books Communities Concepts Organizations The following is a list of notable individuals who have been regarded as anarchists by themselves or others, arranged by surname. ... Anarchist Daniel Guérin, Anarchism Robert Graham Anarchism. ... This is a list of past and present anarchist communities. ... These are concepts which, although not exclusive to anarchism, are significant in historical and/or modern anarchist circles. ... This list uses the word organization in its loosest sense. ...

Anarchism Portal Politics Portal ·  v d e

Long before anarchism emerged as a distinct perspective, human beings lived for thousand of years in societies without government.^[1] It was only after the rise of hierarchical societies that anarchist ideas were formulated as a critical response to and rejection of coercive political institutions and hierarchical social relationships.

In ancient Greece, the philosopher Zeno of Citium, in opposition to Plato, argued that reason should replace authority in guiding human affairs. In China, the Daoist sage Lao Zi (Lao Tzu) developed a philosophy of "non-rule" in the Tao Te Ching. In 300 CE, Bao Jingyan explicitly argued that there should be neither lords nor subjects.[2]] Zeno of Citium Zeno of Citium (The Stoic) (sometime called Zeno Apathea) (333 BC-264 BC) was a Hellenistic philosopher from Citium, Cyprus. ... For other uses, see Plato (disambiguation). ... Lao Zi (also spelled Laozi, Lao Tzu, or Lao Tse) was a famous Chinese philosopher who is believed to have lived in approximately the 4th century BC, during the Hundred Schools of Thought and Warring States Periods. ... The Tao Te Ching (道德經, Pinyin: D Jīng, thus sometimes rendered in recent works as Dao De Jing; archaic pre-Wade-Giles rendering: Tao Teh Ching; roughly translated as The Book of the Way and its Virtue (see dedicated chapter below on translating the title)) is an ancient Chinese scripture...

There were a variety of anarchistic religious movements in Europe during the Middle Ages, including the Brothers and Sisters of the Free Spirit, the Klompdraggers, the Hussites, Adamites and the early Anabaptists.^[2] Prior to Leo Tolstoy, Christian anarchism found one of its most articulate exponents in Gerrard Winstanley, who was part of the Diggers movement in England during the English Civil War. Drawing on the Scriptures, Winstanley argued that "the blessings of the earth" should "be common to all... and none Lord over others."[3] The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (Russian: Лев Никола́евич Толсто́й; commonly referred to in English as Leo Tolstoy) (September 9, 1828 – November 20, 1910, N.S.; August 28, 1828 – November 7, 1910, O.S.) was a Russian novelist, philosopher, Christian anarchist, pacifist, educational reformer, vegetarian, moral thinker and an influential member of the Tolstoy family. ... Gerrard Winstanley (1609 - September 10, 1676) was an English Protestant religious reformer and political activist during the Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell. ... For other meanings see Diggers (disambiguation) and Levellers (disambiguation) The Diggers were a group begun by Gerrard Winstanley in 1649 which called for a total destruction of the existing social order and replacement with a communistic and agrarian lifestyle based around the precepts of Christian Nationalism, wishing to rid England... The term English Civil War (or Wars) refers to the series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651. ...

In Gargantua and Pantagruel (1532-52)), François Rabelais wrote of the Abby of Thelema, an imaginary utopia whose motto was "Do as Thou Will." Around the same time, the French law student, Etienne de la Boetie wrote his Discourse on Voluntary Servitude, in which he argued that tyranny resulted from voluntary submission, and could be abolished by the people refusing to obey the authorities above them. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... François Rabelais François Rabelais (ca. ... Étienne de La Boétie (Sarlat, November 1st, 1530 - Germignan, August 18, 1563) was a French judge and writer, friend of Montaigne, author of the Discours of Voluntary Servitude (Discours de la servitude volontaire). ...

In the modern era, the first to use the term "Anarchy" to mean something other than chaos was Louis-Armand, Baron de Lahontan, in his Nouveaux voyages dans l'Amérique septentrionale, (New voyages in northern America) (1703) where he described the indigenous American society, which had no state, laws, prisons, priests or private property, as being in anarchy.^[3] The Modern-Era of NASCAR is a dividing line in NASCARs history. ... Louis Armand, Baron de Lahontan (9 June 1666 – prior to 1716) served in the French military in Canada where traveled extensively in the Wisconsin and Minnesota region and the upper Mississippi valley. ... Events February 2 - Earthquake in Aquila, Italy February 4 - In Japan, the 47 samurai commit seppuku (ritual suicide) February 14 - Earthquake in Norcia, Italy April 21 - Company of Quenching of Fire (ie. ... An Atsina named Assiniboin Boy Photo by Edward S. Curtis. ...

In A Vindication of Natural Society (1756), Edmund Burke advocated the abolition of government, but later claimed the Vindication was intended as a satirical work. William Godwin, in An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, later referred to Burke's Vindication as a treatise "in which the evils of the existing political institutions are displayed with incomparable force of reasoning and lustre of eloquence, while the intention of the author was to shew that these evils were to be considered as trivial." To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Edmund Burke The Right Honourable Edmund Burke (January 12, 1729 – July 9, 1797) was an Anglo-Irish statesman, author, orator and political philosopher, who served for many years in the British House of Commons as a member of the Whig party. ...

It was William Godwin himself, in "his Enquiry concerning Political Justice (2 vols., 1793), who was the first to formulate the political and economical conceptions of anarchism, even though he did not give that name to the ideas developed in his remarkable work."^[4] Godwin advocated the abolition of government through a gradual process of reform and enlightenment and is therefore regarded as one of the founders of "philosophical anarchism." [4] William Godwin William Godwin (3 March 1756 – 7 April 1836) was an English political and miscellaneous writer, considered one of the important precursors of both utilitarian and liberal anarchist thought. ...

There were a variety of anarchist currents during the French Revolution, with some revolutionaries using the term "anarchiste" in a positive light as early as September 1793,^[5]. The Enragés opposed revolutionary government as a contradiction in terms. Denouncing the Jacobin dictatorship, Jean Varlet wrote in 1794 that "government and revolution are incompatible, unless the people wishes to set its constituted authorities in permanent insurrection against itself."[5] In his "Manifesto of the Equals," Sylvain Marechal looked forward to the disappearance, once and for all, of "the revolting distinction between rich and poor, of great and small, of masters and valets, of governors and governed."[6] Liberty Leading the People, a painting by Delacroix commemorating the July Revolution of 1830 but which has come to be generally accepted as symbolic of French popular uprisings against the monarchy in general and the French Revolution in particular. ... The term Jacobin may refer to: Members of the Jacobin Club, a political group during the French Revolution. ...

In 1825 in the United States, Josiah Warren participated in a communitarian experiment headed by Robert Owen called New Harmony, which failed in a few years amidst much internal conflict. Warren blamed the community's failure on a lack of individual sovereignty. In 1827, as New Harmony disintegrated, he returned to Cincinnati. Most of the critics of New Harmony said that "what it lacked was strong leadership, discipline, and commitment — strong government. Warren came to exactly the opposite conclusion. New Harmony had suffered from the disorderly exercise of freedom and the instability of Owen’s authority. On the principle of like cures like, he was convinced that the basis of all future reform must be complete individual liberty. 'Man seeks freedom as the magnet seeks the pole or water its level,' he wrote, 'and society can have no peace until every member is really free.' But such a condition was not realizable under the existing organization and ideas of society. New views had to replace those of the past. For the future society new principles were needed. The first of these was 'individual individuality.' The sovereignty of every individual at all times had to be held inviolable. Everyone necessarily was free to dispose of his person, his time, his property, and his reputation as he pleased — but always at his own cost." - Kenneth Rexroth, Communalism From Its Origins to the Twentieth Century.^[6] Warren proceeded to organise experimental anarchist communities at Utopia and Modern Times. Josiah Warren (1799-1874) was an American social reformer and commonly regarded as the first individualist anarchist. ... Communitarianism as a philosophy began in the late 20th century, opposing aspects of liberalism and capitalism while advocating phenomena such as civil society. ... Robert Owen Robert Owen continues to be looked up to in this Manchester statue Robert Owen (May 14, 1771 – November 17, 1858) was a Welsh socialist and social reformer. ... New Harmony is a town located in Posey County, Indiana. ... Self-ownership (also Sovereignty of the individual) is the condition where an individual has the exclusive moral or legal right to control his own body. ... For other meanings of Utopia, see Utopia (disambiguation) Utopia (sometimes known as Trialville) was an individualist anarchist colony begun in 1847, by Josiah Warren and associates, in the United States on a tract of land approximately 30 miles from Cincinnati, Ohio. ... This is a list of past and present anarchist communities. ...

The first self-labelled anarchist

Main articles: Pierre-Joseph Proudhon and Mutualism (economic theory)

Pierre-Joseph Proudhon is regarded as the first self-proclaimed anarchist, a label he adopted in his groundbreaking work What is Property?, published in 1840. It is for this reason that some claim Proudhon as the founder of modern anarchist theory.^[7] He developed the theory of spontaneous order in society, where organization emerges without a central coordinator imposing its own idea of order against the wills of individuals acting in their own interests; his famous quote on the matter is, "Liberty is the mother, not the daughter, of order." In What is Property? Proudhon answers with the famous accusation "Property is theft." In this work, he opposed the institution of decreed "property" (propriété), where owners have complete rights to "use and abuse" their property as they wish.^[8] He contrasted this with what he called "possession," or limited ownership of resources and goods only while in more or less continuous use. About this latter type of property, Proudhon wrote "Property is Liberty," and argued that it was a bulwark against state power.^[9] Pierre Joseph Proudhon Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (pronounced [ˈpruːd É’n] in BrE, [pʁu dɔ̃] in French) (15 January 1809 – 19 January 1865) was a French economist and socialist philosopher who was the first individual to call himself an anarchist and is considered among the first anarchist thinkers. ... Mutualism is a libertarian socialist economic theory or system based on the labor theory of value which states that equal amounts of labor should receive equal pay. ... Pierre Joseph Proudhon Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (pronounced [ˈpruːd É’n] in BrE, [pʁu dɔ̃] in French) (15 January 1809 – 19 January 1865) was a French economist and socialist philosopher who was the first individual to call himself an anarchist and is considered among the first anarchist thinkers. ... What is Property? Or, an Inquiry into the Principle of Right and of Government (French: Quest-ce que la propriété?) is the title of a book (written in French) by the 19th century French anarchist Pierre-Joseph Proudhon. ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Spontaneous order is a term that describes the spontaneous emergence of order out of a seemingly chaotic context, as the result of a (temporary or permanent) balance of forces, or some sort of natural selection process. ... Property is theft! is a slogan coined by the French anarchist Pierre-Joseph Proudhon in his book What is Property? Or, an Inquiry into the Principle of Right of Government. ...

Pierre Joseph Proudhon

His opposition to the state, organised religion, and certain capitalist practices inspired subsequent anarchists, and made him one of the leading social thinkers of his time. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (400x751, 35 KB) Pierre Joseph Proudhon licence : source : http://flag. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (400x751, 35 KB) Pierre Joseph Proudhon licence : source : http://flag. ...

While he opposed communism and favoured remuneration for labour, he also opposed capitalist wage labour (i.e. profiting from someone else's labour).^[10] He also opposed rent, interest, and profit. He supported an economic system called mutualism. He urged workers "to form themselves into democratic societies, with equal conditions for all members, on pain of a relapse into feudalism." Under capitalism, he argued, employees are "subordinated, exploited" and their "permanent condition is one of obedience," a "slave." Wage labour is the socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer in which the worker sells their labour under a contract (employment), and the employer buys it, often in a labour market. ... Mutualism is a libertarian socialist economic theory or system based on the labor theory of value which states that equal amounts of labor should receive equal pay. ...

Proudhon's ideas were influential within French working class movements, and his followers were active in the Revolution of 1848 in France as well as the Paris Commune of 1871. Anarcho-communists, such as Kropotkin, later disagreed with Proudhon for his support of "private property" in the products of labour (i.e. wages, or "remuneration for work done") rather than free distribution of the products of labour.^[11] —Alexis de Tocqueville, Recollections The European Revolutions of 1848, in some countries known as the Spring of Nations, were the bloody consequences of a variety of changes that had been taking place in Europe in the first half of the 19th century. ... Le Père Duchesne face to the statue of Napoleon I on top of the Vendome column: Eh ben ! bougre de canaille, on va donc te foutre en bas comme ta crapule de neveu !… (Here! savage rascal, we will put you down just as your crook of a nephew!… The...

There were other anarchists active in the 1848 Revolution in France, including Anselm Bellegarrigue, Ernest Coeurderoy and Joseph Déjacque, who was the first person to call himself a "libertarian." Déjacque was also a critic of Proudhon's anti-feminism and mutualism, adopting an anarchist communist position.[7] Joseph Déjacque (b. ...

See also

• Anarchism

Anarchism is the name for both a political philosophy and political movement, derived from the Greek αναρχία (without archons or without rulers). Thus anarchism, in its most general meaning, is the belief that all forms of domination, coersion, and rulership are undesirable and should be abolished. ...

Notes and References