Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
^^^^rcU,
Modern
.
Science
AND
Anarchism
BY
PETER KROPOTKIN
PUBLISHED BY
EAST
13th
STREET,
1908
NEW YORK
Contents
I.
Two
The
the popular
Kinship of Anarchism
The
fundamental
traits
scientific
the investigation of
phenomena
ii
Fifties
up a Synthetic
build
to
his failure
the religious
man
25
Institutions.
V.
all
its
influence
its
The
Auguste Comte's Attempt
Philosophy. The causes of
of science.
IV.
century
method.
ing of Socialism
III.
XVIII
the
by the
at
Movement of
Intellectual
The
Human
Ideas and
A Theory of Evolution
New
of a
Possibility
30
Synthetic
Philosophy.
why
The
A False Conception of **The
Existence. "
Struggle
39
Mistake. The Teaching of the
The Causes of
steeped
Sin." The Governthe World
Church
Plerbert
Spencer's
Method not
attempt
failed.
it
sustained.
for
VI.
this
**
in
is
**
Man's Radical
this subject.
Its
VII.
in
to
Its
It?
Object
How
Natural-Scientific
IX.
Brief
Ideal
is
Developed
by
the
Method
Summary
Law.
Anarchism:
53
Its
59
Reached by
Economic Ideub.
of the Conclusions
Morality.
The Government
63
X. Continuation
their
Birth.
Modern
Anarchism,
like
movement, has
not, of
philosophical school.
still
very
shall
far
The
some
Even
in
in
advance.
the government.
life
it
will continue to
be
it
full
re-
At
all
war
at
in
human
On
society.
make
sary to
social
at all possible
life
to in-
might
and
arise,
everything requiring
savage clan at
to
cooperative
The
effort.
its
com-
the people.
And
ers,
prophets, priests,
ganizations,
appeared sorcer-
and heads of
who endeavored
authority over
strengthen their
military or-
to establish
the
and
to
people.
another, concluded
alli-
people, hold
them
them to work
Anarchism
the
first
in
and compel
tendency
structive
aimed
is
in subjection,
that
is,
at developing institutions of
common
law
minority.
By means
ative power
In this sense,
Then, again,
stitutions
even
their original
lished
it
in-
originally
equality, peace
and mutual
aid
in the
course of
came under the control of the ruling miand became in the end a constraint upon
ing,
nority,
institutions.
old
the
guild
rise
institutions
only
of
in order that
caste,
or
expense
and especially
the authority which had
commune
fixed
its
political, religious,
to this class.
all,
All reformers
and economic
have belonged
there always
when
all
their
fellow-countrymen, or even a
malority of them,
shall
7
moved onward
the
in
it
was
be done otherwise.
Some
of
own
it,
but to take
it
in
it
In this way,
lished in
Church rose
of the
Roman
tators
grew up
the
fall
dic-
communes at
Of the same tendency,
in the mediaeval
of the
to constitute their
The behef
period.
is,
in
But
all
manifest.
At
all
of authority altogether.
They proclaimed
the
In the
commonwealths,
numerous
examples
we
of this struggle
(Florence and Pskov are especially interesting in
this connection).
all
times
movements of
Many
this
thority
courts and
its
laws
all
and
Dis-
in the
much
that
degrees
it
was
essentially Anarchistic.
degenerated into
an
Only by
ecclesiastical
Rome
itself,
which
Roman
time the
in
and oppression.
Likewise, in the Anabaptist
movement (which
Reformation)
it
leadership,
joined
it
the
died
origin to
its
by which
institutions of
all
communal
life
were
in the past,
it
In our
same
critical
called forth
some of the
socialists,
tion of Capital
and of our
social
organization
They
its
chief supports
its criticism.
It
institutions
II.
all
other revo-
was born among the peoin the struggles of real life, and not in the
ple
it is none the less importphilosopher's studio,
lutionary movements,
ant to
know what
place
it
occupies
among
the
scientific
isting tendencies in
science
it
affinity.
We have heard of late so much about economic metaphysics that this question naturally
it
and
phraseology wherever
The
endeavor
shall
movement
intellectual
can be avoided.
it
of our
own
times
The
universal awaken-
human knowledge
ing
aside
physics,
till
to desire to
in one
life
all
Cast-
mediaeval
embody
general system.
stars,
human
societies
as
scientific investigation
method,
inductive- deductive
they
ap-
whether of the
just as the
human
beliefs
and
in-
They
carefully
by means of
helped them in framing
Deduc-
generalizations
induction.
tion
certain hypotheses
final
than
for instance,
Darwin regarded
new
his
hypothesis
by means
species
They saw
''periodic law.'*
in
these hypotheses
verification
by inductive
generalizations
and
stood this
test,
and
had been
effect
When
only
after
that
is,
they have
an explanation of cause
after
given.
ment had
and England
French philosophers, with their
natural sense of harmony, betook themselves to
shifted from Scotland
to France, the
human sciences
From
principles.
this
resulted
knowledge, that
world and
is,
To
this
they endeavored
phenomena by the
action of the
all
same mechanical
which had proved adequate to the explanation of the origin and the development of the earth.
It is said that, in answer to Napoleon's remark
forces
*'
"
*'I
had no need of
this
work resorted
hypothesis."
But
work
in writing his
he nowhere
to metaphysical entities
in
this
to words
them
inability to represent
forms
in
terms of measur-
And
metaphysics.
of the
World
lations,
and
although
it is
in his ''System
no mathematical calcu-
in
is,
of measurable quantities.
So
say, in Kant.
Kant, as
stateis
well
that
it
Translator,
But
**
in this
is
a vague
be explained.
The French
is
encyclopaedists,
came the
ideas of good
and
evil to
man, without
substituting "a
as
Goethe put
as he
is.
feel
pain and
From
common
moral sense by
more
is
they gradually
manner they
child
simple observa-
In this
complex
facts
moral
simple,
facts well
known
^5
When
nomena
immortal
imperative
like),
paedia,
sier
in-
i6
due to environment
customs, and
origin
that
is,
will.
Of
course,
in this
lacking, hypotheses
whom
some-
Lomon6soff
original,
I
that I
muses.
fame
in the history
mention among
its
devotees.
17
Translator.
ment of
it,
were
But
put forth.
And
at the
same
down
sorting to
re-
mere verbiage.
However,
French Rev-
in politics, in
science,
by
and
in philosphy.
The emancipation of
government,
ceding revolution,
may even be
i8
regarded as a
Although
''
watch-word
dom were
It is
became
still
affairs
of
life.
by
again restored
in
itself
doom
The wave
w^as sealed.
of emancipation
first,
Western, and
insulas.
Prussia in
kans
in
1848, Russia
in
it
reached
in 1878.
At
1863.
equality of
all
and of
from west to
east,
On
much
the other
impaired.
Godwin published
in
19
1793
his
In
Eng-
remarkable
came
by Buonarotti
first
forward
in
1796 as the
down
in the eighteenth
laid
three founders of
;
down
socialism were
by our contemporaries.
spects, doubtless
Only
in
re-
come
two
It
has be-
tion
is
necessary
not
a Social Revolu-
in the sense in
which peo-
*'
or of
*'
a revolution
in the sense
in science,"
word
**
but in the
Revolution
"
And
illegal.
ceased to confuse
it
views with
its
But
religion.
taken
As
admiration
of
regards the
authority and
centralized
man
the
is
histori-
church
among
who have thus
these
survivals
socialists,
failed
level of their
Of the
in after
two English
influence
to rise to the
forerunners.
set
it
would be
Suffice
it
difficult
to say, that
modern science
was already marked out, and
more than marked out sometimes even expressed in a definite scientific form at the end
by
far
prides itself on
of
the
eighteenth
The mechanical
century.
of species
by the
ological psychology
development of thought
in
short,
physi-
the laws of
the whole
XIX
my
all
lecture
Century."
the
' *
On
which embraces
all
chemical, living
physical,
and
social phenomena),
were already outlined
and partly formulated in the preceding century.
But,
set
in,
during a
full
half-century.
Men
of science sup-
tific."
and ''gathering
of
^'
unscien-
studying facts
'*
scientific material,"
''
even such
power necessary
mechanical
given amount of
for
obtaining a
by the
The
scientists.
And
the excellent
" unscientific."
The
the
curtain
fifties,
when
ment began
in
at the
end of
move-
in
life
which
It
known under
is
is
the
name
interesting to note
in
of Nihilism.
this
connection
placed upon
by the post-revolutionary
reaction.
is
it
sufficient
to say that
into detail,
it
the above-mentioned
of federahsm) were
Saint-
Owen
that Augusta
and
Ricardo and
Comte was a Saint-Simonist,
Bentham were Owenists and that the materialists Charles Vogt and George Lewis, as well as
Grove, Mill, Spencer, and many others, had
astic follower
of Robert
lived
movement
this
tific
socialstic
It
was to
the works
of
Mill
and Burnouf
all
in
the
radically
of science.
23
new
path.
new
Entirely
fields of investigation
rapidity.
ence
human
of hfe (Biology), of
(Anthropology), of reason,
The
sci-
institutions
and emotions
(Psychology), of the history of rights and religions, and so on
grew up under our very
eyes, staggering the mind with the boldness of
their generalizations and the audacity of their
will
deductions.
What
the
in
preceding century
The very
by thousands of applications.
manner of writing changed, and science returned
to the clearness, the precision, and the beauty
of exposition which are peculiar to the inductive
method and which characterized those of the
thinkers of the eighteenth century who had
broken away from metaphysics.
fied
To
will
they
from
rich
this
and
of course, can
this,
again
development of science.
But one thing is certain in the form that science is now assuming there is no longer any
need of the hypothesis which Laplace considered useless, or of the metaphysical "words*'
:
24
which Goethe
book
the
The book of
ridiculed.
of organic
life,
nature,
velopment, can already be read without resorting to the power of a creator, a mystical ''vital
force,"
endowment
the
Mechanical phenomena,
life.
their
in
real
ever-
tion of nature
social
life.
There
is
unknown
much
in the
world that
dark and
and of such unexplained
gaps new ones will always be disclosed as soon
as the old ones have been filled up.
But we
do not know of, and do not see the possibility of
discovering, any domain in which the phenomis still
to us
incomprehensible
ena observed
pact of two
tion
that
that
in the fall of
a stone, or
billiard balls, or in a
is,
is
in
the im-
chemical reac-
mechanical phenomena
should
was natural
that, as
philosophy should be
felt
"first
causes,"
the
a syn-
a philosophy
**the
''aim
essence of
of
life,"
and similar symbolic expressions, and repudiating all sorts of anthropomorphism (the endow25
through
that, indicate to us
means of
same time
it
would
from current
differ
superstitions.
Such attempts at a constructive synthetic philosophy were made several times during the
nineteenth century, the chief of them being
those of Auguste Comte and of Herbert Spencer.
On these two we shall have to dwell.
The need
admitted already
in
by
subsequently, even
As has been
economist Turgot
more
clearly
and,
by Saint-Simon.
was now
it
It is well
known
that
26
exact sciences
He was
were concerned.
human
by
ences compassed
and
upon
life
his
positive
philosophy;
his
scientists
all
and
philosophers
of
the
nineteenth century.
modern times
How
This
is
Comte
could such a
of
method
in the
* None that
be
likely
criticism
to
two works.*
know
mind
will
it
may
critic
an opinion I came upon by mere chance while engaged on this translation. Scattered through pages 560 to
*'
563 of Falckenberg' s " History of Modern Philosophy
tial
(Henry Holt
&
Co.,
New
York, 1893),
27
And
in
is
the highest
time.
''
his
Course of
must have
plain it
of
explained
feels
or, at least,
of reckoning with
he was lacking
ing estimate of
in
knowledge
Comte and
But
it.
uneven work:
his
for this
he
**The
to
be transformed
and the
first,
new
religion,
Beneath
tendencies pulsate in
The
is
and the
faithful."
the
and hold
apostates,
Comte' s school
who
reject the
Translator.
28
wrote
this
was quite
God
ness.
whom
of
religions,
all
whom
he must
Hu-
us to pray, that
we might develop
ordered
ourselves
in
man on
all
Even the rituahsm of Comte's religmoulded itself very naturally upon the model
naturally.
ion
of
all
that
this step
men
liv-
He
man is
was necessary.
evolution
made
by him from
its first
his
slow
man had
may be
this
human
men
inevitably
on the part of
those
as action causes
Comte
therefore he
to invent a
new
Humanity
it
idol
man
did not
was compelled
understand
in
order that
other contemporaries,
all his
his tri-
the
idea, reverted to
it
and
it
in the heart of
man.
IV.
But
it
his Positivist
widened the horizon of science and the worldconcept of every educated man.
in these five
or
in
life
in the
of
human
societies, that
it
has no parallel
two
thousand years.
vaguely understood
at
unnecessary.
Let
we may
Grove,
Clausius,
who
means of de-
the
fifties,
To
end of
electrical
at
once
talk of certain
calorific,
became
mag-
impossible.
31
More than
their energy.
this
enly bodies
vibration of
same
in
all
and
lions of miles
The same
through
calorific
and
tril-
interstellar space.
and
electrical vibrations of
very
varied
phenomena.
And
life
manifestations,
then, the
its infinitely
change of molecules
in that
complex, and hence unstable and easily decomposed, chemical compounds from which are
built the tissues of
and
more
firmly established
it
was un-
it
has been
that the
hfe of the
cells
vous
life
tions,
we can now
of animals.
Owing
to these investiga-
how
how
mutual
their
in
effects
new
(every
previously
thought.
remains to be done
still
in this vast
domain
sci-
But the
psychology.
is
start
The
only
field
now
begin-
of physical
nomena into two sets, which the German philosopher Kant endeavored to establish, one con-
**
phenomena),
now
falls
of
itself.
And
to the
question once asked by the Russian physiolo" By whom and how should
gist, Setchenov
:
re-
itself invincible
has
now been
taken possession
by natural science and materialist philosophy, and these two are promoting the growth
of
have done.
In these
was made.
Species "
Already
in
Buffon (appa-
variable
is
a proof of their
mon
ancestry.
forms of
common
meadow
and
common
type of ancestors.
in their stead
a remote
one kind of
But
such heresies as
and
still
had
asylum.
The
''heretics'*
consequently were
Now, however,
Darwin and A. R. Wallace could boldly mainDarwin even venso great a heresy.
tured to declare that man, too, had originated,
in the same way of slow physiological evolution, from some lower forms of ape-like animals; that his ''immortal spirif and his
tain
*'
are as
much
a product of evolu-
habits of the
ant science
its
life in
all
our
phenomena
physical, vital, and social.
It
opened up a new road for their investigation.
The idea of a continuous development (evolution)
much wider
environment, found a
all nature, as
It
application
was applied to
men and
well as to
and
it
disclosed in these
had seemed
quite inexpHcable.
how
included.
In the same
way a
solid foundation
history
to
Hegelean metapysics or
and ''inspiration from withwithout any of those dead formulae beout
hind which, concealed by words as by clouds,
was always hidden the same ancient ignorance
either the formulae of
to ''innate ideas"
**
36
who
superstition.
applied the
upon as
as that of the development of any
institutions
facts in the
same way
new
species.
their time, to
izations.
Especially did
37
they stimulate
the
time
when
life
it
in
by their vague
nature.
At a
were
almost
forgotten
(in
some
civic
the
first
when
it
half
of
required
upheld the tendency toward generBut those generalizations were estabhshed either by means of the dialectic method
or by means of a semi-conscious induction, and,
therefore, were always characterized by a hopeless
physics
still
alization.
indefiniteness.
was deduced by means of really fallacious syllogisms similar to those by which in ancient times
certain
exposition.
As to
ated
some
sensation.
very
first verification
by observation.
Finally, all
in
left full
instance, the
synthesis,*'
practical conclu-
to Bakunin's
the Dresden
Jacobinism of
Marx and
to the recognition of
the
"reasonableness
then existing
to
of
the
Since Anthropology
history of man's
and economic
institutions
came
are studied^
it
was found
this
but to divest
cal teachings
It
this history,
would seem,
therefore, that
when
the con-
was under-
all
the latest
And
Politics/'
phy, though
mous
it
without falling
it
made by Comte
religion
and
religious rites),
still
it
is
without
contains in
its
former work.
The
fact is that,
sis
its
ment such
full
it
out of
market price
An
will
arrange-
and
ting this in the case of the land, he did not venture to extend this conclusion to all other forms
of accumulated wealth
for
example, to mines,
giving to one
of his
life
books a
40
of society, and
title
which
is
The
State,'*
he,
by
Httle
little,
entirety,
mind
movement) much
was formulated
in
his
radical
earlier
namely,
than
anthropological investigation of
tions
was
still
sequence of
in its
this,
natural-
its
when the
human institu-
before 1851,
scientific part
rudimentary stage.
In con-
philosophy
in
his
to Sociologyhe
the
method of analogies
work
to
began to
unreliable
which
he,
of
same
and sociology
scientific
method.
Then, Spencer,
man
with
it
is
study of primitive
41
the
insti-
In
tutions.
among
even
this
readily into
enter
thought.
"We
and the
Irish are
fore
respect he
who
the English,
foreign
modes of
life
Roman
are a people of
common-law people
intelligent
distinguished
is
generally do not
and
law,
there-
other,**
a very
is full
of like misunderstandings.
life, filled
diaeval cities.
The moral
among
room,
the different
a struggle which,
species
members within
in reality,
every
we cannot
discuss here.
in
life
a different sense.
he wrote
munities,'*
in the
latter
**
Those com-
work, ''which
the greatest
it
^^
clear understanding of
''
Soon
book
**
the
after this
*'
Love,"
in
ance of sympathy
among
investigations.
To prove and
cellent idea,
extending
it
43
to man,
was an easy
step.
If
we
human
tual
Aid
an unprejudiced history of
we soon
institutions,
discover that
Mumost
all
other
To
it
assures
and
intellectual
species
progress.
And
its
progeny,
those animal
is
practiced
most, not only succeed best in getting their livelihood, but also stand at the head of their re-
mammals) as
re-
development.
This fundamental
not perceive.
The
fact of nature
of food, Tennyson's
Spencer did
**
every morsel
he accepted
as a fact requir-
some degree
to understand the
sociological part
VI.
In these erroneous views, however, Spencer
Following Hobbes,
all
views as Hobbes,
who
in
till,
owing to a few
"
advanced persons of the time, the " first society
was created
Existence
a Law of Nature.")
Even Huxley,
was not Man
it
of man.
Such
is
social
life
existed
prejudice.
" Bellum omnium contra
*Hobbes* exact words are
omnes." (The war of everyone against everybody).
:
Translator,
45
Were
prejudice,
it
would not be
ourselves that
and among
it
difficult to
convince
The
their representatives.
secret
among
and
primitive clans,
still
Baby-
Hebrew and
the Christian
have always been endeavoring to persuade men that they lay deep in sin and that
only the intercession of the shaman, the magi-
priests,
cian, and the priest can keep the evil spirit from
assuming control over man, or can prevail
with a revengeful
his
is
it
God
prejudice
not to
visit
upon man
Primitive Christianity,
eternal fire"
intensi-
it still more.
The very conception of a son
God who had come to die for "the redemp-
fied
of
No
wonder that
ford
later
And
all
other
venting
all
people ''steeped
thousand
in
Up
sin."
to the present
time, nine
still
in a
are
sent
by a Divine Being
path.
At
universities,
To prove
of
some power
inculcates in
aid of
it
inflicted
for which,
is
for
and
violations of
by means of a
clever
easily substituted),
to
come
the necessity
keep people
schools and
punishments
"moral law,"
trick,
its
moment people
will
begin
In this
historical,
way
our
everything
legal,
our
and our
religious,
our
social education
would devour one another; nothing but brutality and war of each against all can be exIt would perish, if
pected from ''the mob."
47
hangman
did
not
uni-
tower above
it
when
the
**
them onward
to those times
''
less necessary
We
now they
at
''My poor
1848, said:
into exile in
will perish
the EngHsh
me
without
who
clerk
subjects;
We
'*
!
Israel,
smile
that
believes
the
appointed
by God himself to administer good government to ''all other, lower races.'* But does not
the great majority
among
all
the
nations entertain
same exalted
And
yet, a
scientific
institutions leads to
It
shows that
common
times and
first
stages of
human
it
possible for man, under very trying natural conditions, to survive in the struggle for existence,
48
not
have
''
so-called
anonymous
leaders
contributed
'*
worked
As
**mob.*'
of humanity, they
anything
useful
that
always
vitiated)
some
useful
existing
own advantage
tions that
cus-
while
to turn
to
mutual protection,
for their
side,
or,
failing in this,
Even
in
in the
lived in societies.
men
is
lost
already
life
possible.
And through
formed
life
mob
constructive
''
that
we
all
the sub-
find
it
was
proved
conclusively that
Law
the
'*
such, a f(^w
rich,
new
rules
"
of the
*'
^'
and then
witness,"
in the interest
injunctions
armed minority.
warlike and
it
Thou
Thou
Thou
false
on the same
level
burden.
*'
Love
your
neighbor,"
said
Christianity
later on,
*'
:
Slaves,
be subject to
Rome.
Hme
The
idea
which is,
hism from
of
all
same time
God who
reigned at
the
who
differentiates
it
and Budd-
speak
at
upon mankind
We
see the
same thing
into law
was then
in
process of formation
the custom
wounds and
killing, in-
and death
But
for death).
at the
same time
which only
They exacted from the
division
in the last
The
social position,
and so legalized
thousand years
And
this
every age,
it
since,
down
to our
own
51
time.
rid of
it.
legislation of
The oppres-
Greece
pire, to
the
to
Every
life
the
in
tribe,
the
mediaeval town-repubUcs
and
tribal,
later
on
of social
early
forms of inter-
all
inter-provincial,
relations,
all
and
of peace
down
all
in-
creative
While
all
the
one which
useful
life
that
the other
in
^to
any
So, at
scientific
society,
give
rate,
sanction.
it
we
upon which
a few conscientious
by the
human
men
52
They themselves,
seldom venture to
true,
is
it
as
those
But the thoughtful reader inevitably comes to them on reading their works.
stated above.
VII.
What
position, then,
movement of
teenth century
The answer
the nine-
archism
is
world-concept
mechanical explanation of
all
it
the
life
of
human
that
societies
is,
and
including
their econ-
by which every
must be
verified.
conclusion
scientific
aim
Its
method
that
is
An-
upon a
phenomena,* embased
is
to
construct a
phenomena
of Nature
of societies,
life
and
avoiding,
had
It is therefore natural
questions of modern
*
fallen.
It
life
is
not so
that to
most of the
to say,
a kinetic explanation,
commonly known.
53
new
sition differing
a certain extent, of
political and, to
which
have not yet freed themselves from the metaphysical fictions of old.
Of
me-
gun
philosophy of law,
in the
theory of morality,
in
political
that
it
will
not content
itself
with metaphysical
It rejects
basis.
the metaphysics of
commentators of
it
disowns the
to-
omy
a science
and
it
its
in these
investigations
made during
way
Goal, the
Aim
ualized existence),
bryos
of
generalizations
beneath
concealed
proceed
in
so
we
life.
Here also we try to sweep away the metaphyscobwebs, and to see what embryos of genif any
eralizations
may have been concealed
ical
beneath
all sorts
When
of misty words.
and moral
life
**
of
man
Immanent
his shoulders
and continues
his
physiological
all
be
and a Synthesis
Law
is
when they
or, again,
opinion,
is
are asked,
What,
in their
Life?" they,
*'the Object of
too,
development of natural
still be found
who
continue to believe in
and
still
primitive
'*
words
High-flown
attributes).
therefore pass
past and
on and continue
according to the
And
in
their study of
doing so they
development of social
complicated
method of
induction.
find,
life is
incomparably more
and incomparably
purposesthan
late
it
about
*'
the dia-
outlived
science.
The
me-
physical
were made
and deduction.
And
since
man
is
part
phenomenon of nature
as
just as
is
is
much
the growth of a
and the
ants
bees,
there
is
a settlement of beavers to a
The
its
inductive-deductive
human town.
method has proved
in
it,
it
had
went before.
century, this
method began
to be applied to the
investigation of
reached where
it
don
it
as revised
their
such
is
57
They were
scientific.
instance,
wealth
is
a law of nature,
is
or that capitalism
enables
**laws"
middle-class
of
cal-
natural-scientific
facts,
life
Precisely this
sociology, including
aim
when
fruit
only
when
it
has
and
clearly
fruitful
worded
it
is
question.
And
the
it is
more
in the latter.
The
'*
''
What
forms of social
58
life
allow
this
amount of happiness
to
grow and
to de-
that
is,
varied
to
'*
(from which,
definition oi progress
promote evolution
is
let
us note in passing, a
derived).
The
in this direction
desire to
determines
VIII.
said,
himself seeing
how
ment.
And
ing place in
and
by
factory agents
where
He under-
its
cle to emancipation
first
of
all,
formity,
inherited
tions
And
by
us
from our
servile past.
* *
Politi-
cal Justice/'
own
**
**
A General
and
*'
Confessions of a Revolutionist/' in
the Paris
and
its
incapacity to act as
although
body
it
consisted, in
Commune
a revolutionary
due proportion,
International
and
its
opened the
eyes of many.
International,
London
in
1871 instill
more
the International.
By
movement
it
they
into
from an eco-
erations against
the
London General
Council,
6x
No
if it
if it is
is
No
an unitself
destruc-
possible, if at the
time of the overthrow, or of the struggle leading to the overthrow, the idea of what
the place
of what
is
is
to be destroyed
to take
is
not
im-
mind a more
Consciously or
forming
in the
is
criticises
social institutions.
This
action.
is
To
tell
man
of
its
place,"
and others.
we
will dis-
means simply
And power is
who
Among
those
the
who work
us say, of autocracy
for
abolition
let
England or Germany,
like
greater
limitation
government
of
still
authority
while
still
the com-
it
and economic
determining
its
life,
aims and
its
it
own
its
to find
its
Anarchand this
own immediate
ideal
from those of
all
different
and
also, to
some
parties,
ecclesiastic ideals of
IX.
This
tion of
own
is
Anarchism.
The
its
three illustrations will help us to define the exact relation of our views to
modern
science and
When,
for instance,
(writ-
ten large)
that
of
**
*'
is
;"
or
Law
are the
development
"
Law and
of
same
the
we
these
as
assertions
*'
spirit;"
or that
only formally;"
Goethe's
human
Faust."
as
feel
Mephistopheles
does
We
differ
respect for
little
in
state-
hypnotic power.
give
'*Law" a
we
its
it
now, how-
anthropological
different epochs.
In this
way we come
namely,
very respect
lished
differ
from those
by custom which
64
institutions estab-
Law
society.
doing
but, while
so,
it
most part
in
a disguised
even
moment
in
down
contemporary
to the present
**
labor legisla-
case
of
strikes,*
a compulsory
(no less
And
on.
be so as long as
all society,
Capitalism.
It is plain, therefore,
aspires
'
'
to Justice (a
Compulsory
tradiction
why Anarchism
which
arbitration
65
' *
What
a glaring con-
equality)
When, however, we
Law we
**
categoric imperative'*
by
rejecting
we deny the
of Kant, we answer
wording of
since
this objection is to us
It is as
strange
prehensible language
for instance, as
Laplace
language accessible to
into a
men
great
and as
all
''
selves?
**
all,
universal
perative
*'
man who
law'' or '^the
really
there is in all
men
mean
Does he mean
imthat
done to himself
Let
that
good
for evil?
us, then,
study (as
return
it
would be
better even to
If so, well
Adam
and good.
am
have recently
car-
moral ideas
in
man, and
their course
of develop-
ment.
human
times (a thing
Then, we
may
analyze to what
The
question
only those
who
is
'*
shall see
whether it
is
family.
And
be correct,
if
we
of
ine-
quality.
We
And
ment
in
man
of moral feelings
first,
of those
institutions
development promoted by
religion, and
what extent ? Is it promoted by inequality
economic and poHtical and by a division into
Is this
to
(>1
The hangman ?
Let us study
may we speak
all
this in detail,
by means
tion
perficiality of
our semi-learning.
In their time
useful
now
but
that
we
same manner as the gardener and the physiup the study of the conditions
most favorable for the growth of a plant let us
the
ologist take
do so
Likewise,
when
*'in
is
made by
seem to us
be
so,
this
we
**
tremendously
say.
it
socialistic."
It
may
may
just
other
proportional to the
body
number of seconds
68
it
is
has
Been falling ?
relation
quantitative
whereas
To
quantitative measurements.
self to the
by-
confine your-
commodities
**
generally
increases
'*
is
when
and
required,
He who
first
observed
that,
is
measured by the
its
average height.
generally speaking,
there
is
that
man
surely
made a
the
fall
amount of rainfall
ing
him and
measured by
after
is
of fall and
is
is
it fell
scientific discovery.
its
average
through which a
fall-
measured by
it,
that person
would
unscientific, full as
pressions.
excuse.
it
The absence
Hundreds,
if
may be
that his
work
is
of scientific ex-
of data
is,
clearly,
no
relationships are
another
known
to science in
which we
see the
for
in the
it
and
ahty as a
scientific law.
them
will
who
believe in
come
by quan-
titative investigation.
Moreover, the whole of political economy appears to us in a different light from that in which
it is
dle-class
scientific
tific
they
fail
to give themselves
unknown
any
to them,
account
definite
they delight
know
they
or
if
know they
They do not
continually forget
It
is
tain
conditions in nature
will
happen."
''If
one
**
If cer-
the
it,
If two
bodies are acted upon by such movements only
consequences
as
will
be these or those."
third
and there
no
is
distance of them,
And
so on.
is
an ''if
condition.
" Granting
that there
are always in
who
them by those
whom
owners of land,
results will be so
So
far
then the
and so."
middle-class
political
71
economy has
And
then,
arise in
the
stating
distinctly
conditions
happens
without
themselves.
As
economic laws.
to socialist political
economy,
of
it
explains
or
its
and
own.
in
criticises
others
It still
takes.
And
yet,
in
our opinion,
economy
political
It
knowledge for
,
their
how
far
stated)
life,
it
is
obviously
practical application to
its
should concern
itself
means would
be, in
be
clear,
given already,
made on
scientific lines.
why it
is
that
we come
to conclu-
gard as
''
laws
''
why we do
certain of the
by them
not re-
temporary
and why,
economic
life
rela-
why we expound
of different nations,
after
in
the
we come
to
come
ivism.
letter written
help
illustration.
when
by a renowned
The
letter
for publication,
State.
It
own
metaphysical assertions
like
the
following
'
year,
we
and sometimes
at different
moments
of the day,
which
labor
is
among
the
different organs
(the
law of
Adam
Smith).
'*
Scientific people
74
to
the
sci-
"
The
State
is
**
The
State
or,
is
is
''
;
impossible."
forms (and to their desirable or probable evoluand they imagine that laws, like that of Adam Smith,
have a fatalistic power from which it is impossible to rid
oneself.
last
When
the sad
results of individualism,
this is
they an-
The naturahst,
also
The
clear
to find
to rise.
To us
this
it
seems so
difficult to
understand the
full
meaning of
this
observation.
The law of the division of labor in time will counterbalance the law of Adam Smith, and will permit the in'
'
tegration of labor to
be reacned by every
75
individual.'*
if I
were to do
so, I
should
chists
be found, with
all
whole
series of
may
necessary explanations, in a
is a form of
which has developed in our European
civilization, under the influence of a series of
causes,* only since the end of the sixteenth
I will
social life
Before
century.
State, in
more
its
exactly,
the historians
it
century
the
or,
who
sian autocracy to
sixteenth
the
Roman
Rus-
Church, State-Army)
and Capitalism
are,
by
side,
ally
They
in
In history
by a mere
mutuother.
coinci-
*An
analysis of which
pamphlet,
The
State
and
may be
its
pamphlets).
76
found
sayin
Historic Role
* *
the
{Freedom
them
poor.
To
talism
without the
abolition
State
latter
alongside of
it
ion, as
it
is
is
Many
even the
fifties,
X.
It is
widely in
its
method of
investigation
differs
and
so
in its
fraternity,
still
less
it
We
are
of social
therefore
ficial
'*the
no longer able
interpreters
to say, as
theory
told
of
the
them do
by
are
practicing
know
not true.
we
they
as
We
which
non-interference/*
like*'
that this
capitalist
any
nineteenth
opportunity
**
within
State
is,
the
The
Jacobinist, conven-
legislated:
tion
laborers
do as they pleased."
to
the
State
In
death!''
1813
and in 1 831 they were deported to Ausforming the Great Trades' Union (Union
strike,
tralia for
of
all
Trades) of Robert
people
still
participating
for
in
were
Owen
condemned
in
strikes,
in the sixties
to
hard
and
even
labor
now,
dam-
working
in
say,
then,
for
times of strike.
of
France,
What
Belgium,
is
one to
Switzerland
pecially of
puts
factory boss;
78
are
still
lation
time
when
all
!)
is
it
is
accumu-
kinds of monopolies
in
railroads,
works, schools,
In short, the
etc., etc.
system of non-interference
the
laissez faire
And
any government.
missible
therefore,
if it
per-
is
is
prac-
ers.
Freedom
never
and
to
7iowhere existed.
be taken by
step
force,
by
non-interference
of
''Non-interference," and
countless sacrifices.
more than
far
Everywhere it had to
direct
support
Nor
could
it
be otherwise.
to hold the
the
mission of
nomic
slavery.
Knowing
this,
we cannot
79
see a guarantee of
progress in a
still
We
the State.
fullest
of the State
in the greatest
individual initiative
and
development of
in the
which
upon society (especially since
sixteenth century), and which now tries to
tend its functions more and more and, in
in the first place, the State authority
has
fixed itself
the
exthe
embracing
society.
stand,
in
The
federations
their
life
of society
whole
we
striving for
in
new
of
under-
the
itself
rigid,
something ever
This
sum of happiness)
our own special tactics in
the struggle.
It
unity of
not
action,
through
but
discipline,
through the unity of aims and the mutual confidence which never fail to develop when a great
number of persons have consciously embraced
some common idea. This tendency manifests
itself in
life
all
the internal
all
we
fail.
social
life
to develop
cal relations.
so
it
its
It
undoubtedly
will
be
in the future.
all
New
round.
in hand
depended on each other in
in history.
this
They
development.
has evolved
order
its
own
characteristic political
both in
government
strictly centrahzed. monarchies and in republics.
Socialism, whatever may be the form in which
it will appear, and in whatever degree it may
representative
approach to
will also
its
cal structure.
usCy
Of
no more than
the old
it
its
could avail
8i
Communism,
own form of politiform it cannot make
unavoidable goal
have to choose
itself
of the hier-
with
capitalist rule.
One way
or another, Socialism
come more
Besides,
self-governing.
modern
life
when we
of France, Spain^
in
means of
free
federation,
diate
Of
in
order to satisfy
attain
course,
imme-
certain
making for
upon the old model
for capitahst
mental centralization
va the
land, are
this goal.
and govern-
both
territorial
and
functional,
is
un-
doubtedly aimed
ican people.
fests itself in
at
In actual
life
this
tendency mani-
it
as
And
performed.
nomenon
found
it
phe-
of universal
import,
expression in the
this
tendency
Commune
Paris
of
87 1
society
this
an
of
force
future
view has
The
history.
France and
already acquired
extremely
important
future
revolutions
in
the
factor
of
in
not
centralist.
On
the strength of
that to
work
this,
all
we
are convinced
it
a desideratmUy means to
manifest.
itself
a great
it.
mission
historical mistake,
To
of
and
by
chinery, and
manage
first
steps
it
who
forms of political
life,
this
is
in
our eyes a
we
Finally, since
party,
we
represent a revolutionary
We
first
of
en-
all,
this
going back to
And
spirit.
desperation,
better
whence
fail
to
came
came
therefore, after
we put them
aside, and,
and what
to rise
by Louis
Blanc,
move-
We
see in
who
ment
it,
presents
directed
first
it
it is
pictured
(''
Every
Abbe
village
Gregoire,
had
its
who knew
.;
was
vari-
peasant movement
successful.
of the State,
socialist equality
inclusive, centralized
by plunder before and during the Revolution) and afford them the full
opportunity of exploiting the poor without any
erty (gained partly
legal restrictions.
ploit,
an excellent
From
local
soil
for establishing
life,
France
first
is
which
kills all
was made by
his empire.
in history
say that
it is
sufficient to
lution,
not at
not at
all
all
as a Jacobinist dictatorship
death.
We
widespread
popular
movement, during
will
that
is, first
way
all,
and
As
self-appointed or elected
be
it
'*the dictator-
or an
elected
*'
again, a Jacobinist
still
saying in Germany,
temporary government,"
''
convention,''
we place
or,
in
no hopes whatever. Not because we personally do not like it, but because nowhere and
it
86
never in history do
into
we
by
government
revolutionary
wave,
always and
moment; always
and everywhere they became an obstacle to the
revolution.
We place no hope in this repretionary requirements of the
work of rebuiding
so-
is
at
most
it
to regions
yet begun
it.
of the territory
To impose
it
otherwise
it
The
\xi
destruction
every portion
will not
be done.
as yet,
sion for
light,
attitude
toward the
*'the conquest
la
conquete
of
des
pouvoirSy
know
as
that
is
it
by
In proportion
come a power
and
as the
in the present
powerful
is
im-
socialists be-
must
die out
other-
much more
admitted
recognize
is
bourgeois society
than
We
expressed in France.
them
in
And we know
as their rulers.
England or Germany a
socialist
government,
it
would soon
of
all
revolutions bring us
to
the conclusion
has originated in
sembly.
full
And no
born,
armor
And
nation.
ary
spirit
such a manner
in
deeply moved
by the
it,
one by one.
Many
perished
would say
"uselessly/'
but the
indiffer-
The
tors.
dullest
reflect,
full
way ?
Why should
of strength, sacri-
was impossible
was necessary to take
a stand, for or against thought was awakening.
Then, little by little, small groups came to be
imbued with the same spirit of revolt they also
rebelled
sometimes in the hope of local sucfice their lives in this
to remain indifferent
It
it
cess
some
in
strikes
official
or in
whom
small
against
revolts
they disliked, or
in
order to
simply be-
unbearable.
Not
revolution.
early
fifties
unknown,
until 1857.
This was
affairs.
all
revolts
may
the
is
it
determined by the
And
by which
preceded.
To
come
as a birthday present,
series of protests
nary
revolts,
revolution
absurd.
is
without a whole
hundreds of prelimi-
is,
to
say the
least,
all
90
stacle to the
and to
spirit
all
is
the
Christian Church.
Without entering
discussion of
into further
human
institutions
the
generalizations
method;
future steps of
equality,
and
the greatest
human
It is
entific,
fraternity, with a
sum
view to realizing
society.
intellectual
pered for
in
throughout Europe
tion,
after the
French Revolu-
fifties.
in full vigor
mentioned.
it
Its
human
is
form a
object
Its
is
to
scientific
Anarchism
has
taken in
practical
Anarchism,
In
life.
Individual and
the
of the
eighteenth century, takes the side of the Individual as against the State, of Society as against the
it.
And,
self of the
science,
has
it
shown
that
among
its
it-
now
a tendency
to limit in actual
ture,
is
availing
by modern
the State
whose
life
as harmful as
is,
it is
in reality, a superstruc-
agrarian, industrial,
and
ing)
of politically-free
which
caused
the
financial
which
Rome and
Greece, and
of
other des-
death
all
and of
Egypt.
in an-
and the
priest,
literally
nothing
to subsist
at a price
derstands, therefore,
attention
that in political
must be directed
first
provide
'
must be
food,
of
first
all
economy
to so-called
concern of the
to reorganize that so as to
clothing
and
shelter
for
all.
need of society.
see in the next
capitalism. It sees in
it
the
first
No-government Communism.
Whether or not Anarchism is right in its conclusions, will be shown by a scientific criticism
of its bases and by the practical life of the future.
But in one thing it is absolutely right in that it
to
in
Owing
more
in its
readily.
But
the
tific
is
THE END.
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