Anarchist Beginnings
Lucy Parsons, “I Am an Anarchist” (1913)
I am an anarchist. I suppose you came here, the most of you, to see what a real, live anarchist looked like. I suppose some of you expected to see me with a bomb in […]
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Anarchist Beginnings
Victor Yarros, “Anarchism: What it Is and What it Is Not” (1893)
IT was an observation of John Stuart Mill’s that to know a thing it is necessary to realize, not only what it is, but also what it is not. Applying this definition or test to […]
Anarchist Beginnings
London Anarchist Communist Alliance, “An Anarchist Manifesto” (1895)
FELLOW WORKERS, WE come before you as Anarchist Communists to explain our principles. We are aware that the minds of many of you have been poisoned by the lies which all parties have diligently spread […]
Anarchist Beginnings
Joseph Labadie, “The Aims of Anarchism” (1920)
Let me tell you briefly what Anarchism aims to do: It claims that freedom, liberty, is the greatest factor in bringing material comfort and happiness to the people, and so Anarchism would reduce gradually, even […]
Anarchist Beginnings
Voltairine de Cleyre, “Anarchism” (1901)
THERE are two spirits abroad in the world,—the spirit of Caution, the spirit of Dare, the spirit of Quiescence, the spirit of Unrest; the spirit of Immobility, the spirit of Change; the spirit of Hold-fast-to-that-which-you-have, […]
Anarchist Beginnings
Harry Kelly, “Anarchism—A Plea for the Impersonal” (1908)
THE student of Anarchism must often ask himself why, in this most Anarchistic of all countries, the Anarchist movement has made, and is making, such slow progress. That Anarchism concerns itself with the individual, and […]
Anarchist Beginnings
Emma Goldman & John Most, “Anarchy Defended by Anarchists” (1896)
To most Americans Anarchy is an evil-sounding word — another name for wickedness, perversity, and chaos. Anarchists are looked upon as a herd of uncombed, unwashed, and vile ruffians, bent on killing the rich and […]
Anarchist Beginnings
César de Paepe, “Anarchy” (1863)
The two texts that follow are both translations of an excerpt from the speech published as “Discours du citoyen César de Paepe prononcé á Patignies (Namur) en 1863” in 1898. The first, an edited translation, […]
Anarchist Beginnings
Emma Goldman, “A Beautiful Ideal” (1908)
— A — Beautiful Ideal BY EMMA GOLDMAN The lecture which Emma Goldman was to have read before the Edelstadt Social, March 17th, 1908, at Workingmens’ Hall, 12th & Waller Streets, Chicago. But was prevented […]
A Good Word
Gaston Leval, “Libertarian Socialist! Why? (1956)
In the past, I’ve discussed the “libertarian socialist” current that broke away from language and organizational commitments of the anarchist movement and summarized some of their arguments, but I thought it would be useful to […]