Featured articles
Félix P….., “Philosophy of Insubmission” (1854)
At any given point in my research, there are always a few texts that top the list of things I would love to read, but am unlikely to get my hands on. Some are of […]
Working Translations
Anarchist Beginnings
“What Anarchy Is” (Le Monde Libertaire, 1967)
Anarchists, precisely because of the positive spirit that makes them reject the moral authority of all clergy, the economic authority of all forms of capitalism, the political authority of all states, are the most resolute supporters and defenders of the construction of a society with full responsibility for everyone, a society based on the constant relationship between producers and consumers, at the level that concerns them, and any centralization can only have a coordinating character. […]
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Guy Antoine and Ch.-Aug. Bontemps, “What is Situationism?” (1966)
Nine years ago, a movement was born, similar in many respects to the libertarian movement and very distant in others. Why isn’t it being discussed? It seems to be linked, on the one hand, to the highly developed theoretical aspect of the Situationist International’s texts and, on the other, to Situationist concerns, which seem to interest only a small minority. What are the causes? Among them, one of the most important is undoubtedly that professional revolutionaries from Lenin to Bakunin always separated political-economic action from action in culture. In their view, it was first necessary to change the material basis of life and only address the rest (the problem of art and lifestyle) in a second phase, without realizing that they were thus leaving “culture” in the hands of the bourgeoisie. […]
Featured articles
A René Fugler miscellany
Back in 2020, I shared a translation of René Fugler’s pamphlet “The Anarchist Question,” as part of the Constructing Anarchisms project. At the time, I made a start at translating “The Forms and Tendencies of Anarchism,” another of his pamphlets, but never found the time to finish the work. This week, I found the time to complete that translation and to supplement it with a odd assortment of other texts by Fugler under his various pseudonyms — René Furth, René Forain, etc. […]
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Ixigrec (Robert Collino), “Individualism: Crucible of Future Worlds” (1967)
Raised outside constraints and distorting systems, giving free rein to their adventurous genius, to their creative spirit, to this explosive force which propels man ever further towards the conquest of life and duration, the strong individualities which we will have been able to favor by our efforts will perhaps justify, — for our sense of causalities and responsibilities — the appearance of intelligence, conscience and goodness in a universe which we know to be without purpose and without gods. […]
Working Translations
E. Armand, “Epistle to MM. the Intellectuals” (1919)
That we have learned much from this small number of men whom we call Intellectuals because — belonging to the so-called liberal classes — they have made that which relates to the things of Intelligence the great, the principal, the essential business of their life; that we have learned much from them, this is something we cannot deny without missing the most elementary of established facts. And not only have they taught us much, but, whatever the branch of human knowledge to which they were devoted, their example — their example above all — has contributed not a little to forming us. The history of their existence, at once fertile and eventful, has awakened, aroused, created in us the desire to resemble them. […]
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E. Armand, “Faire quelque chose… mais quoi?” / “Do something… but what?” (1911)
The anarchist is neither a scholar, nor a therapist, nor a geometer, nor a worker. He is a being who “wants to live,” but to live as a misfit, as an insubordinate, as an undisciplined person, as a rebel, as an original. […]
encyclopedia entries
Anarchist Encyclopedia: Irregular
Entries from the Anarchist Encyclopedia IRREGULIER adj. et nom m. Qui ne répond pas aux traits fixés par certaines règles, qui s’écarte de la symétrie, du type convenu, brise la ligne uniformiste : mouvements, marche, physionomie, […]
Featured articles
E. Armand on Anarchist Individualism
Links: Encounters with Anarchist Individualism (begins January 1, 2025) E. Armand (project page) What is an Anarchist? (translation in progress) Rambles in the Fields of Anarchist Individualism In preparation for a new project — essentially […]
Featured articles
E. Armand, “Noel! Noel! Noel!” (1900-1935)
The anarchist Christmas story is, perhaps, a somewhat unexpected genre, although the opportunities for propaganda are not hard to see. Certainly, it has made sense for anarchist newspapers to mark the holiday season in their own particular way. The result has been tales with names like “Jesus and Bonnot” (linked at the end of this post) — and, come to think of it, perhaps the real surprise is that there doesn’t seem to be a Ravachol Christmas story out there… […]