Markets Not Capitalism Explores the Gap Between Radically Freed Markets and the Capitalist-Controlled Markets That Prevail Today
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individualist anarchism against bosses, inequality, corporate power, and structural poverty
Edited by Gary Chartier & Charles W. Johnson Individualist anarchists believe in mutual exchange, not economic privilege. They believe in freed markets, not capitalism. They defend a distinctive response to the challenges of ending global capitalism and achieving social justice: eliminate the political privileges that prop up capitalists. Massive concentrations of wealth, rigid economic hierarchies, and unsustainable modes of production are not the results of the market form, but of markets deformed and rigged by a network of state-secured controls and privileges to the business class. Markets Not Capitalism explores the gap between radically freed markets and the capitalist-controlled markets that prevail today. It explains how liberating market exchange from state capitalist privilege can abolish structural poverty, help working people take control over the conditions of their labor, and redistribute wealth and social power. Featuring discussions of socialism, capitalism, markets, ownership, labor struggle, grassroots privatization, intellectual property, health care, racism, sexism, and environmental issues, this unique collection brings together classic essays by Cleyre, and such contemporary innovators as Kevin Carson and Roderick Long. It introduces an eye-opening approach to radical social thought, rooted equally in libertarian socialism and market anarchism.
“We on the left need a good shake to get us thinking, and these arguments for market anarchism do the job in lively and thoughtful fashion.” – Alexander Cockburn, editor and publisher, Counterpunch
“Anarchy is not chaos; nor is it violence. This rich and provocative gathering of essays by anarchists past and present imagines society unburdened by state, markets un-warped by capitalism. Those whose preference is for an economy that is humane, decentralized, and free will read this book with – – Bill Kaufmann, author of Bye Bye, Miss American Empire
“It will be hard for any honest libertarian to read this book – or others like and think tanks. In a world where libertarianism has mostly been deformed into a defense of corporate privilege, it is worth being told or reminded what a free market actually is. Our ideal society is not ‘Tesco/Wal-Mart minus the State.’ It is a community of communities of free people. All thanks to the authors and editors of this book.” – Sean Gabb, director, UK Libertarian Alliance
“Libertarianism is often seen as a callous defense of privilege in the face of existing (and unjust) inequalities. That’s because it too often is. But it doesn’t have to be, and this fascinating collection of historic and current argument think about.” – Ken MacLeod, author of Fall Revolution
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individualist anarchism against bosses, inequality, corporate power, and structural poverty
Edited by Gary Chartier & Charles W. Johnson ISBN 978-1-57027-242-4
Gary Chartier and Charles W. Johnson Markets Not Capitalism: Individualist Anarchism against Bosses, Inequality, Corporate Power, and Structural Poverty Includes bibliographic references 1. Economics – philosophy. 2. Socialism. 3. Capitalism. 4. Anarchism. I. Title II. Johnson, Charles W. III. Chartier, Gary
Cover image based on an image by Walter Baxter.
Released by Minor Compositions, London / New York / Port Watson Minor Compositions is a series of interventions & provocations drawing from autonomous politics, avant-garde aesthetics, and the revolutions of everyday life.
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CoNteNts acknowledgements ...... ix introduction ...... 1 Part One ...... 17 The Problem of Deformed Markets ...... 17 1. the Freed Market...... 19 William Gillis 2. state socialism and anarchism: ...... 21 Benjamin R. Tucker
3. General idea of the revolution in the Nineteenth Century ...37 Pierre-Joseph Proudhon 4. Markets Freed from Capitalism ...... 59 Charles W. Johnson Part Two ...... 83 Identities and Isms 5. Market anarchism as stigmergic socialism ...... 85 Brad Spangler 6. armies that overlap...... 93 Benjamin R. Tucker 7. the individualist and the Communist: ...... 97 Rosa Slobodinsky and Voltairine de Cleyre 8. a Glance at Communism...... 103 Voltairine de Cleyre
9. advocates of Freed Markets should oppose Capitalism ...107 Gary Chartier 10. anarchism without Hyphens ...... 119 Karl Hess 11. What laissez Faire? ...... 121 Sheldon Richman 12. libertarianism through thick and thin ...... 131 Charles W. Johnson 13. socialism: What it is ...... 145 Benjamin R. Tucker 14. socialist ends, Market Means ...... 149 Gary Chartier Part Three ...... 155 Ownership 15. a plea for public property ...... 157 Roderick T. Long 16. From Whence Do property titles arise?...... 169 William Gillis 17. the Gift economy of property ...... 175 Shawn Wilbur 18. Fairness and possession ...... 181 Gary Chartier
19. the libertarian Case against intellectual property rights . .187 Roderick T. Long Part Four ...... 199 Corporate Power and Labor Solidarity