Anarchism: Arguments for & Against

75 Pages·1996·0.76 MB·English

by  Albert Meltzer

ANARCHISM
ARGUMENTSF OR &A GAINST
AlbertM eltzer
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AK
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© Copyri1g9h9tA6:l beMretl tzer
Anarcmh:iA srgumenFtosra ndA gainst.
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Tabloef C ontents
ALBERMTE LTZER 1
StuaCrhtr istie
ANARCHISM:A RGUMENTSF ORAN D AGAINST 4
Introduction 4
/TheH istoriBcaaclk groutnoAd n archism 4
InalienaTebnleet osf A narchism 12
ThaMta nkinidsB orn Free 12
IfM ankinidsB ornF reeS,l aveirsMy u rder_ 12
AsS laveirsMy u rderso,P roperitsTy h eft 13
__
IfP roperitsTy h efGto,v ernmenitsT yranny 13
_
IfG overnmeinsTt y rannAyn,a rchiysL iber_t1y3
TheC lasSst ruggle 14
OrganisatainodAn n archism �-17
______
TheR oleo fa nA narchiisnta n
Authoritarian Society 19
Workers Control 20
TheA narchaissR te bel 21
Nonviolence 24
ImmediaAtiem so ft heA narchist 25
WorkerSse'l f-Defence 28
How WilalR evoultioCno meA bout? 29
BringiAnbgo utt heN ew Society 31
WhatC onstituatneA su thoritaSroicaine ty?3_1
CanO neD oW ithotuth eS tate? 33
TheM oneyM yth 35
TheM ytho fT axation 37
TheE ffeocftI mJ?1igriaotn 38
TheA bolitoifo'lhne W agea nd
MonetaSryy stems 38
IsA narchiCsomm patibwlietCh a pitali_s m4?0
CommunitCyo ntrol 41
NeedT herbee a T ransitioSnoacli ety? 42
A FreSeo ciety 43
TheE mployeDrosN otG iveW ork 44
ObjectitooAn nsa rchism 45
Leadership 47
CanP ubclO ipinioInt sebleAf u thoirtarian4?9_
Unity 49
1/�
TheM arxiCsrti ticoifsA mn archism 51
PettByo urgeois 53
Vanguards 55
'--
TheS ocial-DemocCrraittiicqo ufeA narchism 57
TheL iberal-DemocOrbajteicct itooAn n archis_ m6 1
TheF asicsOt bjectitooAn n archism 64
TheA verage PerOsbojne'cst itooAn n archis__ m 68
TheR educitono fA narchitsom
Marginalis__ation 70 __________
ALBERMTE LTZER
BORLNO:N DOJNA,N U7A,R1 9Y2 0.
DIEMDA:Y7 , 1 9968,: 05A .M.
AlberMte ltzwears o neo fth e moste ndurianngd
respecttoerdc hbeaorfte hreis n ternatainoanraclh miosvte ­
menti nth es econhda lofft het wenticeethn tuHriys. sixty­
yeacro mmitmetnotth e vision and opfra ancatricchei sm
and
survivbeodth t hec ollaopfsth ee R evolutioCni vWialr
inS paiann dt heS econWdo rldWa r;h eh elpefdu etlh e
libertairmipaent uosft he1 960asn d1 970asn ds teeirt
throutghher eactiocnhaarlyl enogfthe es T hatche1r9i8t0es
andp ost-CWoalrd1 990s.
Fortunya,tb eelfohreed iedA,l bemratn agetdo f in­
ishh isa utobiogrIaC pohuyl,d nP'ati nt Golden aA ngles,
pungennto,- puncphuelsl Secdh vejkaicacno uonfta r adi­
calt wenticeetnht uernye myo fh umbuga ndi njustAi ce.
lifeltornagdu en ioanc tivhiesf to,u gMhots leyB'lsa ckshirts
inth e battolfeC ablSet repelta;y eadn a ctirvoel ien s up­
portitnhgea narchciosmtm uneasn dm ilitiiansth e Span­
ishR evolutainodnt hep rewaGre rmana nti-Nraezsii s­
tancwea,s a k eyp layienrt heC airMou tiniyn t heS econd
WorlWda rh,e lperde buithled p ostwaarn ti-Frarnecsoi s­
tancienS paiann dt hei nternatiaonnaarlc hmiosvte men.t
Hisa chievemeinntcsl uCdued donC'oss mopolRietvainea w ,
occasiosnaatli rmiacgaalz ifnier psutb lishien1d 9 65a,n d
nameda fteArm brose Cuddpoons,s ibtlhyef ircsotn ­
sciousalnya rchpiusbtl ishientr h em oderns ense, the
foundionftg h Aen archBilsatc Ckr osasp ,r isonaeirdas n'd
ginggerr ouapn dt hep apewrh icghr ewo uto fi t- Black
1
AnarchiAsrmg:u menFtosra ndA gainst
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FlagH.o wevepre,r haAplsb ermto'sst e ndurilnegg aicys
theK atSeh arplLeiyb raprryo,b abtlhyem ostc omprehen­
sivaen archairscth ivienBs r itain.
Borni ntaom ixed marriinta hgLeeo ndoonf O rwell's
Downa ndO uti nw hicthh erwee ref ewh omesf ohre rose,
butm anyh eroefsio tn lfyo rh omesA,l berwta ss oone n­
rolli:p.etdo p olitliicfaaesla p rivaitnte h ea wkwarsdq ua.d
Hisd ecisitoogn o d ownt her oaodf r evolutiopnoalriyt ics
came- hec laim-edi n1 93a5t t hea geo f1 5- asa d irect
resuolftt akinbgo xinlge ssoBnosx.i nwga sc onsidear ed
II
common"s porftr,o wneudp onb yth e governoorfhs i s
Edmontosnc hooaln dt hep rospecLtaibvoeu MrP fort he
arethae, viruleannttliy- boDxriE ndgi tShum merski1P1e.r ­
hapsit w ast heb oxerlse'ga sn df ootwohreka cquiraesad
youtwhh icgha veh imh isl ifelaobnigl tiotb ye ahri sc on­
siderabbullek I.tc ertaiinnldyu cead l ifetihmaeb'isot f
shrewads sessmoefhn its oawnndo pponensttsr'e nagntdh
weaknesses.
Thes treetwpiusgei,l iasntdbi oco kisschh oolbalosyo
attendheidsf irasnta rchmiesett iinng1 93w5h erhee f irst
drewa ttenttiooh ni mseblyfc ontradictthiesn pge aker,
Emma Goldman,b yh isd efenocfeb oxinHgo.w evehre,
soon made friendasg iwniagtn ha rtchhmeii slti taonfat s
previoguesn eratainodnb ecamae r eglliaanrd dynamic
particiipnpa unbtl miece tinTghse.a n archisrte-sliesdt ance
tot heF rancuop risiinnSg p aiinn1 93g6a vaem ajobro ost
tot hem ovemenitnB ritaainndA, l beratc'tsi virtainegse d
from organising aspopleiatdloasp r riotpya ganwdoar,k ­
ingw itCha ptaJin. WRh.i tteo o rganiislel eagramlss hip­
menttso t heC NT inS pai�nf romH amburg-anda cting
asa contafcotrt heS panish anairnctheilslti sgeenrcvei ce
inB riatin.
Alberte'asr lwyo rkincga reerra ngefdr omf air­
grounpdr omotaet rh,e atre-ahnadno dc casiofilmn aelx tra.
2
AnarchiAsrmg:u menFtosra ndA gainst
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Onef ilimn w hichA lberatp pearberdi efwlays L eslie
HowardP'ism pernSemli tahn,a nti-Nfailmz it hadti dn ot
folltohweli neo fv ictobruytr athoefrr evolutiinEo unr ope.
The plocta llfeodrc ommunipsrti soneburtsb ,y t het ime
Howardc amet om akei ti,n 1 940S,t alhiand i nvaded
Finlanadn,d tshcer iwpats c hangetdoa narchpirsits on­
ersH.o wardd ecidtehda nto neo ft hea ctoprlsa yitnhge
anarchisstese merde aaln di nsistedr etahalan ta rchists,
includgi Anlberbte,u seda se xtrianst hec oncentration
camps ceneOsn.e consequeonfct eh imse etinWga s
Howardi'nst roducttoHi iolnd Mao ntea, p rominebnutt
unsunhge roof t heG ermana narchreissits tatnocH ei tler,
whichm ayh avec ontributtohe ids s ubesquendte ath
enrouttoeL isboAnl.b ersle a tweorr kinyge arwse res pent
mainlays a secondhabnodo kselalnedrf, i nalal Fyl,e et
Streceotp tya keHri.sl asetm ploywears s,t rangeenloyu gh,
theD ailTye legraph.
Whilbey n aturaer emarkagbelnyt ,lg eeneroaunsd
gracious soul,c hAalmbpeirotn'soshf ia pn archiassma
revolutiownoarrkyi ncgl asmso vemenbtr oughhitm i nto
direacntds ustaicnoendfl iwcitt thh en eo-libwehroac lasm e
tod ominatteh em ovemenitnth e lat1e9 40Jsu.s atsp eople
ared rawtno t otalriitamanoverrtenltisk fea scisamn dc om­
munismb ecauosfet heiirm plivciiotl enacned ideological
certtaiienmsa,n yo therwpioslei tiicnaclolmyp atipbeloep le
wered rawtno a narchibsemc auosfei tmisl itanttolerance.
Alberwta sv ehementolpyp osetdot her epackagainndg
marketionfag n archiassam b roacdh urcfho ra cademia­
It
orientaqtueeitdi satnsds ingle"7pirsessusegu rreo upsw.a s
ironitchaalot n eo ft higsr ousph oulpdu blidcilsym iasns­
archiassma spenhti storfiocracilen 1 962b,l issfuunl­ly
awaroef t hep ost-Butsksetlolriwmth eichw asa boutto
breaakn dt hei nfluence anaanrdcl hiibsetr tairdieaans
woulhda veo nt hiasn do thegre neratyieotnto sC Ome.
3
AnarchiAsrmg:u menFtosra ndA gainst
-
Iwta sh icsh ampioonfsc hliaspst sr uagngalrec hism,
coupledh iwssic tehp tiocfti hssemt udenNte-wlL eedf t
int h1e9 60wsh,i ceha rned Alrbeeprutt afhtoisirseo cn­
tariaPnairsamd.o lxlaiyscf, ar ieannddBl akcF lacga rtoon­
isPth iRlu fpfo inotusit nh iisn trodutcoAt liboenra tu'­s
tobipohgyri,awt a st hdei scoovfec rlyas stsr ugagnlaer ­
chistmh routghhse ectarioafBn liaksc Fml agu nder
Alberetd'ist ortshhacitop n vinscome adn ayn archoifs ts
hiasn ds ubseqgueennetr attoib oencso amcet iivnte h e
movemeTnhted. y namaincdl ogiAcl boefrs to'-sc alled
sectaricaonnitisnmut eobd r icnogu ntlessp eoyopulneg
inttoh aen arcmhoivsetm etnhte ann,df oarf urt3h0e r
Pr
yeaurnst hiilus n timsetlryoi knAe i1l9 96.
Iti sd iffitcowu rlitat p eu blaipcp recioafst uicohn
ani nscruptraibvlmayat neA. l beMretl twzaesor f tleink e
am embeorfa t ug-oft-ewaaYmro. un evqeuri ktnee iwf
hew ast hesriem ptloy· maukpne u mbeorris hf e w ast he
anchoro-fmt ahne wohpoelrea tTioAo lnb.e arltpl,r ivi­
legwea st heen emoyfh umafnr eednoomjt;u tshtpe r ivi­
legoefcs a pitakliinsgbtsus,r, e auacnrpdao tlsi tibcuita ns
alstoh pee tatsyp iraotfoi popnosr tuannidcs atrse erists
amontgh ree betlhse mseMluvcehos f.w hahte c ontrib­
utetdot hlei voefts h owsheo k nehwi mm usgto u nre­
cordbeudht,e w il�rbeem embearnetdda lkaebdof uotn dly
fomra nyy eatrosc ombey t hoosfeti sw hoslei vhees
touched.
StuaCrhtr istie
4
AnarchiAsrmg:u menFtosra ndA gainst
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ANARCHISM:
ARGUMENTFSO RA NDA GAINST
Introduction
THEH ISTORICABLA CKGROUNDT O ANARCHISM
Iti sn otw ithoiuntt etrt ehsat what bmeic gahltl ed
thea narchaipsptr oagcohe bsa cki ntaon tiqu;ni toyrth at
theriesa na narchiosfsm o rtisnt hep easamnotv ements
thastt ruggalgeadi nSstta toep pressoivoentr h ec �nturies.
Butt hem oderann archmiosvte mencto ulndo tc laismu ch
precursoofrr esv oalsti tosw nm oreth ant heo themro d­
ernw orkincgl atshse oriTeots r.a cteh em oderAnn archist
movemenwte mustl oockl osteoro uro wnt imeWhsi.l e
thereex istleidb ertaarnidan no n-Staatnids, tf ederalist
in
groupwsN,c p.W erel ater tearnmaerdc hisrteitcr ospect,
beforteh em iddloef t hen ineteecnetnhtu ry,i tw aso nly
aboutth ethna tt hebye camweh atw en owc alAln archists.
Inp articuwlea m:ra;y c itteh repeh ilosophpircea­l
cursoorfsA narchisGmo,d winP,r oudhoann,d p erhaps
HegelN.o neo ft heswea si nf acatn A narchist, though
Proudhfoinr usste dt hew ordi ni tmso dersne ns(et aking
itf romt heF rencRhe volutwihoenn,i tw asfi rsuts edp o­
liticaanldlnyo te ntirpeeljyo raetliyNv)o. neo ft hem en­
gageidn A narchiasctt ivoirts yt ruggalned,P roudhon
engageidnp arliamenatcatriiytv yO.n eo ft hep oorest,
thougohs tensiobbljye ctbiovoek,os n A narchiJsum,d ge
5
AnarchiAsrmg:u menFtosra ndA gainst
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EltzbearcA'nhsa rchidsems, crAinbaersc haisas s mo rotf
hydraa-dhetedh eoryo fsw ohmiecc ho mefsr om Godwin
orP roudohroS nt ir(naenro twhheonr e vmeern tiaonn­s
archiosrmK )r,o potekaicnahd, i ffevraernita otnia o n
themTeh.eb oomka yb et ossaesdia dsve a lueelxecsesp t
ini tdse scriopfwt hiaottnh epsaer timceunlt ahro ught.
Proudhdoindn owtr iatp er ografmomarel tli mneo,r
didK ropotiknhi ints i mwer iftoear s ecotfA narchists.
Bumta noyt hbeoro kwsr itbtyea nc ademaireceqs u ally
valuelmeasnsyp: r ofeshsaovraev s i eowf a narchism
basoendt hpeo pularA nparrecshsii.nss e mi tahm eirn d­
les�sh eoorfyd estrunocrt,id oens psi.ptmele ib�le­r
mindleidt ecroanrcye ptiiishot en rso,- hwiopor fps eople
ori nstithuotwieovnlesir,b ertahteeyd- mbieg.h t
..
Godwiinst h fea thoeftr h Set ateSloecsimseo tvye ­
mentw,h icdhi verignettdoh rleien Oense.t, h aotft he
Anarch(iwsitwtshh i cwhew ildle aTlw)o., tchlaatsosfi c
AmeriIcnadni viduwahliicshm ,i'nT chlourdeaeanduhd i s
schosoolm,e titmheosu gohfat sa narchbiuswtth iicc,h
equaglilvyre ists oet h'er ugignedd ividuoafml oids­m'
ern' liberctaapriitaanal'ni dts otm h pea cicfuilsottfs
TolsatnodyG andwhhii chha vien fluetnhcee de ntire
hippcyu lItn.d ividualistmot h(ceaa pppiltyailnigs t and
notth weo rkehrabs)e coamrei ght-dwoicntgr ine.
These colnidno �fd escfernotGm o dwiinsr espon­
sibfloterh 'eP acAinfiasrtc hist'o rta hp'epI rnodaicvhi du­
alist Anarchtihsatdt'i ffaerprapsdr iocfaarclohrlm ey v o­
lutioannaarryc hiints hfmei rlsiton fed esceIintsst o. m e­
timteosro e adciolnyc etdhead't t hiisas,f taelral n,a r­
chisPma'c.i mfoivsetm eanntdts h,Ge a ndhiinap na rticu­
laarr,ue s uatloltya liatnadir mipaonas uet ho(reivtieyfn
onlbyym oramle antsh)se;c hoooLlB enjaTumcikn­e r
byv irtoufte h eiinrd ivid-uaalcicsempt thenede efdo r
politcobe r esatkr iskoae sts o g uaratnhteeem ep yloer's
6
AnarchiAsrmg:u menFtosr aAngda inst
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