Year: 2017

Bakunin Library

Max Nettlau, “New Bakunin Documents” (1924)

June 7, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur
NEW BAKUNIN DOCUMENTS. Materials for the Biography of M. Bakunin. From Documents in tho Archives of the late Third Department [of State Police] and the Ministry of the Navy. Edited and Annotated by Viatcheslav Polonski. T. I. Moscow, State Edition, 1923. xii, 439, 8vo. Two or three years ago much noise was made about the memorial written by Bakunin at the request of Tsar Nicholas I (1851). Before it was ever published, some persons—above all, an ex-Anarchist turned Communist, who had not even read its full text —proceeded to discredit and vilify Bakunin on the strength of this document, the […]
Anarchist Beginnings

Robert Harding, “What is Anarchism and Why are we Anarchists?” (1923)

June 7, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur
The Anarchist contention is that, though many of the evils existing in human society are grave and deplorable, those of them that result from the idea “ government “ and from the institution called by that name far outweigh in their disastrous effects on human happiness and prosperity all the others put together. Now, of course, this contention, like all contentions not open to fairly simple demonstration or verification, may be right or it may be wrong. But it is, at least, a clear, plain, unambiguous, and comprehensible contention. What, then, are the grounds on which it is bused? They […]
Bakunin Library

John Tamlyn, “Marx and Bakunin” (1920)

June 7, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur
MARX AND BAKUNIN. [The following letter was sent to the Call, but the Editor declined to publish it, on the ground that it “might possibly lead to confusion in the minds of people who are little acquainted with the work either of Marx or Bakunin.”] Dear Comrade,—If Marx was the revolutionary force that Comrade Lenin and other comrades would have us believe, and if his writings are still revolutionary, there are a few points upon which many of us would like more information. Many of us have now reached the point when we are ready to take help from any […]
Anarchist Beginnings

William C. Owen, “What is Anarchism?” (1920)

June 6, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur
We receive pleasure or suffer pain through our own individual organs, breathe with our own lungs, think with our own brains, and move about actively or are bed-ridden, according to the condition of our own muscles. From ourselves we never get away. We cannot. The basic law of our existence is that each of us is a kingdom in himself, and that beyond the limits of his individual kingdom none of us can stray. Each one of us strives, instinctively and unceasingly, to protect and develop his own kingdom, because failure to do so is punished remorselessly. If my body […]
Anarchist Beginnings

Henry Glasse, “Anarchism in a Nutshell” (1918)

June 6, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur
The State is a mutual assurance company comprising the ruling classes—landowners, capitalists, high officials, and clergy; government is the directorate or executive committee of this association, whose object is to secure to its members their domination over the mass of the people, and the exploitation of its necessities for their aggrandisement. Even supposing that the State could be reorganised according to the theories of Social Democracy (Parliamentary Socialism), the most that could result would be the substitution of majority rule for minority rule; the one is just as much tyranny as the other. For my part, with Byron, “I’d have […]
Proudhon Library

Theory of Property (Ms. 2846) page 134

May 26, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur
[ezcol_1half] IX. PROPRIÉTÉ.–Il faut la juger, non d’après son principe, mais d’après sa fin. Et cette fin, il faut le chercher, non dans l’Economie politique (production, travail); mais dans la POLITIQUE. Elle a pour fin, ou objet, 1° de tenir en échec le gouvernement, et de servir de forteresse et point d’appui à la liberté; 2° de soutenir l’égalité, mise en peril par l’inégalité naturelle, et par ce côté encore de maintenir l’équilibre dans le gouvernement. La propriété arrête l’effet de l’antagonisme économique, de la guerre industrielle [/ezcol_1half][ezcol_1half_end] IX. PROPERTY.–It must be judged, not according to its principle, but according […]
Proudhon Library

Ms. 2847 — Theory of Property

May 24, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur
[…] [36] Give an exact, firm analysis of all my critiques, Ist Memoir, 1840 2nd Memoir, 1841 3rd Memoir, 1842 Creation of Order, 1843 Economic Contradictions, 1845 Le Peuple, etc., etc., 1848-1852 Justice, liv. V., 1858 Taxation, 1860 Literary Property, 1862 Make this summary as interesting as possible par la hauteur de la question, the strength of the critique, the movement of my mind. Recall the refutations of Mms. Thiers, Troplong, Sudre, etc. Say and repeat that this critique is indestructible in itself, apart from a single hypothesis, (which I will make known soon) ; That, in fact, Property is inadmissible […]
French texts

Ms. 2847 — Théorie de la propriété

May 24, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur
[…] [36] Donner une analyse exacte et ferme de toutes mes critiques, Ier Mémoire, 1840 2e Mémoire, 1841 3e Mémoire, 1842 Création de l’ordre, 1843 Contradictions économiques, 1845 Le Peuple, etc., etc., 1848-1852 De la Justice, liv. V., 1858 De l’impôt, 1860 De la propriété littéraire, 1862 Rendre ce résumé aussi intéressant que possible par la hauteur de la question, la force de la critique, le mouvement de mon esprit. Rappeler les réfutations de Mms. Thiers, Troplong, Sudre, etc. Dire et répéter que cette critique est en elle-même indestructible hors une seule hypothèse, (que je ferai bientôt connaître.) ; Qu’en effet, […]
Proudhon Library

Theory of Property (Ms. 2847) page 36

May 24, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur
[ezcol_1half] [36] Donner une analyse exacte et ferme de toutes mes critiques, Ier Mémoire, 1840 2e Mémoire, 1841 3e Mémoire, 1842 Création de l’ordre, 1843 Contradictions économiques, 1845 Le Peuple, etc., etc., 1848-1852 De la Justice, liv. V., 1858 De l’impôt, 1860 De la propriété littéraire, 1862 Rendre ce résumé aussi intéressant que possible par la hauteur de la question, la force de la critique, le mouvement de mon esprit. Rappeler les réfutations de Mms. Thiers, Troplong, Sudre, etc. Dire et répéter que cette critique est en elle-même indestructible hors une seule hypothèse, (que je ferai bientôt connaître.) ; Qu’en effet, […]
French texts

Ms. 2605 — Essais d’une philosophie populaire. — No. 1.

May 23, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur
1) Ms. 2605 Essais d’une philosophie populaire.—No. 1. Programme. I.—De la nécessité de former en Europe une opinion internationale. Les chrétiens ont bien raison d’adorer la Providence : jamais en ce qui est de la direction humaine des chose, il ne se vit moins de conscience et moins d’entendement. A quoi sert-il que l’humanité ait vécu si les multitudes qui la compose et les chefs qui les mènent n’en savant pas plus le lendemain que le veille ; si le peu de raison qui les éclaire ne leur est donné que pour mieux égarer leur instinct ? L’expériences historique est immense, la philosophie […]