Synopses & Reviews
Born a Russian prince, Peter Kropotkin (1842-1921) rejected his title and wealth to spend his life in pursuit of social justice and equality. His last major work,
The Conquest of Bread, surveys economic methods for the satisfaction of human needs. The 1892 treatise also outlines the revolutionary path to his vision of utopia: an anarchist communist society.
Kropotkin criticizes the effects of feudalism and capitalism, noting that both systems exacerbate poverty and promote privilege, even in times of abundance. Citing the human propensity toward voluntary cooperation, he proposes the establishment of free, self-sufficient anarchic communesand outlines practical considerations of production and distribution. The author supports his theories with examples from the French rebellions of 1789, 1848, and 1871, and his reasoning anticipates aspects of twentieth-century revolutions in Russia, Germany, and Spain. At a time when many thinkers employed the new Darwinian concept of "survival of the fittest" to justify their capitalist and imperialist goals, Kropotkin pointed out the historic patterns of humanity's best success under cooperative circumstances. A century later, his economic analysis remains fresh and relevant.
Synopsis
Written by a Russian prince who renounced his title, this work promotes an anarchist market economy — a system of autonomous cooperative collectives. A century after its initial publication, it remains fresh and relevant.
Synopsis
Written by a Russian prince who renounced his title, this is a study of human needs and the economic means to satisfy them. Kropotkin regarded capitalism's concentration of wealth as the root of poverty, proposing instead an anarchist market economy -- a system of autonomous cooperative collectives. His economic analysis remains fresh and relevant.
Synopsis
Written by a Russian prince who renounced his title, this 1892 treatise examines human needs and the economic means to satisfy them. Kropotkin rejects capitalism in favor of anarchist market economy, consisting of free, self-sufficient communes. He draws upon historic examples to illustrate his fresh, ever-relevant economic analysis.
About the Author
Peter Kropotkin (1842-1921) rejected his aristocratic birthright and the inequalities of Russian society to pursue a philosophy of nonviolent anarchism based on mutual aid.
Table of Contents
I Our Riches II Well-Being for All III Anarchist Communism IV Expropriation V Food VI Dwelling VII Clothing VIII Ways and Means IX The Need for Luxury X Agreeable Work XI Free Agreement XII Oblections XIII The Collectivist Wages System XIV Consumption and Production XV The Division of Lsabour XVI The Decentralization of Industry XVII Agriculture Notes