Anarchism
Introduction to Anarchism
Why Anarchism?
Anarchist F.A.Q. (Frequently Asked Questions)
Introduction to Anarchism
The word 'anarchy' is derived from the Greek root anarchos, which roughly translates as "without ruler."
At its fullest, anarchism is a comprehensive worldview that encompasses a critique of politics, economics, psychology, philosophy, and every other aspect of human activity while at the same time offering a radical reconstructive vision of society that resolves all of the above critiques. In other words, anarchism can see quite clearly the problems of our society, but it can also see beyond them to a life that is both immensely enjoyable and incredibly fair.
Does this sound too good to be true? If so, you may have fallen prey to misanthropy.
Misanthropy is the belief that human beings are inherently evil or prone to selfish and destructive behavior. For eons, politicians, religious leaders, and the wealthy have been pushing this idea onto the general public as a means of convincing us that they need to run our lives. They tell us that it is "natural" for us to compete to the death for tidbits of their wealth because selfishness is inherent in our nature. They tell us that nonbelievers should be dominated and punished because they are Godless heathens. They tell us that the iron fist of centralized undemocratic government is needed to keep the evils and ignorance of the general population in check. They tell us all of these things, and some ofthem may actually believe what they say, but in the end it is all an excuse to establish hierarchical power structures that grant wealth and privilege to a handful of elites while the rest of society labors to serve their interests.
Are there alternatives to misanthropy? Most anarchists believe that humanity as a whole isn't the problem. Rather than blaming some vague, monolithic category called "humanity" for all of our sorrows, anarchists point to specific institutions and practices that illustrate general principles of oppression or liberation. It's not that people in general are bad, or that a few bad apples are spoiling a perfectly good society. The problem is that society itself is structured in ways that allow some people, whether "good" or "bad," to have an unfair amount of control over the lives of others. Society as it exists now sets up a hierarchy - and no matter who sits at the top of the heirarchy, that throne is still carried on the backs of those beneath it.
Anarchism is a positive alternative to the prevailing misanthropy and hierarchy of pop culture and contemporary society. We believe that human beings can indeed coexist peacefully with one another. If we the people are ignorant as the misanthropists would have us believe, then we can learn together. If the streets of our communities and our society are cold and cruel, then we can work together to make them warm and inviting. This attitude of mutual aid brings together the best of our reasonable desire for self interest and our equally reasonable desire as social beings to belong to a healthy, fair, ecological, and joyful community.
Our co-operative, non-hierarchical, and non-violent relationships with one another form the basis of some of our mostpassionate and liberating moments, both as individuals and as a society. Once this is realized, anarchists call us to embrace these characteristics of life and live them to the fullest, enjoying a life of liberated desire andunparalleled democracy, equality, and freedom.
Why Anarchism?
In pop culture, anarchists have a reputation for being violent, senseless criminals. Why would anyone want to identify themself with such a little-known and widely discredited movement?>
To start with, anarchism has a long and often unrecognized history of positive involvement in our society. In the US in particular, anarchism has become so demonized and trivialized that the majority of US citizens know virtually nothing about anarchist contributions to the course of history. For those who study the history of anarchism though, these contributions are clear. Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, anarchists and anarchistic popular movements fought tirelessly for workers' rights. In the US they helped win the 40 hour working week and other major victories for the working class, while in Europe they had a similar role in democratizing the governments and economies of the continent. During the Spanish Civil War, anarchists even made a bold and almost successful stand against the rising tide of fascism that eventually lead to World War II. They collectivized vast numbers of farms and factories in an effort to bring direct democratic control of their own lives to the people of Spain. Had they been successful, some historians argue that World War II itself may have been reduced in scope or avoided entirely.
In other words, anarchism has a strong tradition of affirming positive values such as democracy and freedom. Makeno mistake though - the joys of anarchism aren't to be found in some faded history book or the proud, dutiful singing of the Internationale. There's a particular variety of anarchists who really love such reminiscing, but anarchism's power and preciousness lie in the here and now. Today anarchism is pushing the boundries of democracy and freedom, calling for governments,corporations, and other institutions to grant us ever-greater control of our own lives. Anarchists are calling not just for political objectives, but social, economic, and cultural changes as well - stronger communities, co-operative economies, and a society that celebrates diversity. One of the driving forces behind it all is a passion for the liberation of desire anda tireless commitment to creating our own reasonable, practical, fair, and eminently enjoyable society.
Why anarchism? The better question would be why not! Anarchism is bold, it's beautiful, and it's here to stay.
