Types of Anarchism Flashcards
in what ways do anarchists agree?
areas in which anarchists agree include…
- human nature is socially determined and shaped by social institutions but at its core, it has the potential to grow and develop
- strong emphasis on the need for freedom and liberty, especially economic freedom
- Believe that decisions should be made directly by the people in the form of self government
- desire to create a new society — A form of decentralised Federation of autonomous districts based on the voluntary cooperation of free and equal individuals
- rejection of the state, government, government power and hierarchical authority
- critique of the existing order in society
- The need for some kind of rebellion or resistance
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: what does collectivist anarchism argue for? what is it closely associated with?
collectivist anarchism argues for a stateless society where common ownership will nurture the rational, altruistic and cooperative elements of human nature
has roots in socialism — pushes socialist collectivism to its furthest limits
closely associated with Bakunin
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: what do collectivist anarchists believe about human nature?
believes that at its core, human nature is altruistic, sociable and cooperative
but human nature is socially determined, meaning that the state’s tendency to limit freedom, perpetuate inequality and endorse private property has created greed, envy and disharmony in human beings
it also believes in natural relationships between people — Mutual aid, social solidarity and harmony
this can all flourish under the right social institutions
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: what does collectivist anarchism involve in terms of the state and society?
collectivist anarchism involves dismantling the state and abolishing private property
land and the means of production will be held in common ownership, but the individual owns the product of their own labour
Society would be organised into voluntary collectives of producers and consumers who would organise the production and distribution of goods
The principle of “from each according to their ability and to each according to their work done” would apply
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: what are the two main ways in which collectivist anarchists and individualist anarchists disagree?
collectivists and individualist anarchists disagree in two main ways…
1) collectivists believed that social problems cannot be solved by the individual or the invisible hand of the market, they must be solved collectively
2) they agree that an evolutionary process of education and building new institutions is vital to change but collectivists also believe revolution is needed to destroy authority, particularly private property
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: collectivist anarchism may have roots in socialism but in what ways does it disagree with Marxism?
collectivist anarchism has roots in socialism in that it pushes socialist collectivism to its furthest limits
although anarchists disagree with the Marxist view that calls for the socialist state to protect the gains of the revolution until the state withers away
for anarchists, the socialist state is still a state and will still be immoral and unjust, commanding and controlling human nature
The state, in any form, is unjustifiable
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: what are the three sub-strands of collectivist anarchism?
there are three sub strands of collectivist anarchism…
- anarcho-communism
- mutualism
- anarcho-syndicalism
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: what do anarcho-communists believe about the best way to realise liberty?
according to anarcho-communism, communism is the best way to realise liberty, economic freedom and natural order
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: who is anarcho-communism most closely associated with?
anarcho-communism is most closely associated with Kropotkin and his positive view of the human capacity for cooperation, which he expressed in his theory of mutual aid
he said that nature was not “red in tooth and claw”, in fact those that cooperate will win the struggle for survival
so as humans have been successful in the struggle, they must have a natural capacity for cooperation
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: what does anarcho-communism argue about private property?
anarcho-communism views all forms of private property as theft
land, the means of production and the product of the individual’s labour should be held in common ownership
this links to the Marxist principle of “from each according to their ability, to each according to their need”
common ownership provides the best basis for nurturing the human capacity for mutual aid and altruism
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: what did Kropotkin, an anarcho-communist, argue about how society should be structured?
Kropotkin emphasised the commune made up of the entire local population
these communes would be small-scale, allowing for direct democracy, and all wealth would be held in common rather than by individuals
Direct democracy is a form of self government where citizens make law and policy decisions themselves rather than through elected representatives
individuals would be part of these communes based on voluntary agreements and communes would be connected in voluntary federations that would work on all levels from local to international
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: what is mutualism?
mutualism is a bridge between collectivism and individualism
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: where did mutualism emerge from?
mutualism emerged from Proudhon’s critique of property
”property is theft” — a criticism of large property owners who exploit the masses by charging high rents and interest and paying them low wages that do not reflect their hard work
this has become the centre of politics in the wake of the global economic crash of 2008, with the slogan “we are the 99%” and the Occupy Wall Street movement emerging
the Occupy movement has anarchist roots with David Graeber, an anarchist activist closely associated and involved in its early stages
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: aside from criticising property, what else did Proudhon criticise?
Proudhon was not only critical of property, he was also critical of the way in which collectivism valued the collective over the individual
he saw this as a form of oppression and servitude
he disagreed with the idea of collective/common ownership and supported the right to possession, which includes the right to use the land, tools and skills necessary to ensure that the individual is economically independent
possession is his alternative to both collectivism and private property and the basis for his theory of mutualism
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: what is the economic organisation of mutualism?
The economic organisation of mutualism is based on individuals and small associations with the right to possession and the right to keep the full fruits of their labour
they could then exchange their produce based on a system of labour notes in order to make sure everyone had access to the necessities of life
Labour notes would record the working time that went into the making of each product
there would also be a People’s Bank that would provide credit to the associations and would not work for profit in any way
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: according to mutualists, how would society be politically organised?
on a political level, individuals and associations would be drawn together in a vast Federation, with councils coordinating at local and international levels
The councils would consist of delegates from the associations who would be subject to instant recall
The whole system would be organised from the bottom up, with no central authority, and would be based on voluntary agreements rather than coercion and violence like the current state
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: what does anarcho-syndicalism build on?
anarcho-syndicalism builds on Bakunin’s view of collectivism and his strategy of ‘propaganda by the deed’
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: how do syndicalists view the trade union movement?
anarcho-syndicalism views the trade union movement as the revolutionary agent of change
trade unions will continue to campaign for improved conditions and pay for workers, all while educating them
trade unions can then build economic institutions that are horizontal rather than hierarchical and provide self management in the economy
these new institutions will be built within the existing state and will prepare the way for the mass strike to trigger a social revolution
after the revolution, these institutions will provide the basis for a future stable, stateless and peaceful society
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: what is syndicalism?
anarcho-syndicalism involves revolutionary trade unionism that uses direct action and the mass strike as an expression of working-class power to inspire popular revolt
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: The Confederación Nacional del Trabajo (CNT)
when did the highpoint of syndicalism begin?
CASE STUDY: The Confederación Nacional del Trabajo (CNT)
The highpoint of anarcho-syndicalism came in the Catalonia region of Spain from 1911 to the late 1930s
the CNT was formed in 1911 as a non-hierarchal, horizontal federation of many syndicates or unions
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: The Confederación Nacional del Trabajo (CNT)
how did the CNT put its ideas into practice?
during the Spanish workers’ revolution of 1936, the CNT put its ideas into practice…
- free collectives organised and administered factories, mills, docks, transport, shops and utilities without managers or the state
- peasant collectives took control of the land owned by the church and landlords
- a committee was elected to run each collective and work was distributed among small groups, with delegates from each collective coming together to coordinate
- economic equality was created on the principle of ”to each according to their need, from each according to their ability”
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: The Confederación Nacional del Trabajo (CNT)
how did George Orwell describe anarchist Spain?
George Orwell described anarchist Spain in his book Homage to Catalonia
he described his time in Catalonia as like emerging into “an era of equality and freedom” where “human beings were trying to behave as human beings and not as cogs in the capitalist machine”
COLLECTIVIST ANARCHISM: The Confederación Nacional del Trabajo (CNT)
when did the revolution come to an end?
The revolution was finally crushed by the Nationalists under General Franco, leading to the establishment of his dictatorship
INDIVIDUALIST ANARCHISM: what is the relationship between individualist anarchism and classical liberalism?
individualist anarchism pushes classical liberalism to the extremes, seeing society as a collection of separate individuals whose autonomy must not be restricted in any way
The state, with its coercive powers of taxation, conscription and law, is totally incompatible with such autonomy
although, individualist anarchism rejects the need for a night watchman state to protect freedom
INDIVIDUALIST ANARCHISM: what does individualist anarchism believe can happen as long as there is no restriction on the individual?
provided there is no restriction of individuals, their rational nature will allow them to work together through voluntary association, resolving all disputes by reason rather than violence
this will be the basis of natural order and a peaceful society
INDIVIDUALIST ANARCHISM: what are the two main areas in which collectivists and individualists disagree? what is the first area?
collectivists and individualists disagree in two main areas…
1) fear that individuality/autonomy will become subject to the collective
individualists fear that people will be forced to join a community and lose their freedom
in particular, the abolition of private property will leave the collective with power over the individual, leading individualists to accept the ideas of Proudhon’s possession rights and free competition in their economic model
INDIVIDUALIST ANARCHISM: what is the second area in which collectivists and individualists disagree?
2) tension over strategies for overthrowing the state
individualists argue for education, the use of non-violent forms of social protest and the creation of alternative institutions like workers’ cooperatives and a People’s Bank
these new organisations will be built within the existing state and will replace the state in an evolutionary process
individualists oppose the revolutionary strategy of overthrowing the state as it involves forcibly taking property, which is authoritarian act that violates autonomy and individuality
INDIVIDUALIST ANARCHISM: what are the two sub strands of individualist anarchism?
there are two sub strands of individualist anarchism…
- anarcho-capitalism
- egoism
INDIVIDUALIST ANARCHISM: why does anarcho-capitalism seek to dismantle the government?
anarcho-capitalism seeks to dismantle the government, which they believe is exploitative through its use of taxation, which violates the private property of the individual
The state also intervenes in the market, creating public and private monopolies that restrict freedom
INDIVIDUALIST ANARCHISM: what does anarcho-capitalism believe about contracts and how they should be entered?
anarcho-capitalism believes that all contracts should be entered into freely and only regulated by the market
The individual should not be forced to pay tax and have to use public services
all services currently provided by governments, including policy, courts and roads, would be handed over to the free market
INDIVIDUALIST ANARCHISM: what does anarcho-capitalism believe about competition?
anarcho-capitalism believes that competition gives consumers choices, forcing the suppliers to be efficient, cost-effective and more likely to reflect the consumers’ needs
INDIVIDUALIST ANARCHISM: anarcho-capitalists and the invisible hand of the market
anarcho-capitalism believes in the invisible hand of the free market and private property, therefore they endorse the profit motive and the wage system
INDIVIDUALIST ANARCHISM: why do many people argue that anarcho-capitalism is not a form of anarchism?
many argue that anarcho-capitalism is not a form of anarchism at all because it does not include equality as it advocates capitalism
under anarcho-capitalism, only the rich and powerful would be truly free
they will be free to protect their own privileges through private protection bodies and resolve disputes through private courts
these private bodies will only serve those that pay the most, meaning not everyone is truly free
INDIVIDUALIST ANARCHISM: what is egoism?
egoism is arguably the most challenging and radical version of individualist anarchism
INDIVIDUALIST ANARCHISM: what does egoism argue about the individual?
egoism argues that individuals are entirely self interested, their only concern is the ‘ego’
The individual is the most important — they should be free to act in any way they choose and there should be no restriction on autonomy or individuality
INDIVIDUALIST ANARCHISM: why do egoists believe that the state should be abolished?
egoism believes that the state must be abolished because it is a tyranny that limits, controls and subordinates the individual to its general will, thus preventing the individual from acting freely
egoism also argues that the individual must reject society as well as religion, sexual morality and the moral values imposed by those around them
INDIVIDUALIST ANARCHISM: who is egoism closely associated with?
egoism is closely associated with Max Stirner, who rejected capitalism and believed that anyone who works for another is exploited and alienated
work should be purposeful and useful to the individual and they should retain the full fruits of their labour while rejecting the right to private property
INDIVIDUALIST ANARCHISM: what do egoists argue about society?
egoism argues that individuals will come together through voluntary agreements which would not involve any giving away of individual liberty
individuals are rational and serve their own interests so will make agreements to benefit themselves as it will fulfil their own ego
this will be the basis for a union that is peaceful and stable
