Anarchist FAQ

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

An Anarchist FAQ The Anarchist FAQ Editorial Collective June 18, 2009. Version 13.1 Contents Introduction ......................................... 3 Section A: What is Anarchism? ............................... 3 Section B: Why do anarchists oppose the current system? ................ 3 Section C: What are the myths of capitalist economics? ................. 3 Section D: How do statism and capitalism affect society? ................ 3 Section E: What do anarchists think causes ecological problems? ............ 3 Section F: Is “anarcho”-capitalism a type of anarchism? ................. 3 Section G: Is individualist anarchism capitalistic? ..................... 3 Section H: Why do anarchists oppose state socialism? .................. 3 Section I: What would an anarchist society look like? .................. 3 Section J: What do anarchists do? ............................. 4 Appendix: Anarchism and “anarcho”-capitalism ..................... 4 Appendix: The Symbols of Anarchy ............................ 4 Appendix: Anarchism and Marxism ............................ 4 Appendix: The Russian Revolution ............................. 4 Bibliography for FAQ ..................................... 4 An Anarchist FAQ after ten years ............................. 4 2 Introduction Introduction Section A: What is Anarchism? What is Anarchism? Section B: Why do anarchists oppose the current system? Why do anarchists oppose the current system? Section C: What are the myths of capitalist economics? What are the myths of capitalist economics? Section D: How do statism and capitalism affect society? How do statism and capitalism affect society? Section E: What do anarchists think causes ecological problems? What do anarchists think causes ecological problems? Section F: Is “anarcho”-capitalism a type of anarchism? Is “anarcho”-capitalism a type of anarchism? Section G: Is individualist anarchism capitalistic? Is individualist anarchism capitalistic? Section H: Why do anarchists oppose state socialism? Why do anarchists oppose state socialism? Section I: What would an anarchist society look like? What would an anarchist society look like? 3 Section J: What do anarchists do? What do anarchists do? Appendix: Anarchism and “anarcho”-capitalism Anarchism and “anarcho”-capitalism Appendix: The Symbols of Anarchy The Symbols of Anarchy Appendix: Anarchism and Marxism Anarchism and Marxism Appendix: The Russian Revolution The Russian Revolution Bibliography for FAQ Bibliography for FAQ An Anarchist FAQ after ten years An Anarchist FAQ after ten years 4 Anarchist library Anti-Copyright The Anarchist FAQ Editorial Collective An Anarchist FAQ June 18, 2009. Version 13.1 Copyright (C) 1995–2009 The Anarchist FAQ Editorial Collective: Iain McKay, Gary Elkin, Dave Neal, Ed Boraas Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation, and/or the terms of the GNU General Public License, Version 2.0orany later version published by the Free Software Foundation. See the Licenses page at www.gnu.org for more details. en.anarchistlibraries.net.

Copy Link

Recommended publications

Anarchist FAQ (17/17)
An Anarchist FAQ (17/17) The Anarchist FAQ Editorial Collective June 18, 2009. Version 13.1 Contents An Anarchist FAQ after ten years 3 2 An Anarchist FAQ after ten years 3 It is now ten years since “An Anarchist FAQ” (AFAQ) was officially released. A lot has happened over that time, unfortunately finishing it has not been one of them! Over that decade, AFAQ has changed considerably. It was initially conceived as a energy-saving device to stop anarchists having to continually make the same points against claims that “anarcho”-capitalism was a form of anarchism. As would be expected, the quality of the initial versions and sections were pretty mixed. Most of it was extremely good (even if we do say so ourselves!) and has required little change over the decade (mostly we have built upon and expanded the original material). A few bits were less good and have been researched more and rewritten. We have also, of course, made mistakes and corrected them when we have been informed about them or have discovered them ourselves. In general, though, our initial work has stood up well and while we were occasionally wrong on a few details, the general thrust of even these areas has been proven correct. Overall, our aim to produce an FAQ which reflected the majority of anarchist thought, both currently and historically from an international perspective, has been a success as shown by the number of mirrors, links and translations AFAQ has seen (being published by AK Press confirms this). Since the official release, AFAQ has changed.
[Show full text]
Socialism and the Blockchain
future internet Article Socialism and the Blockchain Steve Huckle * and Martin White Creative Technology Group, Department of Informatics, University of Sussex, Chichester 1, 128, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QT, UK; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +44-0-1273-606755 Academic Editor: Carmen de Pablos Heredero Received: 5 August 2016; Accepted: 10 October 2016; Published: 18 October 2016 Abstract: Bitcoin (BTC) is often cited as Libertarian. However, the technology underpinning Bitcoin, blockchain, has properties that make it ideally suited to Socialist paradigms. Current literature supports the Libertarian viewpoint by focusing on the ability of Bitcoin to bypass central authority and provide anonymity; rarely is there an examination of blockchain technology’s capacity for decentralised transparency and auditability in support of a Socialist model. This paper conducts a review of the blockchain, Libertarianism, and Socialist philosophies. It then explores Socialist models of public ownership and looks at the unique cooperative properties of blockchain that make the technology ideal for supporting Socialist societies. In summary, this paper argues that blockchain technologies are not just a Libertarian tool, they also enhance Socialist forms of governance. Keywords: Bitcoin; blockchain; cryptocurrency; ﬁat money; libertarianism; socialism; Marxism; anarchism 1. Introduction Bitcoin (BTC) is referred to as cryptocurrency because it is a form of electronic cash that relies on cryptography. Since its inception in early 2009 [1], it has achieved a degree of prominence, not least in terms of market value; at the time of writing, its total market capitalisation was over US $6 billion [2]. Furthermore, governmental institutions are beginning to examine the blockchain technology underpinning BTC [3] because some of its properties, which we discuss below, may have implications that extend beyond economics and into social, political and humanitarian domains [4].
[Show full text]
Anarchism and Libertarianism
CHAPTER 10 Anarchism and Libertarianism Roderick T. Long Introduction “Libertarianism,” understood as a term for a specific political ideology, origi- nated as a synonym for anarchism, and more precisely the communist anar- chism of Joseph Déjacque (1821–1864), whose use of “libertaire” in this sense dates to 18571—though individualist anarchists soon picked up the term as well.2 Nowadays, however, the term “libertarianism” is frequently associated, particularly in English-speaking countries, with a movement favoring free mar- kets, private property, and economic laissez-faire, generally resting either on the efficiency of the price system in coordinating individuals’ plans,3 or else on an ethical principle of self-ownership or non-aggression4 which is taken to define individuals’ rights against forcible interference with their persons and (justly acquired) property. This is the sense in which the term “libertarian” will be employed here. (Today French actually has two words corresponding to the English libertarian: “libertaire,” meaning an anarchist, particularly a left-wing anarchist, and “libertarien,” for the free-market advocate.) It is with the relation of libertarianism (in the free-market sense) to anarchism that this chapter is concerned. While sometimes considered a form of conservatism, libertarianism dif- fers from typical versions of conservatism in endorsing a broad range of social liberties, and thus opposing, e.g., drug laws, censorship laws, laws restricting consensual sexual activity, and the like. (Libertarians usually, though not al- ways, differ from typical conservatives in opposing military interventionism 1 Joseph Déjacque, De l’être-humain mâle et femelle: Lettre à P.J. Proudhon (New Orleans: Lamarre, 1857).
[Show full text]
The Meaning of Anarchism Via Twelve Libertarians
The Meaning of Anarchism via twelve libertarians Part 1: The Founding Fathers Iain McKay www.anarchistfaq.org Overview Anarchism is a much misunderstood and much misrepresented theory. Rejecting the chaos of capitalism and statism, it seeks to create the order of libertarian socialism, a free society of free associates. To discover more, please join Iain McKay (author of An Anarchist FAQ) for an exploration of libertarian ideas by means of six male and six female anarchist thinkers and activists. Over two nights, the lives and ideas of the founding fathers and mothers of anarchism – including Michael Bakunin, Peter Kropotkin, Louise Michel and Emma Goldman – will be discussed and their continuing relevance highlighted. Founding Fathers, 1840 to 1940 •Pierre-Joseph Proudhon •Joseph Déjacque •Michael Bakunin •Peter Kropotkin •Errico Malatesta •Rudolf Rocker Sages and Movements • Some trace Anarchism back to the dawn of civilisation • Yes, those subject to hierarchies would conclude need to end them • Anarchism as a named socio-economic theory and movement: • Dates from 1840, with Proudhon’s What is Property? • Product of rise of capitalism, failure of the French Revolution, labour protest growth • Did not appear fully formed but rather developed over time • Part of the wider labour and socialist movements • Mutual influence and interaction • Different schools of thought, but substantial amount in common • Thinkers became influential because they championed – and developed – ideas already raised in the wider movement • “Sages” not always
[Show full text]
An Anarchist FAQ — Section I Contents
An Anarchist FAQ — Section I Contents Section I: What would an anarchist society look like? 4 I.1 Isn’t libertarian socialism an oxymoron? 12 I.1.1 Is socialism impossible? ................................ 17 I.1.2 Is libertarian communism impossible? ........................ 27 I.1.3 What is wrong with markets anyway? ........................ 39 I.1.4 If capitalism is exploitative, then isn't socialism as well? . 45 I.1.5 Does capitalism efficiently allocate resources? .................... 48 I.2 Is this a blueprint for an anarchist society? 62 I.2.1 Why discuss what an anarchist society would be like at all? . 66 I.2.2 Will it be possible to go straight to an anarchist society from capitalism? . 68 I.2.3 How is the framework of an anarchist society created? . 72 I.3 What could the economic structure of anarchy look like? 79 I.3.1 What is a "syndicate"? ................................. 83 I.3.2 What is workers' self-management? ......................... 90 I.3.3 What does socialisation mean? ............................ 96 I.3.4 What relations would exist between individual syndicates? . 102 I.3.5 What would confederations of syndicates do? . 106 I.3.6 What about competition between syndicates? . 113 I.3.7 What about people who do not want to join a syndicate? . 118 I.3.8 Do anarchists seek "small autonomous communities, devoted to small scale produc- tion"? .......................................... 119 I.4 How would an anarchist economy function? 123 I.4.1 What is the point of economic activity in anarchy? . 127 I.4.2 Why do anarchists desire to abolish work? . 129 I.4.3 How do anarchists intend to abolish work? .
[Show full text]
An Anarchist FAQ — Section G Contents
An Anarchist FAQ — Section G Contents Section G: Is individualist anarchism capitalistic? 3 G.1 Are individualist anarchists anti-capitalist? 10 G.1.1 What about their support of the free market? .................... 18 G.1.2 What about their support of "private property"? . 25 G.1.3 What about their support for wage labour? ..................... 30 G.1.4 Why is the social context important in evaluating individualist anarchism? . 39 G.2 Why do individualist anarchists reject social anarchism? 45 G.2.1 Is communist-anarchism compulsory? ........................ 46 G.2.2 Is communist-anarchism violent? .......................... 51 G.2.3 Does communist-anarchism aim to destroy individuality? . 55 G.2.4 What other reasons do individualists give for rejecting communist-anarchism? . 58 G.2.5 Do most anarchists agree with the individualists on communist-anarchism? . 62 G.3 Is ”anarcho”-capitalism a new form of individualist anarchism? 64 G.3.1 Is "anarcho"-capitalism American anarchism? ................... 69 G.3.2 What are the differences between "anarcho"-capitalism and individualist anar- chism? ......................................... 74 G.3.3 What about "anarcho"-capitalists' support of "defence associations"? . 81 G.3.4 Why is individualist anarchist support for equality important? . 86 G.3.5 Would individualist anarchists have accepted "Austrian" economics? . 88 G.3.6 Would mutual banking simply cause inflation? ................... 91 G.4 Why do social anarchists reject individualist anarchism? 99 G.4.1 Is wage labour consistent with anarchist principles? . 114 G.4.2 Why do social anarchists think individualism is inconsistent anarchism? . 122 G.5 Benjamin Tucker: capitalist or anarchist? 129 G.6 What are the ideas of Max Stirner? 137 G.7 Lysander Spooner: right-”libertarian” or libertarian socialist? 146 2 Section G: Is individualist anarchism capitalistic? The short answer is, no, it is not.
[Show full text]
Essays in Anarchism and Religion: Volume II
Anarchism and Religion: Exploring Definitions Alexandre Christoyannopoulos & Matthew S. Adams Loughborough University, UK One of the contested features in the scholarship on both anar- chism and religion has been the question of definition. How one defines key terms does, after all, determine what one analyses (and what not), and generally reveals one’s assumptions and preferenc- es (implicit or explicit) about what is being discussed. Also, the same term can mean different things in different languages, times and places, even if deliberately employing a pre-existing term does usually signal intended alignment. To make matters more difficult, in some cases, definitional differences are not just merely minor and contextual, but deliberate and fought over, sometimes with a clear intention to exclude particular variants that are felt to precisely not legitimately fit the label. Indeed, both ‘anarchism’ and ‘religion’ are candidates for Gallie’s definition of ‘essentially contested concepts’: “concepts the proper use of which inevitably involves endless disputes about their proper uses on the part of their users”.1 Definitions therefore require decisions, betray one’s particular sympathies and aversions, and reflect one’s context. For anarchists in particular, as much as ‘protean fluid- ity’ is a hallmark of the tradition and often a source of pride, some boundaries can be defended with much passion.2 For in- stance, most anarchists are particularly insistent on excluding 1 W. B. Gallie, “Essentially Contested Concepts,” in The Importance of Language, ed. M. Black (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1962), 123. 2 George Woodcock, Anarchism: A History of Libertarian Ideas and Movements (London: Penguin, 1986), p.
[Show full text]
Anarchism in Book Publishing: an Exploration of Business and Ethics
Portland State University PDXScholar Book Publishing Final Research Paper English 5-2016 Anarchism in Book Publishing: An Exploration of Business and Ethics Alexis M. Woodcock Portland State University Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/eng_bookpubpaper Part of the English Language and Literature Commons, and the Publishing Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Woodcock, Alexis M., "Anarchism in Book Publishing: An Exploration of Business and Ethics" (2016). Book Publishing Final Research Paper. 13. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/eng_bookpubpaper/13 This Paper is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Book Publishing Final Research Paper by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: [email protected]. Anarchism in Book Publishing: An Exploration of Business and Ethics Alexis M. Woodcock Portland State University May 10, 2016 Research Question: How do anarchist publishers reconcile their businesses with their ideals? Introduction The term anarchist business may seem like an oxymoron to some. In fact, the misconception that anarchism precludes any organization at all is rampant, regardless of participation in capitalism. The fact remains that there are anarchist businesses all over, from restaurants to bookstores to record labels, engaging in capitalism while simultaneously opposing it. Publishing is an area of particular interest, with a number of explicitly anarchist presses actually thriving. How do they reconcile their businesses with their ideals? Does their work contradict their ideologies? What is anarchism? Perhaps the most useful place to start is in defining what anarchism is and isn’t.
[Show full text]
An Anarchist FAQ — Section F
proportion to their power or wealth: a question fit perhaps to be discussed by slaves in the hearing of their masters, but highly un- becoming to reasonable and free men in search of the truth." [The Social Contract and Discourses, p. 49] This seems applicable when you see Rothbard proclaim that inequality of individuals An Anarchist FAQ — Section will lead to inequalities of income as "each man will tend to earn F an income equal to his 'marginal productivity.'" This is because "some men" (and it is always men!) are "more intelligent, others more alert and farsighted, than the remainder of the population" and capitalism will "allow the rise of these natural aristocracies." In fact, for Rothbard, all government, in its essence, is a con- spiracy against the superior man. [The Logic of Action II, p. 29 and p. 34] But a few more points should be raised. The uniqueness of individuals has always existed but forthe vast majority of human history we have lived in very egalitar- ian societies. If social inequality did, indeed, flow from natural inequalities then all societies would be marked by it. This is not the case. Indeed, taking a relatively recent example, many visitors to the early United States noted its egalitarian nature, something that soon changed with the rise of capitalism (a rise dependent upon state action, we must add). This implies that the society we live in (its rights framework, the social re- lationships it generates and so forth) has far more of a deci- sive impact on inequality than individual differences.
[Show full text]
Decolonizing Anarchism: Expanding Anarcha-Indigenism in Theory
Decolonizing Anarchism: Expanding Anarcha-Indigenism in Theory and Practice By Adam Gary Lewis A thesis submitted to the Graduate Program in Cultural Studies in conformity with the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts Queen’s University Kingston, Ontario, Canada September, 2012 Copyright © Adam Gary Lewis, 2012 Abstract In this thesis I argue that anarchism, as a political philosophy and social movement practice committed to resisting all forms of oppression and domination, needs to place colonialism more clearly and consistently at the centre of its analysis of interlocking systems of oppression. I argue that colonialism has largely been absent as a system of domination and oppression within anarchist theory and practice, with the exception of a small number of theorists and activist groups. My contention is that an anti-colonial orientation needs to be further encompassed in part because of anarchism’s commitment to resisting all forms of oppression and domination, but also because anarchist movements carry out and theorize resistance against the backdrop of settler colonial realities and on Indigenous lands. This thesis contributes to these aims by seeking to expand and push further work done on anarcha-Indigenism that examines the possible points of contact and resonance between anarchist and Indigenous politics, philosophy and action. I conceptualize anarcha-Indigenism first as a ‘third space’, following post-colonial theorists, and extend this concept towards an ‘n-dimensional’ space of meeting, where theoretical perspectives can come to engage with one another. This space consists of points of contact and resonance chiefly between Indigenist, anarchist and feminist theory and practice, but also extends to any perspective that might meet the core commitments of anarcha- Indigenism, namely resistance to all forms of oppression and domination.
[Show full text]
An Anarchist FAQ — Section G
producing as it does natural barriers to entry from the process of capitalist production and accumulation, had resulted in a situation where individualist anarchist solutions could no longer reform capitalism away. The centralisation of capital had "passed for the moment beyond their reach." The problem of An Anarchist FAQ — Section the trusts, he argued, "must be grappled with for a time solely G by forces political or revolutionary," i.e., through confiscation either through the machinery of government "or in denial of it." Until this "great levelling" occurred, all individualist anarchists could do was to spread their ideas as those trying to "hasten it by joining in the propaganda of State Socialism or revolution make a sad mistake indeed." [quoted by James J. Martin, Op. Cit., pp. 273-4] In other words, the economic power of "concentrated capital" and "enormous concentration of wealth" placed an insurmount- able obstacle to the realisation of anarchy. Which means that the abolition of usury and relative equality were considered ends rather than side effects for Tucker and if free competition could not achieve these then such a society would not be anar- chist. If economic inequality was large enough, it meant anar- chism was impossible as the rule of capital could be maintained by economic power alone without the need for extensive state intervention (this was, of course, the position of revolutionary anarchists like Bakunin, Most and Kropotkin in the 1870s and onwards whom Tucker dismissed as not being anarchists). Victor Yarros is another example, an individualist anarchist and associate of Tucker, who by the 1920s had abandoned an- archism for social democracy, in part because he had become convinced that economic privilege could not be fought by eco- nomic means.
[Show full text]
Organising Anarchy Spatial Strategy Prefiguration and the Politics of Everyday Life Ince, Anthony James Elliot
Organising anarchy spatial strategy prefiguration and the politics of everyday life Ince, Anthony James Elliot The copyright of this thesis rests with the author and no quotation from it or information derived from it may be published without the prior written consent of the author For additional information about this publication click this link. https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/jspui/handle/123456789/496 Information about this research object was correct at the time of download; we occasionally make corrections to records, please therefore check the published record when citing. For more information contact [email protected] ORGANISING ANARCHY SPATIAL STRATEGY , PREFIGURATION , AND THE POLITICS OF EVERYDAY LIFE ANTHONY JAMES ELLIOT INCE THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY QUEEN MARY , UNIVERSITY OF LONDON 2010 0 ABSTRACT This research is an analysis of efforts to develop a politics of everyday life through embedding anarchist and left-libertarian ideas and practices into community and workplace organisation. It investigates everyday life as a key terrain of political engagement, interrogating the everyday spatial strategies of two emerging forms of radical politics. The community dimension of the research focuses on two London-based social centre collectives, understood as community-based, anarchist-run political spaces. The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), an international trade union that organises along radical left-libertarian principles, comprises the workplace element. The empirical research was conducted primarily through an activist-ethnographic methodology. Based in a politically-engaged framework, the research opens up debates surrounding the role of place-based class politics in a globalised world, and how such efforts can contribute to our understanding of social relations, place, networks, and political mobilisation and transformation.
[Show full text]