Debating Anarchism: A History of Action, Ideas and Movements (Debates in World History)

"This timely book introduces readers to anarchism's relationship to broader history, offering not simply a history of anarchism in the modern period, but a critical introduction to debates on anarchist history. Attention thus far has been biased towards intellectual history and key thinkers such as Proudhon, Bakunin and Kropotkin, but these studies have neglected the social movements and spaces which have seen 'anarchy in action' and marginalised the role of women and voices beyond Europe and the United States. Debating Anarchism offers a different perspective, engaging with women's anarchist experiences and grounding recent historical work on anarchism in Africa and Asia. Interrogating anarchism as a concept, a movement and a social reality the author guides the reader through the origins of anarchism in the age of revolutions, assessing experiences of anarchy in Russia, Spain, India and beyond. Tracing the development of 'the beautiful idea' through the twentieth century, Finn explores anarchism in the Cold War world through to postmodernity and the twenty-first century. This volume situates anarchism in the broader historiographies of the modern world, offering a unique starting point for students of history, politics and philosophy seeking to understand the abiding power of 'the beautiful idea' - a society without government"-- Provided by publisher Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Contents Acknowledgements Abbreviations Introduction: Everywhere and nowhere: The problem of anarchist historiography A tale of two ‘moments’: Anarchism in the past and the present ‘Seeing anarchy’ in history and the present Plan of the book Further reading General histories Introductions Other reference works Part I: Anarchism in an age of revolutions, 1840–1939 Chapter 1: Anarchy is order: The origins of ‘the beautiful idea’, c. 1840–72 Introduction: The making of ‘classical anarchism’ The emergence of anarchism in Europe, 1840–64 The First International and the impact of Bakunin Debates in the International, 1864–72 Action and memory: The Paris Commune Conclusion: ‘Classical anarchism’? Further reading Classical anarchist thought The early anarchist movement Chapter 2: Words versus deeds : Anarchism and syndicalism before the First World War, 1872–1914 Introduction: Kropotkin, Malatesta, Michel and Goldman Propaganda of the deed Propaganda of the word: Publishing, journalism, translation Words or deeds? Education Syndicalism: ‘Building a new world in the shell of the old’ ‘Modern science and anarchy’: Kropotkin, mutual aid and anarchist communism Conclusion: A ‘first anarchist moment’? Further reading Anarchism in the ‘first globalization’ Propaganda of the deed Syndicalism Chapter 3: European anarchisms?: Russia and Spain Introduction: Anarchism, Marxism and the politics of memory Anarchism and revolution in Russia 1917 and after Makhno, the Free Territory and Kronstadt Anarchism and revolution in Spain A ‘millenarian’ movement? 1936–37: Revolution, ‘collaboration’, the May Days Conclusion: Anarchies in action Further reading Russia and the Soviet Union Spain Chapter 4: Global anarchisms : Japan, India and beyond Introduction: Anarchism in two modes India and South Asian Anarchism Japan and East Asian Anarchism Conclusion: Global anarchism? Further reading Part II: ‘The seeds beneath the snow’: Anarchism in the age of the superpowers Chapter 5: The last anarchists? : Anarchism, decolonization and protest in the Cold War world, 1945–1989 Introduction: Anarchism from the Second World War to the ‘end of history’ The individual and the collective in a bureaucratic age: Anarchism, libertarian socialism and ‘libertarianism’ The Sixties: Decolonization and protest Black Anarchism, anarcha-feminism, eco-anarchism Black Anarchism Anarcha-feminism Eco-anarchism Conclusion: ‘New’ anarchisms? Further reading General reading 1968 Anarcha-feminism and Black Anarchism General anarchist thought Part III: Anarchist ‘turns’: Anarchism in the age of postmodernity Conclusion: Anarchism and history in a second anarchist moment Introduction: ‘The new anarchists’ The modern legacy of ‘68?: A postanarchist ‘moment’ Postanarchism and ‘lifestyle anarchism’ From 9/11 to Occupy Conclusion: A tale of two anarchisms Further reading Notes Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Conclusion Index This timely book introduces readers to anarchism's relationship to broader history, offering not only a history of anarchism in the modern period, but a critical introduction to debates on anarchist history. Attention thus far has been biased towards intellectual history and key thinkers such as Proudhon, Bakunin and Kropotkin, but these studies have neglected the social movements and spaces which have seen 'anarchy in action' and marginalised the role of women and voices beyond Europe and the United States. __Debating Anarchism__ offers a different perspective, engaging with women's anarchist experiences and grounding recent historical work on anarchism in a global perspective. Interrogating anarchism as a concept, a movement and a social reality the author guides the reader through the origins of anarchism in the age of revolutions, assessing experiences of anarchy in Russia, Spain, India and beyond. Tracing the development of 'the beautiful idea' through the 20th century, Finn explores anarchism in the Cold War world through to postmodernity and the 21st century. This volume situates anarchism in the broader historiographies of the modern world, offering a unique starting point for students of history, politics and philosophy seeking to understand the abiding power of 'the beautiful idea' – a society without government.