2008-06-14T02:10:00.000-07:00

Anarchism is a line of ethical theory formalized in the 1800s to address the corruption of the French and American Revolutions. It is often mistakenly referred to as a branch of political philosophy, although its only political proscription is, famously, the abolition of government.

Anarchism rejects all power as inherently evil, classically asserting that the pursuit of control is itself controlling. Freedom -- both social and psychological -- is seen as dependent on empathy and the dissolution of social psychoses. Historically anarchism emerged as a particularly rigorous branch of utilitarianism where choice replaced pleasure as the moral good. As a result, ends and means are deeply interconnected in anarchist theory, but rarely one-to-one.

Anarchy

An-archia is Greek for "without rulership." Thus anarchy per se refers to the absence of coercive acts on the part of both tyrant and common thug; while more broadly has been taken as anything acting creatively outside of determinism (for example, early Christians used it as a synonym for God).

In English the word has acquired popular connotations of violent struggle, reflecting the influence of thinkers like Hobbes who could not comprehend an absence of power structures and thus misused it to refer to fractured power structures.

Strictly speaking an anarchy is a fluidic rather than chaotic society. While structure is not valued as an end unto itself, forms of ad hoc association and organization are usually an integral element to anarchies. Modern Anthropology treats anarchy extensively, examining the inner workings of anarchies both primitive (the Bororo, the Ema...) and modern (Linux, Alcoholics Annonymous...).

Social Movements

Anarchism has inspired several loosely related social movements.

Mutualist Anarchism: A movement of tradesmen, farmers and small businessmen in France and North America in the early 1800s to develop and enact alternatives to industrial corporatism. Responsible for the invention of Credit Unions although they were promptly outlawed and largely remain so.

Communist Anarchism: A vast movement of industrial workers that arose in rivalry with Marx's Communism. Numbered in the millions for many decades. Won the acceptance of the 8-hour workday. Assassinated kings, czars and presidents. Abolished the government, created and defended nation-sized free societies in Korea, Ukraine and Spain. (Each eventually re-conquered by the Fascists and Soviets.) Effectively destroyed by 1940 with the death of Emma Goldman, the loss of the Spanish Civil War and the triumph of Hitler.

Individualist Anarchism: A wide association of predominantly middle-class Americans in the late 1800s that evolved out of the Mutualist, Abolitionist and Free Thought movements. Overthrew censorship laws. Radicalized liberalism and free market economics. In constant dialogue and occasional overlap with the Communist Anarchists.

Social Anarchism: The popular resurrection of Communist Anarchism in the mid 60s, merged with broader social concerns and a deeper critique of interpersonal hierarchy. Defined by two early waves; left-wing "activist" culture in the 60s and punk culture in the 70s. At the core of most contemporary left-wing struggles in Europe, the Americas and East Asia. Mostly creating alternative infrastructures to organize and supply basic needs. Focused on community and collective engagement.

Market Anarchism: The partial recomposition of Individualist Anarchism from radical free-market liberalism. Popularized in the 70s in Britain and North America under the broader banner of "Libertarianism." Intense support from academia and geek culture.

Anarchist Primitivism: The result of a Red/Green schism in Social Anarchism. Focused on ecology, localism, immediate struggles and long-term pragmatism. Expansive in its critique of power to include technology and many premises of city life. Responsible for pretty much all Eco-Sabotague and Animal Rights struggles. Also mostly in Britain and North America.

Note: After years in entirely different circles the Market and Social Anarchists have only recently begun to encounter one another on a consistent basis -- through the internet. This led to vicious hostilities at first (one side leveraging their larger numbers, the other their more intricate theory) that lasted nearly a decade and are only now being overcome by substantive dialogue.

Schools of Thought

There are five broad tendencies in modern anarchist theory, with proponents noticeably clumping in focus. These intellectual trends partially reflect the divisions between the various political movements and cultural traditions, but extend beyond them.

Social: Concerned with existing economics, large-scale systems of oppression and methods of collective struggle.

Market: Explores underlying economic principles, alternative models and diffuse effects of government coercion upon society.

Primitive: Critiques broader historical, cultural and infrastructural aspects of imperialism, and advocates the mimicry of successful low-tech anarchies.

Techno: Applies math and technology -- particularly information technologies -- to eradicate public secrecy and spread self-sufficiency.

Relational: Focused entirely on overcoming the informal, interpersonal and psychological roots of power relations.

Primers on Anarchism

"Towards Anarchy"

"No Masters"