Josiah Warren Archives - The Libertarian Labyrinth

Josiah Warren, “On Education and Re-Education” (1865)

March 4, 2020 Shawn P. Wilbur

The grand secret of Education is to make the learner feel an interest in the thing to be learned. The founders of the prevailing systems not knowing any other way of interesting children in their studies, have sought to create an interest by the hope of factitious rewards and the fear of punishments; the one intending to stimulate a blind self-conceit, and the other destroying all self-respect, both of which may be equally fatal in after life.

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George Warren, “Songs sung at the celebration of Paine’s birth day, in New Harmony Jan. 19, 1839”

November 2, 2019 Shawn P. Wilbur

Related Links: A Documentary History of the Movement for Equitable Commerce Digitized at Library of Commerce SONGS, sung at the celebration of Paine’s birth day, in New Harmony Jan. 19, 1839. THERE’S NOTHING LIKE TRUTH. ‘Mid fables and fallacies, baubles of youth Be it ever so simple there’s nothing like truth: A charm from the scene seems to hallow the mind, Which seeks through all nature its beauties to find. Truth, truth, simple truth, There’s nothing like truth—there’s nothing like truth A stranger to truth, fancies puzzle the brain, O give me contentment with nature again; The sure life’s enjoyments, […]

Josiah Warren, “Response to the Call of the National Labor Union” (1871)

September 20, 2019 Shawn P. Wilbur

This is a very small and very simply thing to the eye; but, considered as a new element in human affairs, no mind can measure its magnitude.

We are on the same road will all the old countries.—The French have arrived at the precipice a little before us; but this is all the difference between us, unless we strike out a new path, and introduce New Financial Elements:— ☞ We have no time to lose!!

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A Counsellor (Josiah Warren), “Modern Government and its True Mission” (1862)

April 4, 2019 Shawn P. Wilbur

The “United States” are no longer united —“The union” is broken — The great “American experiment” is checked and we have silently drifted under military despotism! and, instead of being a “self governing” people, every one’s person and property are at the mercy or discretion of five or six military commanders—no two of whom can reasonably be expected to have the same settled policy or any policy founded on any principle or generally understood and accepted basis; and “security of person and property” (the professed object of all governments) is annihilated, and confusion and violence already reign supreme in the land proclaimed to be the lead of the political world!

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Josiah Warren, “Social Experiment” (1831)

August 11, 2018 Shawn P. Wilbur

[two_third padding=”0 10px 0 0px”] SOCIAL EXPERIMENT. I have never inserted a Communication in this paper, which I believe will be perused with more interest by many of its readers, than the following. As the facts came under our friend’s observation, not mine, I shall add no opinion or deductions of my own, for each reader can make these for himself. I content myself with saying; that our friends may implicitly depend on the accuracy of Josiah Warren’s information; for he is a strictly attentive observer and an honest man. I need not tell him, that his letters will always […]

Josiah Warren’s 1821 lamp patent

August 10, 2018 Shawn P. Wilbur

Josiah Warren, of Cincinnati, is the patentee of a lamp on a new plan, which is said, to a single family, will produce an annual saving of 20 dollars. Its light is clear and pleasant, and the volume of flame equal to that of two common candles. ⁂ “Weekly Summary,” The Plough Boy, and Journal of the Board of Agriculture 2 no. 52 (May 26, 1821): 415. Warren, Josiah on February 20, 1821 #X003303 improvement in lamps for burning fat Cincinnati, OH (These patents were apparently destroyed in a fire at the U.S. Patent office in 1836, so images […]

William Bailie, “Josiah Warren: The First American Anarchist” (1906)

August 9, 2018 Shawn P. Wilbur

[two_third padding=”0 10px 0 0px”] JOSIAH WARREN The First American Anarchist A Sociological Study by WILLIAM BAILIE Boston Small, Maynard & Company 1906 ***** PREFACE The reader may, in confidence, be told that no biography of Josiah Warren has hitherto been written. When the present writer set himself the task, a quarter of a century had elapsed since Warren’s death. Most of the people who had known him personally had also paid the final debt of Nature. Of those remaining, most had known him only in his latter years. It became necessary, therefore, to conduct an independent investigation in order […]

Equitable Commerce in 1830

August 7, 2018 Shawn P. Wilbur

[two_third padding=”0 10px 0 0″] COMMUNICATIONS. PRINTING IN PRIVATE FAMILIES. (I have received the following from my friend, Mr. Warren, for insertion in the Free Enquirer. The sheet from which it is copied, and which affords a specimen of the results obtained, is very tolerably printed, and seems go confirm the anticipation of the writer.) REDUCTION IN THE COST OF PRINTING APPARATUS. It is well known, by those who have considered the subject, that printing is a power that governs the destinies of mankind: and therefore, those who can control the Printing Press can control their fellow creatures. While men […]

Equitable Commerce in 1828

August 2, 2018 Shawn P. Wilbur

[two_third padding=”0 10px 0 0px”] TO THE PUBLIC. Cincinnati, April 20, 1828. Dear S— The perusal of your letter which I received about three weeks since, gave me great satisfaction. It affords me pleasure to find that you still feel such interest in the subject to which I am devoted. You inquire what progress has been made since you left here; to this I could reply more than the limits of a letter will permit, but I will endeavour to enable you to form some idea. I think you left before the cold weather commenced, and therefore have not witnessed […]

A Documentary History of the Movement for Equitable Commerce

August 1, 2018 Shawn P. Wilbur

Equitable Commerce was the name given to Josiah Warren’s social system, which combined the principles of individual autonomy and “cost the limit of price.” Warren’s approach attracted a fairly substantial following at various times and was influential among anarchists. The works collected here are either writings by Warren and his associates, elaborating the system, or outside accounts of the movement.

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