Emma Goldman’s [1869–1940] definition highlights the anarchist’s
opposing view that order need not be imposed by authority but
should stem from free agreements between free individuals. Writers
such as Tolstoy [1828–1910] and Kropotkin [1842–1921] would argue
that existing states incorporate the systematic use of violence against
the population through the police, prison system and the armed
forces. The concept of ‘justice’ is caricatured by imprisoning the poor
and defenceless. The concept of ‘defence’ is caricatured by destroying
the lives of millions to defend the interests of the propertied
minority. Most anarchists argue that our present wasteful urban
industrialised lifestyle should be replaced by a more ascetic and
healthy one. Kropotkin argued that five hours labour a week from
everyone could yield a middle-class lifestyle for all. Autonomous
communes and voluntary literary, educational, artistic and sporting
associations would freely exchange goods and services on a non-profit
basis (perhaps basing exchanges on Proudhon’s idea of the hours of
labour involved in each product or service).
As Woodcock’s definition suggests, a crucial problem for anar-
chists is how to make the transition to the new state of affairs. Most
would advocate simply withdrawing consent from current ways of
doing things and practising a new libertarian lifestyle immediately.
Hence a number of anarchists have sought to set up ‘communes’
independent of current states, whilst Proudhon [1809–1865] advo-
cated the setting up of an independent banking system based on
labour-hours. As Howard Zim puts it:
The anarchist sees revolutionary change as something immediate,
something we must do now, where we live, where we work. It means
starting this moment to do away with authoritarian relationships –
between men and women, between children and parents, between one
kind of worker and another kind. Such revolutionary spirit cannot be
crushed like an armed uprising.
(Quoted in Pennock and Chapman, 1978)A minority of anarchists urge that the state machinery needs to be
smashed by armed insurrection, or have taken to terrorist violence.
Anarchist terrorism has mostly been in response to unjustified state
campaigns against tiny minorities of rather theoretical anarchists.
This violent tendency is well illustrated by the following quotation:
CONCEPTS 53