Difference between revisions of "Anarchism"

Revision as of 22:13, January 16, 2011

'''Anarchism''' is a [[political]] philosophy advocating the removal of the State and the establishment of a society without [[government]]. The term is of [[Greek]] origin (coming from the word "αναρχία" (anarchia), meaning "without rulers".) Anarchists oppose the use of prisons. Anarchists tend to oppose any form of government, but can be found expressing support for [[direct democracy]], [[freedom of speech]], de-centralism, individualism and anti-authoritarianism. Anarchists generally oppose what [[Noam Chomsky]] has termed "illegitimate authority": stopping a child from running into a busy street would be an act of legitimate authority. The government and other coercive entities are considered illegitimate. ==Traditional anarchism== Traditional anarchism is similar to [[communism]], though unlike in communism, traditional anarchists do not favor [[socialism]] as a means to their end, as it requires a state. Traditional anarchists advocate the formation of [[collective|collectives]]. Traditional anarchism rejects all authority, both business and government. ==Branches of Anarchism== ===Anarcho-Syndicalism=== Anarcho syndicalism is the most influential branch or anarchism world wide, partly due to the syndicalists' involvement in the [[Spanish Civil War]]. Anarcho-syndicalism is founded in workers' rights and trade unionism. In a syndicalist society workers would be self managing and a union of all workers would take the place of government. Syndicalism is not firmly opposed to currency or trade of capitalism like most other branches. ===Individualist anarchism=== Unlike many forms traditional anarchism, does not advocate collectivism in a since. Many individualist Anarchists often argue that both collective and individual freedom can go hand in hand. Individualist anarchists differ on the status of [[private property]] and other rights. ===Anarcho-capitalism=== Anarcho-capitalism is a form of individualist anarchism which favors private police agencies, security companies, and arbitration instead of government. Anarcho-capitalism is the most extreme form of [[libertarianism]]. Traditional anarchists argue that anarcho-capitalists are not true anarchists. This is due to their support of the authority of business and private property. Traditional anarchists argue that one cannot live without wages under a [[capitalist]] system. Anarcho-capitalists argue that all support of business is voluntary, since one can choose between companies under a capitalist system. Anarcho-capitalists reject collectives, since they focus on the community rather than the individual, which may lead to a loss of individual freedom. ===Christian Anarchism=== [[Image:Tolstoy.jpg|thumb|Leo Tolstoy]] Christianity has been influential on some anarchists. Russian novelist [[Leo Tolstoy]] is seen as an important figure in this trend. Tolstoy's Christian anarchism was outlined in his book "The Kingdom of God is Within You". Like all Christian anarchists, he believed that the only authority is God, and that therefore government is illegitimate. To support their views, they will often quote the following passage by [[Paul]]: "there is no authority except that which God has established." ==Anarchism in practice== Anarchism ranges through a number of different ideologies and practices. Some anarchists limit themselves to peaceful marches. Most refrain from voting. Others lead an insurrectionist lifestyle, which can include throwing rocks through Starbucks windows, yelling expletives at policemen, hacking into white nationalist or neo-Nazi websites, forming black blocs at national protests, and generally wreaking havoc on the system they are fighting against. During the [[Spanish Civil War]] there occurred in the Republican areas a "Spanish Revolution". It involved the taking over of workplaces by those who worked in them. Industry began to be organized non-hierarchically. The anarchist union the CNT did this with considerable success. ==Other uses== In addition to being a philosophy, anarchy can also be a description of a system in which there is no higher governmental authority. The world level of political interaction is considered anarchical, because there is no power over the sovereign states (i.e. there is no world government). ==See Also== *[[Anarcho-capitalism]] *[[Nihilism]] *[[Anarchopedia]] ==Sources== *[http://www.infoshop.org/faq/ An Anarchist FAQ] - From a traditional anarchist point of view. *[http://www.mises.org/ Ludwig von Mises Institute] - Promotes Austrian [[economics]] as well as anarcho-capitalism. *[http://www.aim.org/wls/category/anarchy/ What Liberals Say - Category: Anarchy], [[Accuracy In Media]] [[Category:Libertarianism]] [[Category:Anarchists]]