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Anarchism is a term describing a cluster
of doctrines and attitudes whose principle uniting feature is the belief that government is both harmful and unnecessary.Derived
from the Greek root signifying "without a rule," the terms anarchism,anarchist, and anarchy are used to express both approval
and dissapproval. In early contexts all these terms were used uncomplimentary: during the English Civil War of the 17th century
the opponents of the radical Levellers referred to them as "Switzerising anarchists," and during the French Revolution the
Girondin leader Jacques-Pierre Brissot accused his most extreme rivals, the Enrages, of being the Advocates of "anarchy."
Laws that are not carried into effect, authorities without force and despised, crime unpunished,
property attacked, the safety of the individual violated, the morality of the people corrupted, no constitution, no government,
no justice, these are the features of anarchy.
These words uttered by the leader oh the French Revolutionary moderates in 1793 could
serve as a model for the reprobations delivered by all opponents of the anarchists. The latter, for their part, would
admit many of Brissot's points. They deny man-made laws, regard property as a means of tyranny, and believe that crime is
merely the product of a society based on property and authority. But they would argue that their denial of constitutions and
governments leads not to "no justice" but to the real justice inherent in the free development of man's sociality, his natural
inclination, when unconstrained by laws, to live according to the principles and practice of mutual aid.
Sources: A number of encyclopedias and vast number of readings that I have come across.
Most of the knowledge I gained from those I compiled in this short essay.
Written by: Kat Gilbert
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