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'''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 tend to support unrestricted access to drugs, alcohol, pornography, gambling and any other form of addiction.  Anarchists support unrestricted [[abortion]], [[assisted suicide]], and prostitution.  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.

'''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 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.

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.

==Christian Anarchism==

==Christian Anarchism==

[[Image:Tolstoy.jpg|thumb|Leo Tolstoy]]

[[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."

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".  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 in practice==

Many anarchists believe in a peaceful means of achieving an anarchist system. Some of these means include not voting, secession from government, and peaceful protesting.

Many anarchists believe in a peaceful means of achieving anarchy. Some of these means include refusal to participate in government (most commonly abstinence from voting), secession from government, and civil disobedience.

Other anarchists support violence as a means of achieving anarchism. Some anarchist groups have been labeled [[terrorist]] organizations by the US government.^{[Citation needed]}

Other anarchists believe that it is necessary to resort to violence in order to abolish present power structures. Still others take the approach that since authorities have historically used violence to suppress efforts toward the systems which give them power, prudence dictates that anarchists should be prepared to fight back.

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.

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==

==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).

In a broader sense, anarchy denotes the absence of order, or, chaos. For example, "Because of the holiday, it was anarchy at the airport." 

==See Also==

==See Also==