Synopses & Reviews
Back in print and featuring a new foreword by the authors, this polemic approaches the subject of anarchism in relation to class struggle. It presents an argument against class-based society and hierarchy and advocates for a free and equal society based on individual dignity and merit. Drawing from the authors experiences as activists and documenting the activities of other 20th-century anarchistsincluding clandestine activities and social change by any meansthis fundamental text asserts that government is the true enemy of the people and that only through the dissolution of government can the people put an end to exploitation and war, leading to a fully free society.
Review
"A lucid exposition of revolutionary anarchist theory." Peace News
Review
"Coming from a position of uncompromising class struggle . . . [this book] has a power and directness sadly missing from some contemporary anarchist writing. It is exciting to see it back in print, ready for a new generation to read." Barry Pateman, associate editor, Emma Goldman Papers
Synopsis
The floodgates holding back anarchy are constantly under strain. The liberal would ease the pressure by diverting some of the water; the conservative would shore up the dykes, the totalitarian would construct a stronger dam.
But is anarchy a destructive force? The absence of government may alarm the authoritarian, but is a liberated people really its own worst enemy--or is the true enemy of mankind, as the anarchists claim, the means by which he is governed? Without government the world could manage to end exploitation and war. Anarchy should not be confused with weak, divided or manifold government. As Christie and Meltzer point out, only with the total abolition of government can society develop in freedom.
About the Author
Stuart Christie is an activist for anarchism and the author of Granny Made Me an Anarchist: General Franco, the Angry Brigade and Me and We, the Anarchists!: A Study of the Iberian Anarchist Federation (FAI) 19271937. Albert Meltzer is an activist for anarchism and the author of several books, including Anarchism: Arguments For and Against.