Anarchism

1
Anarchism

• Rejecting hierarchy and authority

2
Anarchism

• Based on the belief that human beings are
  essentially good, that human society is natural
  and cooperative, and that states and other
  artificial and coercive institutions corrupt
  human beings. Emphasis on individual freedom and
  choice. An optimistic view of human potential.

3

• Someone has said that it requires less mental
  effort to condemn than to think. The widespread
  mental indolence, so prevalent in society, proves
  this to be only too true. Rather than to go to
  the bottom of any given idea, to examine into its
  origin and meaning, most people will either
  condemn it altogether, or rely on some
  superficial or prejudicial definition of
  non-essentials. Anarchism urges man to think, to
  investigate, to analyze every proposition

4
Anarchism key idea

• Opposed to any structure that is hierarchical,
  coercive or authoritarian.
• Most governments
• Organized religion
• The military
• Courts prisons
• Capitalism and Soviet-style communism

5
Anarchism government

• Not all government functions rejected.
• Limited government has two useful functions
  protecting people from invasion by others and
  coordinating the productive work of the society.
  
• Instead of an all-powerful and controlling state,
  government should be decentralized into
  small-scale human societies.

6
History of anarchism

• Elements of anarchist thought in writings of the
  ancient Greeks and Chinese. Some evidence in the
  Middle Ages, in with various utopian religious
  movements.
• 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.

7
History of anarchism

• 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.

8
Anarchist thinkers

• William Godwin (British) late 18th c.
• Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (French) 19th c.
• Peter Kropotkin (Russian) late 19th c.
• Mikhail Bakunin (Russian) late 19th c.
• Emma Goldman (Lithuanian-American)

9
Emma Goldman

• Born in Russia in 1869 came to the U.S. when she
  was 17. Very idealistic about America.
• Disillusioned found that America was not much
  different than the oppressive Russian government,
  in terms of peoples daily lives.
• Workers exploited - long hours, low pay, brutal
  working conditions, no real legal rights.
• This led her to rethink liberal democracy and to
  embrace anarchism.

10
Emma Goldman

• Wrote, traveled and
• lectured extensively
• on anarchism.
• Also advocated
• womens rights and
• opposed the draft and
• World War I.

11
Backlash against anarchism in United States

• Associated with labor unrest
• Associated with radicalism in Russia
• Associated with assassination of President
  McKinley in 1901
• Associated with protests against the war in 1917
• Associated with violence, including bombing of
  AGs house in 1919

12
Goldman in trouble with authorities

• Arrested in 1893 urging the unemployed to ask
  for work. If they do not give you work, ask for
  bread. If they do not give you bread, take
  bread.
• Arrested on Sept. 10, 1901, on a charge of
  conspiracy to assassinate President McKinley. No
  evidence, so she was released in two weeks.
• Arrested and imprisoned in 1916 for distributing
  literature advocating birth control (obscenity).
• Arrested in 1917 and imprisoned 2 years for
  organizing anti-war rallies (obstructing the
  draft).
• Deported in 1919, at the height of the Red Scare.
  

13
Anarchism, What it Really Stands for (1911)

• How does Emma Goldman answer this question?

14
Anarchism, What it Really Stands for (1911)

• How does Emma Goldman answer this question?
• ANARCHISM--The philosophy of a new social order
  based on liberty unrestricted by man-made law
  the theory that all forms of government rest on
  violence, and are therefore wrong and harmful, as
  well as unnecessary.

15
Goldmans ideas about anarchism

• Two misconceptions
• 1. That anarchism is impractical, a beautiful
  utopian idea.
• That it is violent, destructive and dangerous - a
  black monster bent on swallowing everything.
• What does Goldman say to these critics?

16
Two misconceptions about anarchism

• 1. That it is impractical, merely a beautiful
  idea.
• Goldman says the current system is wrong,
  foolish, and impractical. In contrast, anarchism
  is interested in a vital new society that will
  eliminate wrong and foolish practices.
• What does she say to those who argue that human
  nature is too wicked and weak?

17
Two misconceptions about anarchism

• To those who argue that human nature is wicked
  and weak, she responds that corrupt society has
  distorted human nature by depriving people of
  liberty.
• She sees crime, disorder and laziness as arising
  out of the current corrupt system. People will
  work hard and be honest if their work is
  meaningful and joyful.

18
Two misconceptions about anarchism

• 2. That it is violent, destructive and dangerous
  - a black monster bent on swallowing
  everything.

19
Two misconceptions about anarchism

• That it is violent, destructive and dangerous.
• Anarchists claim that they are constructive, not
  destructive, because they want to build a society
  free of the chaotic and disfiguring features of
  current society.

20
Anarchism violence

• Violence is often associated with anarchism.
  Some anarchists do condone violence, but many
  reject it outright. Others accept it only if it
  is needed as a defensive measure against the
  violence of the state.

21
Rejecting representative democracy

• She says voting is only a game, that nothing
  comes out of it.
• Goldman is extremely critical of politics. Even
  if people with integrity went into public life,
  they would have no influence.
• She concludes, The political arena leaves one no
  alternative, one must either be a dunce or a
  rogue.

22
Oppressive institutions

• The state is one of the three primary oppressive
  institutions that she identifies. What are the
  other two, and why does she consider them
  oppressive?

23
Oppressive institutions

• The state is one of the three primary oppressive
  institutions that she identifies.
• Another one Religion. Because of the view that
  man is a mere speck of dust who owes complete
  surrender to superior powers on high.

24
Oppressive institutions

• The state is one of the three primary oppressive
  institutions that she identifies.
• Another one Private property. To her, this is
  the most oppressive. For the average person,
  private property has robbed him of his
  birthright, and has turned him loose a pauper and
  an outcast.

25
Note to those in the back

• Please be quiet.
• Thank you.

26
Goldmans view of the U.S.

• America is particularly boastful of her great
  power, her enormous wealth. Poor America, of
  what avail is all her wealth, if the individuals
  comprising the nation are wretchedly poor?

27
Goldmans view of Marxism

• She shared Marxs view that capitalism is
  oppressive exploitive, but she disagreed on
  these issues
• that economic relations define everything.
• That community needs are more important than the
  individual.
• In fact, she thinks that both individual and
  community are important.

28
Goldmans solution

• What can people do about their lack of liberty,
  about their oppression?

29
Goldmans solution

• Direct action Open defiance of and resistance
  to all laws and restrictions, economic, social
  and moral.
• Goldman argues that acting in an illegal manner
  here necessitates integrity, self-reliance and
  courage... for free independent spirits.

30
Goldmans solution

• Successes of direct action
• 1. Universal suffrage brought by American
  revolutionaries (for white men)
• 2. End of slavery for black Americans
• 3. Rise of trade unions.

31

• Goldman in 1917