ANARCHISM
POSC 150
Braunwarth
Anarchism
From Greek: an archo (no rule/no gov’t)
Abolish the State
Replace coercive force of the state with
voluntary cooperation among freely
consenting adults
Who here is Free?
We generally think of ourselves as free
In reality, we are highly controlled
By the state, by religion, by greed
We don’t recognize the degree to which we
are trapped (like the Matrix)
Anarchism argues we need to throw off these
shackles in order to achieve our full potential
Government
Government is, by its own nature, immoral
and evil
All governments engage inimmoral, coercive
actions
Causes all ills in society
Forces people to do things they do not want
to do (pay taxes, fight wars)
Could argue is a necessary evil; Anarchists
would argue is not necessary, just evil
Emma Goldman (1869-1940)
“Red Emma”
Anarchism was “great
liberator”
from Religion, State
and Property
Early feminist
(p. 255)
Philosophical Basis
Freedom: Centrally Important
Human Nature: Emphasis on the Individual who
is basically good and idealistic
Split: either
Fiercely Independent and Individualistic
(occasionally capitalistic and competitive)
Which of our Readings?
Thoreau, Godwin, Sterner
Inherently communal
Which of our Readings?
Bakunin, Kroptokin, etc.
Individual Orientation
Oppressed by coercive force of government
Either:
Live according to higher individual goals
or
Are a part of a free community where
everyone cooperates and need not be
repressed by government
Thoreau
“That government
which governs best
governs not at all”
Incensed about
Spanish-American
war and slavery
People unfortunately
favor stability > justice
(p. 4)
Obligation to resist
(pp. 6, 8)
Political Program
How should we abolish government?
Another split, either:
Advocate violent overthrow of the State or
Advocate a peaceful path that can lead to
a cooperative society
Basically, replace government with a
consensual and cooperative society
where people can live according to higher
individual or communal ideals
Leo Tolstoy
Wrote War and Peace
Devout Pacifist
State exists to commit
violence
Must peacefully be
abolished
Anarcho-Communism
Played important role in socialist movement
Marx’s main rivals
Some made strong moral case pacifism and
non-violence
Others criticized need for a transitional
proletarian government
Bakunin (1814-1876)
Advocated violence to
overthrow the state
Destruction of
oppressor (state) would
liberate the people (p.
251)
Split with Marx
Wanted no dictatorship
of proletariat