Anarchism

What is anarchism

• derived from the word ‘anarkhos’ meaning ‘without rule’

• Core principal that people should be free from political authority in all forms , most notably state control as it is repressive and restricts liberty

Individual anarchism

• argues for society where self interested individuals are free to make judgements they feel is in their best interest (egoist); liberty is most important to them

• Egoists like Stirner argue that individuals must be autonomous to be totally free from all external influences

• Anarcho-capitalists argue that liberty can only be experienced through abolition of the state; current functions of the state like welfare/law and order will be administered with an unregulated free market

Collectivist Anarchism + Mutualism

Mutualism - humans capable of rational thought and have ‘innate sense of justice’. Liberty is combo of socialism/individualism altruistic society where people work together. Proudhon saw nationalistic element to liberty where native citizens receive preferential treatment to foreigners with all transactions: he also saw patriarchy and saw women as inferior/subservient

Collectivist Anarchism + Collectivism

Bakunin believed humans born with equal intelligence, moral sense and rational thought, state threatens natural liberty by distorting human nature, all humans equal regardless of gender/nationality, any community chosen would be collective as man is a communal creature , private property replaced by collectivisation

Collectivist Anarchism + Anarcho communism

Kropotkin argued human nature is positive and ppl want to co-operate. Risk of state crushed, ‘Individual and local life’ after abolition of state, small communes are created , Goldman wanted communal individuality with rejection of gender stereotypes and advocated for free love and pre marital sex

Views on Economy - collective

• Proudhon argued that property is theft and that concept of it is a social construct to exploit the masses as vast majority of property is owned by elite, whilst everyone else is forced to pay rent to elite; wants to abolish private property for communal ownership; also wants mutualism whereby means of productions are collectively owned by workers and society organised in small communities

• Kropotkin argued for mutual aid which required common ownership and federation of communities

• Bakunin viewed economic freedom via collectivisation

• Anarcho syndicalism would see means of production controlled by workers rather than by individual exploitative owners

Views on economy - individual

• egoism - stirner believes individuals possess sovereignty like a nation state claims, they’re materialists who wish to satisfy their needs ; free from exploitative state as capitalism is exploitative(akinto slavery- factory work), ppl will reorganise economy fairly as it’s in their self interest to do so to avoid conflict, never provided any detail on economic activity, individuals should not be bound by economic idealogy (spook), criticised collectivism as it limited individual autonomy, if you have property, you can keep it but it is never truly private as someone can take it ‘Might is Right’ (if you don’t have power to protect your belongings, it won’t be yours')

• Anarcho capitalists favour both private property and free market as it ensures atomistic economic freedom: free market provides all public goods like healthcare and education

Different strands - collectivist anarchists:

• Committed to common economic ownership, human nature is cooperative and altruistic —> this aspect of human nature has been distorted by oppressive/corrupt state; free market associated with capitalism and hierarchical nature of state/society reinforces inequality/oppression

• Anarcho communism —> Kropotkin disputes Social Darwinists like Herbert Spencer’s view of survival of the fittest and instead believed that species that cooperated thrived. Cooperation = ‘mutual aid’ State should be replaced by communes of voluntary association which uphold direct democracy so no one’s left out but if there’s a minority that feel oppressed they’re free to leave

Different Strands- collectivist anarchists—> mutualism

Mutualism-Idea that goods/services would be exchanged via a voucher system reflecting value of labour inherent with each good/service. Pay would not be based on supply and demand. Proudhon’s theory where society and economy flourish as small communities = no capitalism, means of production,land etc are commonly owned. He proposed a people’s bank to oversee mechanics of the system

Criticism of Collective Strand

1. Mutualism is a flawed perception of the role of the state —> Proudhon’s mutualism argued liberty exists in shell of state BUT isn’t having safeguards like a federal assembly to protect smaller communities just like a state in different form

2. Mutualism doesn’t reconcile individualism with collectivism —> collectivism towers over individual autonomy

3. Mutual aid is unscientific —> Kropotkin accused of being scientifically selective and omitting examples that didn’t fit his theory e,g idealising pre-capitalistic medieval states to fit theory

4. Mutual aid has unconsidered assumptions —> Kropotkin doesn’t consider that humans could be conditioned to be state-dependent after being psychologically dominated for so long

5. Bakunin —> ideas lack detail of how blueprint for new society and economy would acc work

Different strands- Individual Anarchism

• argues for negative freedom and individual autonomy like liberalism but also believe state isn’t required anymore

Different strands - Individual Anarchism —> egoism

• each individual is sovereign and deserves autonomy; Stirner detests both state and society (spooks of the mind) ; egoism fears collective anarchism

• did not believe a revolution would help but instead vouched for a spontaneous insurrection as individuals became conscious and recognised the false values of state and society

• rejected conventional capitalism arguing that work should be fulfilling + saw factory work akin to slavery

• society and the economy should be formed on voluntary agreements that are non-binding , whereby union of egoists would form and cooperate only to the extent that it fulfilled their individual wishes

• egoism is materialistic + individuals are driven to obtain possession + property

Different Strands- Individual Anarchism—> Anarcho-capitalism

• Associated with Rothbard + Friedman

• They champion negative freedom + atomistic individualism

• Believe the state is dismantled esp exploitative system of taxation (which they believe is theft and that it attacks economic freedom)

• influenced by Hayek’s road to Serfdom

• The unregulated free market is the perfect habitat for the rational self-interested individual

• Competition that is inherent in free market would lower costs and increase choices and pursuit of individual self-interest give capitalism its dynamism as private entrepreneurs are more than capable of fulfilling the state’s functions e.g school, hospitals, prsions

• Rothbard saw greed as individuals trying to maximise their potential + Friedman perceived humans as economic, not social animals

Criticisms of Individual Anarchism

• Egoism’s internal contradiction —> His ideas are not coherent. He refutes abstractions ‘‘wheels in the head’’ which induce illusions, without realising or acknowledging that his own theories on individuality are just another abstraction

• Egoism is Vague + implausible —> George Woodcock criticizes the lack of practical detail in what social and economic organisation the union of egoists would take and accuses Stirner of making generalised assumptions. It is difficult a society of individuals not resorting to violence to settle disputes. Society would resemble the war against all that Hobbes imagined without a state

• Anarcho-capitalism is implausible —> Neo-liberals counter argue that some small shell of a state is needed to enforce the rule of law. Neo-conservatives argue that simply dismantling the state and putting all of the responsibility into the realm of the free market would be practically impossible

Max Sirner best known book

Ego and its own

Max Stirner view of human nature + quote

‘‘Morality is incompatible with egoism’’

Humans are self interested and egoistical individual liberty is sacrosanct. Rejects fixed moral principles,human nature cannot be adapted, changed (it is what is is ), self desire + self-realisation above all, individual is ‘rational’ as they will take in the considerations of others if its in their interest, final stage of egoism is self consciousness, once we break free from restraints of the state, we will see ‘‘owness’’ where we become ‘‘masters’’ of our own ego + even human rights are dismissed (‘‘the right of all is to go before my right’’

Stirner’s view of society and quote

‘‘Man has as much liberty as he is willing to take."

• Society is a false construct that does not exist. It is yet another spook of the mind. Life without a state will see egotistical individuals liberated and following their desires

• societal norms are spooks

• society can be a constraint on one’s ego (spook), only reality is that of inidividuals

• after the state , individuals would be guided by their ego + self interest

• (union of egoists) would be ad hoc (not end goal) + last as long as needed

Stirner view on Economy and quote

‘‘Every labor is to have the intent that the man be satisfied” + ‘‘Whoever knows how to take.. to him belongs property’’

The accumulation of property and material possession is the primary economic motivation. Capitalism, however, is bad because it reduces our individualism

Sirner view on State + quote

‘‘State, religion, conscience, make me a slave’’

The state both denies and inhibits individualism and therefore must be abolished. Their power is maintained through coercion and violence and individuals are compelled to obey even when these laws don’t align with the individual’s desires

The state can be removed once humans "unspook" themselves and realise that authority can be ignored.

The state imposes laws , regulations + norms that constrain an individual’s ability to act in their own self interest

State has no moral/ethical legitimacy (product of collective delusions as those in power propogated the myth that authority is needed)

state dehumanizes its subjects eroding each person’s own uniqueness + sovereignty as people would supress their own interests to conform to the state’s norms + expectations

argued for spontaneous insurrection (‘propaganda of the deed’) + could be violent if it was in ur intrest

Revolutions are not desirable as it merely replaces an old set of values + rulers with a new set

Proudhon small context

• first person to declare himself an anarchist

• coined the slogan ‘property is theft’

• main work ‘What is Property’’

Proudhon’s view of Society + quote

“The great are only great because we are on our knees’’

Society would operate using “mutualism” whereby people are bound by social and economic relations which are mutually beneficial. Everything is based on contracts. Occupancy of use: possession is based on occupancy (this prevents exploitation)

• means of production, would be owned collectively by the workers

• land should not be a commodity to be bought + sold however a small amount should be given to each individual to be able to live and work + means that small scale property based on use is allowed

• property (gained thru exploitation) vs possession (gained thru hard work)

Proudhon’’s view of Human nature + quote

“An empty stomach knows no morality.”, ‘‘all men are equal and free’’

Principle of duality – humans possess both egotistical and altruistic tendencies. Natural inclination of humans though is to cooperate + engage in mutual exchange

Proudhon’s view of Economy

“Property is theft!”, ‘‘the possessions of the rich are stolen property’’

Individuals would trade with each other on a mutually beneficial basis. Products are priced at their true labour value rather than their market value. Capitalism exploits

• People would organise themselves into small, self-governing communes + decisions would be made based on consensus + if u aren’t happy u can leave

• Free banking: banks are free to issue their own paper currency + subject to no regulations

• proposed a system of mutual banking where credit would be available to individuals without interest + would empower workers

• Workers could enjoy fruits of their labour so long as it was not based on coercion

• People are free to live + work individually

• Inheritance was fine if it was personal posessions

• Producers should exchange their goods at cost value (later inc labour intensity + nature of work involved)

• Wealth is ok if it comes from ur labour + not exploitation

Proudhon’s view of State + quote

‘‘To be governed is to be spied upon’’

The state supports capitalism, upholds inequality and uses force and violence to limit our freedom + compel us (police + military compel obedience + supress any disent). Therefore must be destroyed, preferably by peaceful means over time. This is known as gradualism – existing anarchist societies can be created within the current system to show the way and strip power away from the state until state becomes unnecessary

• states make laws + enforce them even when they don’t have consent of the people

• The state upholds private property which is unjust ‘‘Property is theft’’

• State allows monopolies to flourish (unjust)

• against violence

• argued for incremental changes - social + economic reforms could be made within the system to lead us to a stateless society + these reforms included the establishment of worker cooperatives + mutual banks

Bakunin small context

• founder of collective anarchism

• Main work ‘God and the State’

Bakunin view on Human Nature and quote

‘‘To revolt is a natural tendency of life’’, ‘‘equality is natural right’’

Humans are social creatures who prefer collective activities. Humans are inherently good but are corrupted by the state (+ religion as it is a form of coercion) and lose their sense of justice and equality.

• had an inherent capacity for cooperation

• rejected concept of ‘tabula rasa’ which posits that humans are born with a blank state with no innate qualities + instead vouched for belief that humans had an intrinsic moral sense + natural inclination to social equality and justice

• if people were freed from constraints of oppressive institutions, their natural goodness + desire for social harmony would prevail + would create a society based on mutual aid , cooperation + voluntary associations

Bakunin view of Society + quote

Society without a government ‘‘is the only natural and normal state of human society’’

Society should be federal and national boundaries would be abolished. Society would be based upon cooperation and not competition. There would be common ownership of the means of production. Communes would be self-governing. The basic necessities of all would be met

• consensus would be important

• collective society

• communes would meet voluntarily meet up to address common issues

• local level decisions would be made by assemblies where all could partake + make decisions

Bakunin view of Economy + quote

‘‘Equality is the natural right of every human being’’

The free market (which is bad as it exploits) would be replaced by an exchanged bases system that recognises the true value of labour and goods.

• common ownership of the means of production + goods would be collectivised

• once collectivisation takes place, money could be abolished + replaced with labour notes (worker’s salaries would be determined by things like job difficulty + amount of time to produce’’ + these salaries would be used to buy goods in the communal market

• basic necessities would be met for all

Bakunin view of State+ quote

‘‘If there is a State, then there is slavery.”

The state limits freedom, uses violence (esp military + police to enforce laws), supports capitalism and promotes inequality. It must be destroyed via a social revolution, the entire structure of society needs to be reshaped. Believed in violence in his early days such as propaganda by the deed(arising from spontaneous + collective will of people , often triggered by social injustices + oppressive conditions) and violent spontaneous insurrection (represented the most authentic expression of the people’s revolutionary spirit ), but changed to more direct action such as mass strikes and protests.(as he realised violence brought about cycles + could even bring more authoritarian forms of government)

• state does not have consent of the governed

• perpetuates inequality within society + upholds power and wealth of the higher classes

• state can only be abolished by a collective uprising from the masses

• previously believed that since state is violent , violence is an appropriate way to bring the state down

• needed to be a social revolution, not just changing who is in control but reshaping whole of society

Kropotkin’s famous work

Mutual Aid: A factor of Evolution

Kropotkin’s view of Human nature and quote

"Man is a social animal"

Humans wont be free unless they live in natural communities. Humans share the same sense of justice so laws are unnecessary. Natural state is for people to work together. 

• bees thingy —> successful as they work together + they are free since they voluntarily and naturally live collectively without any external force

• argued that people will find freedom within voluntary social groups

• cooperative innately

Kropotkin’s view of Society and quote

‘‘society is bound to share amongst all’’

A stateless society should exist based on independent communes. Mutual aid: individuals voluntarily work together and support each other.(they don’t need to contribute + after a while they might anyway cause they’ll feel bad lolza)

the communes would not have a central authority + would be self governing

common ownership

private property abolished

poverty would be eliminated as there would be distribution of food + goods based on common good rather than force + coercion

Kropotkin’s view of Economy and quote

‘‘All belongs to all’’

Capitalism will be replaced by a system of common ownership where mutual aid would exist and this is done through revolution

against collectivistaion as it put someonein charge + argued that Bakunin’s model of collectivisation was just a wage system by a different name + that such a system would create centralisation + inequality (labour notes bad as means someone is in control cause they have to decide the value etc)

Indigenous societies defend against the accumulation of wealth, goods are either for use/gifts not for profit + this would be the case in his society

Kropotkin’s view of State and quotes

“Where there is authority, there is no freedom.”

The state limits individual freedom, supports capitalism, uses violence and promotes inequality. It lacks the consent of the governed. A social revolution is needed since state would never give up power willingly + the masses would challenge the existing power of the state . No violence (unless defending yourself against the state) strikes, protests and civil disobedience can chip away the power of the state and will create a better society than violence would.

state uses violence (esp military +police to enforce laws)

state perpetuates inequality within society + upholds the power + wealth of the higher of the higher classes

supports private property which only makes the wealther richer and poor poorer

Goldman context

• A Russian Jewish woman

• writer+ lecturer on anarchism + feminism

• Main work ‘‘Anarchism and other essays’’

Goldman quote + view on Human Nature

‘‘The desire for freedom resides in every human heart’’

Humans possessed an innate goodness and people were born with a natural inclination towards cooperation and empathy. However, human nature is corrupted and distorted by the state, capitalism + religion which stifle individual freedom.

Goldman quote + view on Society (inc economy)

‘‘most violent element in society is ignorance’’

‘I’d rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck’’ as roses are natural but diamonds are synoymous with exploitation

Did not plan an anarchist society but she did wish for one that had economic, social and gender equality. Wanted society to be based around communities and an abolition of private property.

• common ownership + cooperation

• wealth is collectively owned + shared

• individuals would be willing to enter into these communes + contribute rather than focusing on private ownership

• education would be keen to foster cooperation + mutual respect

• gender divisions would be eliminated

• There is no coercion in the commune + is a collection of free autonomous individuals who can leave whenever they want

• believed voting didn’t make a difference

Goldman quote+ view of Economy

‘‘wage system keeps the worker in a perpetual state of economic dependence’’

Her ideas on the economy were essentially communist. However, she is more nuanced, she saw the Russian Revolution and the Communist state that existed after and detested it.

Goldman quote + view on State

"The State is authority, it is force; it has the weapons and the police’’

The state is part of an interlocking set of aspects of oppression including religion and property ownership and had to be abolished. The state monopolises violence, exploits the working class and uses war to cause suffering.

• believed end goal of state was to control + regulate every aspect of people’s lives

• state’s used coercion + violence to maintain control - through police, army and legal system

• state also protected the wealthy + the powerful at the expense of the poor masses

• upheld capitalist ideas which exploitative the working class

• state involves itself in wars + imperialism which she believed were destructive (caused suffering)

  Early days she was an advocate of violence and propaganda of the deed to show the state could be brought down (assassination of William McKinley). However, she moved away from violence (negative impact on public opinion + wasn’t really impacting) and supported direct action, mass strikes and education to chip away at the state's authority.

• believed in a social revolution from the bottom up- driven by the actions of ordinary people rather than a vanguard elite

• in later years , stressed importance of education to be vital (esp for working class + oppressed people) even simply bringing up your children without rules

• if individuals began consciently objecting _ not cooperating with the state , it could undermine the state’s authority

Rothbard view of economy + quote

‘‘Capitalism is the fullest expression of anarchism’’

• Free market should be left alone. Leads to more freedom

• You can’t have freedom without capitalism

• Completely rejecting other forms of anarchism – particularly collectivist

• All public sector should be replaced by the private sector

• Welfare leads to dependency + decreased productivity

Rothbard view of the society and quote

'State has given itself ‘‘monopoly over police and military services, the provision of law’’

• The state limits competition as it creates monopolies.

• Using these industries, the state brainwashes people into thinking it is needed, People then become dependent on the state

• These industries could be better offered by private companies

Rothbard view of State and quote

‘‘We wish to break with all aspects of the liberal State’’

• Welfare by the state imposes on the individual – forcing them to help when it might be against their wishes

• A minimal state is not enough, need complete removal of the state.

• The state tries to promote equality – this is wrong – stifles individualism

• state’s existence stifles individual freedom + economic activity

• War is a product of the state – suggesting less war without  states – normally because states have to justify their existence

• state forces u to obey + submit since they monopolise the important instutuions such as the justice system , prisons + military

• state have brainwashed us into thinking they are necessary for our safety

Rothbard view of human nature + quote

‘‘ it would be to the interest of all road owners to have uniform rules in these matters, so that road traffic could mesh smoothly and without difficulty’’

• Humans are rational they do things that make the most sense

• The state doesn’t need to tell you what is and isn’t sensible

• If a company does something that is not sensible customers will stop using it forcing it to either adapt and become sensible or disappear.

• Everything is about profit and revenue – this is why you do the rational thing.

Friedman view on state + quote

‘‘everyone has the right to run his own life’’

• You can’t have true freedom with the state – needs to be removed.

• The state infringes individual liberty and this is wrong

‘‘If almost everyone is in favour of feeding the hungry, the politician may find it in his interest to do so, but under these circumstances, the politician is unnecessary’’

State is not necessarily compassionate – it only does things to preserve itself – focuses on the wishes of the majority.

The state is an added layer of bureaucracy – merely exists to confuse things

Friedman view of economy/property + quote

‘‘property rights are the rights of humans’’

• Property is a natural / human right.

• Property is one of the most important aspects of any society.

• Property is a way for the individual to define themselves.

Friedman view of human nature

‘‘If the great majority is against the hungry man, some kind soul among the minority still may feed him’’

• Human nature has elements of altruism.

The Paris Commune

• took place following the ffrench defeat in the Franco Prussian war —> links to Goldman’s belief that the state uses warfare not for benefit of the population but as a way of controlling

• Practiced abolition og Roman catholic churches + schools (Bakunin/Goldman - necessary to abolish God)

• Movement to gender equality (Goldman)

• decentralised + non hierarchial

• Proudhon’s ideas of mutualism, having a self governing community based on individuals cooperating thru voluntary exchange was seen here

• The common used direct democraxy + common ownership (Goldman/ Kropotkin/ Bakunin/ Proudhon)

Makhnosh , China

• Founded during the Russian Civil war

• Workers took control of all industry + were no political parties only direct democracy (most collectivists believe this)

• End to capitalism since it was exploitative

• Territory was based on free association - people could leave/ join organisations as they saw fit (Bakunin/Goldman)

Freetown, Chrisitiana

• set up by hippy non conformists in Copenhagen

• set up in response to lack of housing

• do not believe in violence (Kropotkin, Anarcho capitalists , Goldman (later in life), Bakunin (later in life) , Proudhon)

• Operates in state of Denmark - so links to Proudhon’s idea of dual gradualism

• Links to anarcho capitalis since they have been making money out of trade of tourists

• Despite being illegal, Marijuana is openly traded (free market)

• Proudhon’s idea of direct democracy is clear to see since commune practices direct democracy + consensus )

• community provides education (Goldman)

Catalonia

• existed during Spanish Civil war

• Mass collectivization (Bakunin) led to an increase in production , yield increased by as much as 50% in some areas

• common ownership of factories by workers (collectivists)

• Destruction of churches (Bakunin/Goldman)

• Decisions made collectively thru assemblies (Bakunin)

Rojava

• exists in Kurdish area of Northern Syria

• Co governance very position of power has a male / female equivalent (Goldman)

• They practice a form of mutual aid (Kropotkin)

• Means of production is controlled by a self governing worker’s cooperatives

• Created as a result of actions of an oppressive state