Anarchism

Question 0

Millenarianism

Answer 0

Belief in a 1000 year period of divine rule; politically millenarianism offers the prospect of a sudden and complete emancipation from misery and oppression

Question 1

Syndicalism

Answer 1

A form of revolutionary trade unionism that is based on a crude notion of class war and emphasises the use of direct action and the general strike

Question 2

Communism

Answer 2

The principle of the common ownership of wealth; communism is often used more broadly to refer to movements or regimes that are based on Marxist principles

Question 3

Mutualism

Answer 3

A system of fair and equitable exchange, in which individuals or groups bargain with one another, trading goods and services without profiteering or explication

Question 4

Political myth

Answer 4

A belief that has the capacity to provoke political action by virtue of its emotional power rather than through an appeal to reason

Question 5

Direct action

Answer 5

Political action taken outside the constitutional and legal framework; direct action may range from passive resistance to terrorism

Question 6

Direct democracy

Answer 6

Popular self-government, characterised by the direct and continuous participation of citizens in the tasks of government

Question 7

Nihilism

Answer 7

Literally a belief in nothing; the rejection of all moral and political principles

Question 8

Libertarianism

Answer 8

A belief that the individual should enjoy the widest possible realm of freedom; libertarianism implies the removal of both external and internal constraints upon the individual

Question 9

Terrorism

Answer 9

The use of violence to induce a climate of fear or terror in order to further political ends; a clear prejorative and usually subjective term

Question 10

New politics

Answer 10

A style of politics that distrusts representative mechanism and bureaucratic processes in favour of strategies of popular mobilisation and direct action

Question 11

Pacifism

Answer 11

A commitment to peace and a rejection of war or violence in any circumstances (‘pacific’ derives from the Latin and means ‘peace-making’)

Question 12

Consumerism

Answer 12

A psychic and social phenomenon whereby personal happiness is equated with the consumption of material possession

Question 13

Autonomy

Answer 13

The autonomous rational individual is central to all anarchist thought. Without complete individual autonomy society will inevitably descends into authoritarian repression. Nothing can be accepted that will act as restraint on an individual’s absolute right to behave as they see fit.

Question 14

Utopianism

Answer 14

The belief that it is possible to create an ideal society. Although in general usage of the words utopia is used to imply a hopelessly naive and impractical view of the world, all anarchists enthusiastically except the designation

Question 15

Revolutionary violence

Answer 15

Anarchists are divided on this. Many are pacifists, while others support violence as a reaction to state and the class of violence against popular mass action. A small minority advocate the propaganda of the deed – sensational acts of violence against individuals or institutions which would represent impressive state. These acts are intended to promote the mass of the population into resistance against the state. The success rate is extremely low.

Question 16

Egoisms

Answer 16

The most extreme form of individualism. It promotes the conscious self-interest of the individual over all else. It is not only morally justifiable to ignore the effects of your actions on others, but for Aun Rand it is morally necessary to do so.