William C. Owen Archives - The Libertarian Labyrinth

Steubenville Survey: Response by William C. Owen

June 13, 2018 Shawn P. Wilbur

[two_third padding=”0 10px 0 0px”] [ Response by William C. Owen (Freedom) ] An Enquiry on Anarchism (The “Iconoclasts” Group, of Steubenville, Ohio, has organized an international enquiry on Anarchism, the replies to which are appearing in the weekly Supplement of “La Protesta,” of Buenos Aires. The following is Wm. C. Owen’s contribution.) —– 1. Anarchism’s actual problems, and the measures to be taken for provoking an international Anarchist effort in opposition to the authoritarian reaction. To this question I answer as follows. In my opinion, a real and powerful revolt against the present authoritarian reaction can come only when […]

W. C. Owen, “Anarchism” (1895)

March 13, 2018 Shawn P. Wilbur

[ezcol_2third] ANARCHISM. 1.—Do Anarchist-Communists believe in the common ownership of land and capital? I myself do not; that is to say, I certainly do not believe in making such ownership compulsory. Whether common, or private ownership shall prevail under Anarchism, is merely a question of detail. The principle is individual freedom; equal liberty to every man, woman, and child to develop all that is in him or her, and to have access to the life-opportunities necessary for such development; i. e. freedom of production, and of distribution or exchange, which is, of course, only the final process of production. This—freedom […]

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 […]

William C. Owen, “Why Attack Emma Goldman?” (1922)

May 30, 2016 Shawn P. Wilbur

WHY ATTACK EMMA GOLDMAN? The man is starving, but he may not pluck so much as a turnip to save his life. The wind cuts to the marrow of his bones, but out in the open he must he if he cannot purchase shelter. This is the lot of the modern proletariat reduced to destitution. It is the condition thousands of unemployed and penniless continually must face. This very day, in every ” civilised” country, thousands will have gone without a meal. This very night thousands will shiver on park benches, or huddle themselves into a fitful sleep within some […]