Benjamin R. Tucker Archives - Page 2 of 5 - The Libertarian Labyrinth

Benjamin R. Tucker, “A Note from Colonel Greene” (1876)

January 20, 2018 Shawn P. Wilbur

[one_third padding=”0 10px 0 0px”] Debates in The Index: [/one_third][two_third_last padding=”0 0px 0 10px”] A NOTE FROM COLONEL GREENE. Princeton, Mass., Aug. 30, 1876. Editor of The Index:— Inasmuch as the writer of the following letter has been quoted by both Mr. Andrews and myself in our discussion of Proudhon, I send the letter to you, that your readers may know Col. Greene’s opinion upon the matter at issue. After reading my article in The Index of July 13, he wrote me, expressing his thorough approval of my treatment of Mr. Andrews. Upon the appearance of Mr. Andrews’ reply, I […]

Stephen Pearl Andrews, “‘Proudhon and His Translator’ Again” (1876)

January 20, 2018 Shawn P. Wilbur

[one_third padding=”0 10px 0 0px”] Debates in The Index: [/one_third][two_third_last padding=”0 0px 0 10px”] [For The Index.] “PROUDHON AND HIS TRANSLATOR” AGAIN. BY STEPHEN PEARL ANDREWS. In THE INDEX of July 13, 1876, Mr. Ben;. R. Tucker criticizes my criticism of Proudhon, published in a previous issue of THE INDEX (June 22). Permit me to use a small portion of space for a reply. For the most part the tone of Mr. Tucker’s article is elevated and courteous his appreciation of what he approves in mine ample and generous, and his discriminations in behalf of Proudhon full of a devotedness […]

Benjamin R. Tucker, “Proudhon and His Critic” (1876)

January 20, 2018 Shawn P. Wilbur

[one_third padding=”0 10px 0 0px”] Debates in The Index: [/one_third][two_third_last padding=”0 0px 0 10px”] [For The Index.] PROUDHON AND HIS CRITIC. BY BENJ. R. TUCKER. The student of Proudhon must have laid down The Index of June 22d, containing Stephen Pearl Andrews’ article on “Proudhon and his Translator,” with a feeling of pleasure not unmixed with pain; pleasure at meeting at last with an elaborate and scholarly criticism of this author and his work, dealing in argument rather than ridicule; and pain at finding this same criticism so alloyed with error and careless misstatement as to greatly detract from its […]

Benjamin R. Tucker’s “Liberty” (1881-1908)

December 9, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

Benjamin R. Tucker’s Liberty was the most prominent periodical of individualist anarchism in the years 1881-1908, and probably of any period. And before July 22, 2007, you couldn’t access the full run — 403 issues, plus 8 issues of the German-language Libertas — anywhere on line. But John Zube had captured the whole lot on microfiche and I got it into my head that it was important to make the issues available, so I spent many, many hours at an old microform scanner, working my way through all 3610(?) pages. These days, there are other sources for Liberty, some of […]

“Socialism and the Lexicographers” (1892)

October 10, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

Socialism and the Lexicographers. Liberty is informed that the Collectivists expect to prove their claim to a monopoly of the name Socialism by reference to the Century Dictionary as an indisputable authority. They will find that the Anarchistic Socialists are not to be stripped of one-half of their title by the mere dictum of the last lexicographer. If the dictionary-makers were in substantial agreement in making Socialism exclusive of Anarchism, the demand that Anarchists should cease to call themselves Socialists might be made with some grace. But that there is no approach to unanimity among them on this point will […]

George Schumm, “Benj. R. Tucker—A Brief Sketch Of His Life And Work” (1893)

August 8, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

BENJ. R. TUCKER—A BRIEF SKETCH OF HIS LIFE AND WORK. ‘ By GEORGE SCHUMM. BENJ. R. TUCKER, whose portrait is the frontispiece of this issue of the Magazine, was born in South Dartmouth, near New Bedford, in Massachusetts, April I7, 1854. His parents were in comfortable circumstances, and belonged to the enlightened portion of the community. In politics, his father was a Jeffersonian Democrat; in religion, both his father and his mother were radical Unitarians and as such members of W. J. Potter’s church. Mr. Tucker’s maternal grandfather was a great admirer of Thomas Paine. Thus it will be seen […]

Voltairine de Cleyre and Benjamin R. Tucker, “Some Questions and Criticisms” (1890)

July 25, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

Some Questions and Criticisms. To the Editor of Liberty: What is a nuisance? A nuisance. What is an encyclopædia? An encyclopædia. Will the Encyclopædia please inform the Nuisance by what peculiar system of contradictions he viciously prods believers in “duty,” yet labels the very column whence said prods proceed, “On Picket Duty”? (1) I like your definition of socialism. I have but one objection,-too scholarly. Can’t you simplify it as to language? When I quote Spencer, Andrews, Tucker, Lum, or Walker, and lastly, not leastly, Yarros, I am frequently called upon to translate it. Intensely “average,” of the common common, […]

Voltairine de Cleyre and Benjamin R. Tucker, “Some Questions and Criticisms” (1890)

July 25, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

Some Questions and Criticisms. To the Editor of Liberty: What is a nuisance? A nuisance. What is an encyclopædia? An encyclopædia. Will the Encyclopædia please inform the Nuisance by what peculiar system of contradictions he viciously prods believers in “duty,” yet labels the very column whence said prods proceed, “On Picket Duty”? (1) I like your definition of socialism. I have but one objection,-too scholarly. Can’t you simplify it as to language? When I quote Spencer, Andrews, Tucker, Lum, or Walker, and lastly, not leastly, Yarros, I am frequently called upon to translate it. Intensely “average,” of the common common, […]

Benjamin R. Tucker, “Why I Am an Anarchist” (1890)

August 29, 2016 Shawn P. Wilbur

Why am I an Anarchist? That is the question which the editor of the Twentieth Century has requested me to answer for his readers. I comply; but, to be frank, I find it a difficult task. If the editor or one of his contributors had only suggested a reason why I should be anything other than an Anarchist, I am sure I should have no difficulty in disputing the argument. And does not this very fact, after all, furnish in itself the best of all reasons why I should be an Anarchist – namely, the impossibility of discovering any good […]

Transcribing Liberty

March 5, 2012 Shawn P. Wilbur

There is a new initiative to systematically transcribe the contents of Benjamin R. Tucker’s Liberty, a project near and dear to my heart, but one I’ve never found enough support for to pursue seriously and consistently. Put Transcribing Liberty in your blogroll and show some love for this sort of difficult, and all too frequently thankless, sort of work.