ABC of Anarchism... Now what?

[BurnedFlagz]

I just finished the ABC of Anarchism by Alexander Berkman and I can definitely say that i recommend it to everyone on RevLeft no matter what your political views. It was a great book and definitely a 9/10 if not 10/10. I loved it. My first question is if you have already read it what were your thoughts on it? Did any of you find any flaws in his theory? And more importantly what book should I get and begin reading now? I'm an anarcho-communist so i'm leaning for that kind of material but if there's anything exceptional in any other fields i'm always open to a good read and thought-provoking literature. I'm planning on getting The Conquest of Bread but I need more ideas.:star:

[#FF0000]

Peter Kropotkin in general is p. good. The Conquest Of Bread, Mutual Aid, etc.

I'd also suggest Anarcho-Syndicalism: Theory and Practice by Rudolf Rocker.

These are all available from AK Press, I think (I'd throw my money their way -- or to any radical book publishers -- before folks like Penguin and all that)

[bad ideas actualised by alcohol]

Peter Kropotkin in general is p. good. The Conquest Of Bread, Mutual Aid, etc.

I'd also suggest Anarcho-Syndicalism: Theory and Practice by Rudolf Rocker.

These are all available from AK Press, I think (I'd throw my money their way -- or to any radical book publishers -- before folks like Penguin and all that)

Yeah, Penguin books are pretty awful anyways. Sure, it is nice that they're cheaper but the books are not durable at all. Especially the bigger books.

[The Jay]

Peter Kropotkin in general is p. good. The Conquest Of Bread, Mutual Aid, etc.

I'd also suggest Anarcho-Syndicalism: Theory and Practice by Rudolf Rocker.

These are all available from AK Press, I think (I'd throw my money their way -- or to any radical book publishers -- before folks like Penguin and all that)

I love AK Press. I bought a bunch of books from there when they had their 50% off sale.

[F9]

I just finished the ABC of Anarchism by Alexander Berkman and I can definitely say that i recommend it to everyone on RevLeft no matter what your political views. It was a great book and definitely a 9/10 if not 10/10. I loved it. My first question is if you have already read it what were your thoughts on it? Did any of you find any flaws in his theory? And more importantly what book should I get and begin reading now? I'm an anarcho-communist so i'm leaning for that kind of material but if there's anything exceptional in any other fields i'm always open to a good read and thought-provoking literature. I'm planning on getting The Conquest of Bread but I need more ideas.:star:

ohhhh i see myself re born, s/he even puts the :star: at the end:grin::wub: Go with Conquest of Bread if you are already ok with the understanding of the ideology but in any way read anything you can get your hands on from Errico Malatesta and Kropotkin.Rockers anarcho-syndicalism is also good but frankly dont really agree personally with syndicalism.

Fuserg9:star: (thats how you do it ;p)

[skitty]

I just finished the ABC of Anarchism by Alexander Berkman and I can definitely say that i recommend it to everyone on RevLeft no matter what your political views. It was a great book and definitely a 9/10 if not 10/10. I loved it. My first question is if you have already read it what were your thoughts on it? Did any of you find any flaws in his theory? And more importantly what book should I get and begin reading now? I'm an anarcho-communist so i'm leaning for that kind of material but if there's anything exceptional in any other fields i'm always open to a good read and thought-provoking literature. I'm planning on getting The Conquest of Bread but I need more ideas.:star:If you feel that way about Berkman don't stop there-read Living My Life by Emma Goldman:thumbup1:

[MarxArchist]

I just finished the ABC of Anarchism by Alexander Berkman and I can definitely say that i recommend it to everyone on RevLeft no matter what your political views. It was a great book and definitely a 9/10 if not 10/10. I loved it. My first question is if you have already read it what were your thoughts on it? Did any of you find any flaws in his theory? And more importantly what book should I get and begin reading now? I'm an anarcho-communist so i'm leaning for that kind of material but if there's anything exceptional in any other fields i'm always open to a good read and thought-provoking literature. I'm planning on getting The Conquest of Bread but I need more ideas.:star:


When he starts getting into detail of how a communist society would be run I think it becomes less 'scientific' (Marx) and more idealism but I enjoyed his comparisons showing a person who works sanitizing the city (sewage for instance) is just as important as a doctor because if the city is overrun with filth and feces people will die from disease. He gives top notch moral justification for communism and explains the ideal in an accessible manner. I'd suggest you read some syndicalist texts.

[BurnedFlagz]

When he starts getting into detail of how a communist society would be run I think it becomes less 'scientific' (Marx) and more idealism but I enjoyed his comparisons showing a person who works sanitizing the city (sewage for instance) is just as important as a doctor because if the city is overrun with filth and feces people will die from disease. He gives top notch moral justification for communism and explains the ideal in an accessible manner. I'd suggest you read some syndicalist texts.

I agree that was a great comparison.. we did a similar comparison in my world history AP class between sanitary worker and surgeon, teacher and cop, and there was another but I can not recollect. It's very interesting

[Skyhilist]

Some good reads, in my opinion:

The Conquest of Bread
Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution
What is Property?
Anarcho-Syndicalism: Theory and Practice
Hegemony or Survival
No Treason: The Constitution of No Authority
Anarchism and Other Essays

[Yet_Another_Boring_Marxist]

Some good reads, in my opinion:
No Treason: The Constitution of No Authority


Just a note, this is oftenly considered by some an Anarcho-Capitalist text, and I've definitely seen alot of those fellows praise it. I'm not saying that you shouldn't read it or that this poster is an Ana-Cap but I just think it's helpful to know a work's possible implications and modern interpretations .

[Skyhilist]

Just a note, this is oftenly considered by some an Anarcho-Capitalist text, and I've definitely seen alot of those fellows praise it. I'm not saying that you shouldn't read it or that this poster is an Ana-Cap but I just think it's helpful to know a work's possible implications and modern interpretations .

I honestly didn't know that, sorry to have caused any confusion. Really the list of books that I suggested were books that have been specifically recommended to me by more knowledgeable anarchists. I've read most but haven't actually gotten into that one yet. I never thought Lysander Spooner's texts had ancap undertones though so maybe I'm missing something.

[Yet_Another_Boring_Marxist]

I honestly didn't know that, sorry to have caused any confusion. Really the list of books that I suggested were books that have been specifically recommended to me by more knowledgeable anarchists. I've read most but haven't actually gotten into that one yet. I never thought Lysander Spooner's texts had ancap undertones though so maybe I'm missing something.

I'm sure the text has some merit to it, and I do intend to read it eventually, but when Murray Rothbard praises it as "the greatest case for anarchist political philosophy ever written." then I think it's fair to say that this statement doesn't come from a vacuum. It's not your fault, the only reason I know is that because I was an Ana-Cap at one point and I still have one of their pages liked on my facebook account so I can challenge my beliefs once and a while (since surprisingly so, they are probably the least dumb of the major schools of capitalist thought in the US).

Personally, if you want a good book on Individualist Anarchist theory then I'd recommend Max Steriner's The Ego and It's Own. Probably the best book outlining the case for individualist communism in my opinion and still holds a fair sway over me now even though I am no longer an anarchist.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Murray Rothbard also praised Che Guevara, Tito, and the 1960's black power movement.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Anyway, Lysander Spooner was never an anarchist IMO so it's wrong to say that he wrote "anarchist texts" or anything like that. He was a cool guy, though, and a rebel who fought against the injustices of slavery. He didn't support the Union's invasion of the Confederacy, though, hence "No Treason". IIRC he advocated instead that slavery be abolished through a guerrilla war in the southern US.

He was an obsessed admirer of the law, though, which I think people overlook when they try to lump him into anarchism or (egoistic) individualism.

[tuwix]

I just finished the ABC of Anarchism by Alexander Berkman and I can definitely say that i recommend it to everyone on RevLeft no matter what your political views. It was a great book and definitely a 9/10 if not 10/10. I loved it. My first question is if you have already read it what were your thoughts on it? Did any of you find any flaws in his theory? And more importantly what book should I get and begin reading now? I'm an anarcho-communist so i'm leaning for that kind of material but if there's anything exceptional in any other fields i'm always open to a good read and thought-provoking literature. I'm planning on getting The Conquest of Bread but I need more ideas.:star:

Have you read Proudhon's "What is Property?" This is where anarchism really started. It is available on-line.

[BurnedFlagz]

Have you read Proudhon's "What is Property?" This is where anarchism really started. It is available on-line.

I have not! I forgot about that.. I was suggested it a while back I might get this one too

[Decolonize The Left]

Anarchism and Other Essays by Emma Goldman was my next step after the ABCs of Anarchism.

[#FF0000]

It'd be cool to see some more modern texts thrown in rather than a bunch of the old classics.

[hatzel]

It'd be cool to see some more modern texts thrown in rather than a bunch of the old classics.

'Gramsci is dead' bammm job done :cool:

Also 'The accumulation of freedom,' maybe, or 'New perspectives on anarchism'...

[The Jay]

'Gramsci is dead' bammm job done :cool:

Also 'The accumulation of freedom,' maybe, or 'New perspectives on anarchism'...

I really want The Accumulation of Freedom. I have been eyeing it for a bit.

[hatzel]

It's worth the read, I'd say. I'd be the first to admit that historical anarchism doesn't exactly have much of a pedigree when it comes to economics broadly defined (I mean, what is there? Proudhon, the forgotten-if-even-ever-known Gesell and then a bunch of people saying we should like totally share stuff, man. Hardly setting the world alight...), so I think it's always a good idea to nudge newbies in the general direction of thinking about production>distribution>consumption, even if just to remind them that these are actually things...

[bcbm]

'black flame' is a good read about the history of anarchist communism/syndicalism

[Let's Get Free]

"Anarchism from Theory to Practice" by Daniel Guerin is the best summary of the writings of early anarchist political theory that I've ever read. It's here if you're interested.

http://libcom.org/library/anarchism-daniel-guerin

[Ele'ill]

I just finished the ABC of Anarchism by Alexander Berkman and I can definitely say that i recommend it to everyone on RevLeft no matter what your political views. It was a great book and definitely a 9/10 if not 10/10. I loved it. My first question is if you have already read it what were your thoughts on it? Did any of you find any flaws in his theory? And more importantly what book should I get and begin reading now? I'm an anarcho-communist so i'm leaning for that kind of material but if there's anything exceptional in any other fields i'm always open to a good read and thought-provoking literature. I'm planning on getting The Conquest of Bread but I need more ideas.:star:

http://theanarchistlibrary.org/

Maybe read all of the insurrectionist texts there

















all of them

[The Jay]

'black flame' is a good read about the history of anarchist communism/syndicalism

Have you heard anything about the second part? I can't find any information on a potential release date, though the authors appear to have written other books afterwards so I suspect it will be a while.

[Os Cangaceiros]

^"Global Fire"? Who knows when that's coming out...