Making sense of anarchism ; Errico Malatesta's experiments with revolution, 1889--1900

Can We Make Sense Of Anarchism Or Is That An Oxymoron? Guided By The Principle That Someone Else's Rationality Is Not An Empirical Finding But A Methodological Presumption, This Book Addresses That Question As It Investigates The Ideas And Action Of One Of The Most Prominent And Underrated Anarchists Of All Times: The Italian, Errico Malatesta.-- Introduction: Anarchism, A Simple And Odd Business? -- The First International: A Lasting Heritage -- An 'anarchist Rarity' Reappears, 1889 -- A Short-lived, Momentous Periodical, 1889-90 -- Opaque Insurrectionary Trials, 1890-92 -- Open-ended Popular Movements, 1892-94 -- Patient Work In The Light Of Day, 1894-98 -- From The Other Side Of The Atlantic Ocean, 1899-1900 -- Malatesta's Anarchism: A Charitable Interpretation -- Conclusion: A Complex, Rational Business. Davide Turcato. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 252-266) And Index. Can we make sense of anarchism or is that an oxymoron? Guided by the principle that someone else's rationality is not an empirical finding but a methodological presumption, this book addresses that question as it investigates the ideas and action of one of the most prominent and underrated anarchists of all times: the Italian, Errico Malatesta. Many historians consider naIvety, absurdity and stupidity as anarchism's obvious attributes. They emphasize the abysmal gap between the anarchists' aims and means, their ideal and reality. Yet could the gap be between reality and the observer's understanding, instead? Or is 'making sense of anarchism' a hopeless oxymoron? Davide Turcato addresses these questions as he investigates the ideas and action of one of the most prominent and underrated anarchists, the Italian, Errico Malatesta, during the central years of his life. The methodological presumption of rationality is the book's driving principle in attempting a coherent interpretation of Malatesta's intentions, beliefs and actions. Between the two paths of liberal democracy and state socialism, anarchism has been unanimously regarded as a dead end; Malatesta regarded it as an open road. Reassessed in the light of a 'principle of rational accommodation' his revolutionary attempts surprisingly appear as sound and rational experiments in the pursuit of the collective good Front Matter....Pages i-xi Introduction: Anarchism, a Simple and Odd Business?....Pages 1-13 The First International: A Lasting Heritage....Pages 14-35 An ‘Anarchist Rarity’ Reappears, 1889....Pages 36-49 A Short-Lived, Momentous Periodical, 1889–90....Pages 50-70 Opaque Insurrectionary Trials, 1890–92....Pages 71-100 Open-Ended Popular Movements, 1892–94....Pages 101-127 Patient Work in the Light of Day, 1894–98....Pages 128-175 From the Other Side of the Atlantic Ocean, 1899–1900....Pages 176-212 Malatesta’s Anarchism: A Charitable Interpretation....Pages 213-238 Conclusion: A Complex, Rational Business....Pages 239-251 Back Matter....Pages 252-275