1. Anarchism

2. Anarchism
an ideology that is defined by the central
belief that political authority in all its
forms, and especially in the form of
the state, is both evil and unnecessary .
a political philosophy that advocates
stateless society based on non-
hierarchical free associations.
From the Greek word Archo
meaning No Government
or No Rule
Anarchy literally
means Without
Rule

3. Brief History of Anarchism
Elements of anarchist thought in
writings of the ancient Greeks and
Chinese. Some evidence in utopian
religious movements of the Middle
Ages.
Anarchism as a coherent political
philosophy first originated at the
outbreak of the French Revolution
in 1789.
Late 19th
century, anarchist
movement emerged. From 1860s
onward, periodic eruptions of
anarchist activities throughout
Europe, particularly in southern
Europe, such as Spain.
Anarchists also active in
labor movements in Europe,
although most fellow
members were not anarchists.
Involved in many uprisings
and revolutions, including the
Russian Revolution of 1917,
although the Bolshevik party
(a small radical communist
party) soon took over in
Russia.

4. Who are the Anarchists?
Anarchists believe that the state is
evil, because as a repository of
sovereign, compulsory and
coercive authority it is an
offense against the principles of
freedom and equality.
Anarchists reject political order
but have considerable faith in
natural order and spontaneous
social harmony

5. Some Famous Anarchists
Emma Goldman
(1869-1940)
Known as “Red Emma”
the most popular champion of
anarchism, drawing out huge
crowds in her many cross-
country speaking tours.
Arrested many times for doing draft
resistance to WWI, disseminating birth
control information, and for “inciting to
riot,” she was deported to Russia, where
she met Lenin and criticized USSR for its
failures. When the Spanish Civil War
broke out in 1936, she traveled to Spain
to support the anarchists.

6. Some Famous Anarchists
Henry David Thoreau
(1817 – 1862)
considered by many anarchists to be one of
their own. Thoreau’s witty and poetic writing
style leave much room for interpretation, but I
think his following quotes about on law,
government, and voting as well as his belief in
people’s ability for self-rule speak for
themselves.
Was imprisoned for refusing to pay six years
worth of taxes because of his opposition to the
Mexican-American War and slavery. The next
day, his aunt payed Thoreau’s taxes against his
will and he was released.

7. Some Famous Anarchists
Mikhail Bakunin
(1814 – 1876)
was the anarchist foil to Marx’s socialism
within the radical politics of the 19th
century.
Advocated violence to overthrow the
state
Participated in popular uprisings in Prague, Dresden,
and tried to start one in Brussels. After being arrested
in Germany and eventually handed over to Russian
authorities, he spent 7 years in the dungeons of the
Peter and Paul Fortress and lost all of his teeth from
scurvy. Through family connections, he was released
from prison but condemned to spend his life in exile in
Siberia. He later escaped to Western Europe, where he
tried to partake in a Polish insurrection and helped
initiate a failed revolution in Lyon.

8. Some Famous Anarchists
Pyotr Kropotkin
(1842 – 1921)
the most influential of these early anarchist
thinkers and had a direct impact on many of the
following figures. He was distinguished in many
fields besides politics, including evolutionary
theory, geography, and zoology.
He wrote meticulously researched books on how
agriculture and factories could be transformed to
become egalitarian and non-hierarchical.
Was imprisoned in the same Peter and Paul
Fortress as Bakunin in 1873 for his
membership in a revolutionary party but
escaped in 1876. He was later imprisoned in
France from 1883-1886 for his radical
associations and activities.

9. Who is the government?
“Government is not the solution to the
problem of order but its cause”
Government is, by its
own nature, immoral
and evil
All governments
engage in immoral,
coercive actions
Causes all ills in society
Forces people to do
things they do not
want to do (pay taxes,
fight wars)

10. Socialism vs. Anarchism
Socialism Anarchism
more of an economic system
promoting collective
ownership of properties to
produce the goods and
services of society
more of a political ideology
asserting that the freedom of
the individual will allow him to
attain the most in life.
believes in government seeks to abolish government.
allowed to own personal
properties and not properties
utilized for production
can own anything they want
without limits

11. Liberalism vs. Anarchism
Liberalism Anarchism
we still need a state, although it
should be limited
we will do better if we get rid of
the state, act for ourselves, and
collectively organise our lives
without central authority.
private property as an
important part of freedom
property is about exploitation
and slavery
defend property and the state fight to destroy them as pillars
of the class system.
ordinary people cannot have
power
ordinary people should have
power

12. Two-Rival Anarchist
Traditions
Collectivist Anarchism
Rooted in the idea of social solidarity or what
Peter Kropotkin called “Mutual Aid”
Natural and proper relationship amongst
people is one of sympathy, affection and
harmony.
Collectivist Anarchists have typically
stressed the importance of social equality
and ownership

13. Two-Rival Anarchist
Traditions
Individualist Anarchism
Based upon the idea of the sovereign
people(individual)
The belief that individual’s conscience and
the pursuit of self-interest should not be
constrained by any collective body or
public authority
Overlaps with libertarianism and is
usually linked to a string belief in the
market as a self-regulating mechanism
most obviously manifest in the form
anarcho-capitalism

14. 3 Major Drawbacks of
Anarchism
To overthrow of state and all forms of political
authority, is often considered to be simply
unrealistic.
Anarchists have rejected the conventional means
of political activism; such as forming political
parties, standing for elections and seeking public
office and have had rely instead upon the capacity
of the masses to engage in spontaneous rebellion.
Anarchists does not constitute a single,
coherent set of political ideas, apart from
anti-statism, anarchists disagree profoundly
about the nature of an anarchic society
particularly about property rights and
economic organization.

15. Criticism on Anarchism
Anarchism is that an example of:
In its negative sense.
Excellent or ideal but
impracticable; visionary

16. Significance of Anarchism
Anarchism provided an ideological basis for acquiring and
retaining political power and more that it has challenged,
and thereby fertilised other political creeds.
e.g
The American Creed
"I believe in the United States of
America, as a government of the
people, by the people, for the people;
whose just powers are derived from
the consent of the governed..."

17. Significance of Anarchism
Anarchists have come to address issues such as:
ecology
transport
Urban development
Consumerism
New technology
Sexual relations