Anarchism : Anarchist and Anti-Authoritarianism

1934 ~ Leader : From the Anarchist Encyclopedia (S. Faure), by Aristide Lapeyre
Leader: English word (from to lead) passed into common usage. One of those words universally used. In the English parliament the leader is the member of the assembly who groups around him the men of the same party, of the same opinion, who pursue the realization of the same program. We naturally distinguish the leader of the government from that of the opposition...the leader is the most visible personality of his party. By extension, we call leader the main article of a newspaper. Also, the horse that leads a race, gallops at the head of the others. In a party one must be careful not to take the leader for the most serious, the most cultivated, the most intelligent man. Often he is nothing but the most versatile, the lowest, the most ignorant. His superiority resides in his ability to raise himself to the leading position by the usual political means, i.e., intrigue and a lack of conscience. B... (From : TheAnarchistLibrary.org.)

1912 ~ A visit to L’anarchie
. Armand assumed the editorship of LAnarchie from April 4th, 1912 to September of the same year. These dates are inscribed in his own handwriting on a questionnaire which he had filled out at the request of Alain Sergent (Andre Mahe) at the time when Sergent was gathering documentation to write his Historie de Anarchie, of which one volume has so far appeared. Here is a picturesque public report by the Temps of May, 1912, where this brief period in . Armands life is captured. It is not without interest to see how the anarchists of 1912 are depicted in one of the best-known journals of the time. A Visit to LAnarchie LAnarchie is located in the quartier Saint-Paul on an old and narrow street which bears the picturesque name rue du Grenier-surlEau. Above the door... (From : TheAnarchistLibrary.org.)

1952 ~ Economic Imperialism, by Alan John Percivale Taylor
Ideas live longer than men, and the writer who can attach his name to an idea is safe for immortality. Darwin will live as long as Evolution, Marx be forgotten only when there are no class-struggles. In the same way, no survey of the international history of the twentieth century can be complete without the name of J A Hobson. He it was who found an economic motive for Imperialism. Lenin took over Hobsons explanation, which thus became the basis for Communist foreign policy to the present day. Non-Marxists were equally convinced, and contemporary history has been written largely in the light of Hobsons discovery. This discovery was an off-shoot from his general doctrine of under-consumption. The capitalists cannot spend their share of the national production. Saving makes their predicament worse. They demand openings for investment outside their saturated national market, and they find these openings in the undeveloped parts of the world. This is Imperialism. In Hob... (From : TheAnarchistLibrary.org.)

1960 ~ Sydney Libertarianism, by Allan James "Jim" Baker
I. SOCIAL THEORY. In explaining their position Sydney libertarians often refer to their interest in social theory. But this phrase, social theory, can suggest, not only empirical study, but also the making of certain criticisms; and at the same time, the question may be asked: How are these connected with the attitudes and sympathies libertarians have, with their support for particular social causes? Thus we should expect social theory to be concerned with developing true views about the nature and interconnection of social phenomena, and the position of libertarians does depend partly on what they take to be certain facts about how society operates. But this almost always gets connected with criticism and argument, for the social theorist is led to demolish certain fallacious arguments he encounters. For example, libertarians take the important thing about religion to be the actual, earthly role of religious institutions, but the... (From : TheAnarchistLibrary.org.)

1899 ~ The Relation of Anarchism to Organization, by Fred Schulder
The theory of anarchism has a destructive, as well as a constructive side. It, being the doctrine of equal liberty, it is necessarily opposed to all that destroys this equal liberty, classing all such destructive agencies under the general term government. This word has been defined by anarchists as invasion of the noninvasive individuals liberty. In this sense, I must insist that the word be used in this discussion, for in this sense I shall use it: and if, in criticizing my statements, you use the word in a different sense, you are not criticizing the thought expressed by me, but only a thing of your own manufacture. It may be claimed, however, that government, even in this sense, is but imperfectly defined until we know what does, and what does not, constitute invasion of equal liberty in every imaginable case. I concede that a difficulty exists herethat the line cannot be quite definitely drawn. But pray, have... (From : Fair-Use.org.)

1910
One year has passed since the death of Francisco Ferrer. His martyrdom has called forth almost universal indignation against the cabal of priest and ruler that doomed a noble man to death. The thinking, progressive elements throughout the world have voiced their protest in no ambiguous manner. Everywhere sympathy has been manifested for Ferrer, the modern victim of the Spanish Inquisition, and deep appreciation expressed for his work and aims. In short, the death of Ferrer has succeeded - as probably no other martyrdom of recent history - in rousing the social conscience of man. It has clarified the eternally unchanging attitude of the church as the enemy of progress; it has convincingly exposed the State as the crafty foe of popular advancement; it has, finally, roused deep interest in the destiny of the child and the necessity of rational education. It would indeed be a pity if the intellectual and emotional energies thus wakened should exhaust themselves in... (From : Kate Sharpley Library, http://www.katesharpleylibr....)

1930 ~ A May Day Speech
I am greatly afraid, Comrades, that my voice will not reach to all of you, but believe me that my spirit will reach to the farthest corners of the room. I have spoken in this hall before, and in other halls, and one wish I have always wished, that the architect who built a hall like thiswith the acoustics that this hall haswould never build another one like it. Now, I am going to bring you a message, that forty-four years ago today we had our first introduction on American soil of what was known as a great strike. It was the introduction of the eight-hour day in America. From twelve hours to eight hours was a great step, and I have the honor to be one of those who was so instrumental in my small and humble way in preparing for that immense strike. I have been in the labor movement for many years, I have been in the labor movement since I was a mere girl like these kids I see today. When I saw these little girls with... (From : TheAnarchistLibrary.org.)

Half a century after the events concerned, the Guardian and the BBC unearthed the facts about Edward VIII (later Duke of Windsor). Only their interpretations are dubious. They say the Establishment suspected Edward for his fascist views, and used the Mrs Simpson affaire as an excuse to get rid of him. Certainly Edward collaborated with the Nazis before and during the war and by law should have been hanged for high treason (even now a capital offense). He deserted his post in front of the enemy in France during the war and went to Spain. Another death sentence was due. Prime Minister Churchill then sent him off on a handsome salary to govern the Bahamas, where he gave information and advice to Berlin (a third death sentence!) and engaged in wartime currency trading (meriting only a lengthy prison sentence this time) and postwar black marketing (just a fineable offense). But it is nonsense to say, as they do, that this was because of his 'natural... (From : Hack.org.)

1945
FREEDOM IS IT A CRIME? The Strange Case of the Tree Anarchists Jailed at the Old Bailey, April 1945 Two Speeches by HERBERT READ FORWARD by E. SILVERMAN FREEDOM PRESS DEFENCE COMMITTEE 2d. First Published by The Freedom Press Defense Committee, 17, St. George Street, London, W.1. June, 1945 And printed by Express Printers, London. The Publishers have asked me to write a foreword to this pamphlet. As an individual who cares about freedom of speech and freedom of the press I accept with pleasure the opportunity to say a word to the public. Three decent, useful and respectable citizens, who Mr. Justice Birkett said were of the highest character and who he was quite prepared to believe were actuated by the highest motives, are in prison. Their crime is conspiracy to cause disaffection by certain articles which appeared in Wa... (From : Anarchy Archives.)

1886
The attempt of the local authorities to renew the London coal and corn duties has revealed to the people one of the numberless indirect methods by which they are fleeced by their masters. The Corporation and Board of Works devote these duties (coal, taxed 13d. a ton, brings in L450,000 a-year) to the fair-seeming purposes of town improvements and the purchase of open spaces. But-putting aside all questions of jobbery and and speculation, of " turns " and " bonuses " and " good things " for self and friends-for whose benefit are town improvements chiefly undertaken !The rich dwellers in fashionable districts and the traders of the City, or the poor crowded together in the slums ? Pulling down an occasional rookery is about as far as the authorities usually go in in improving poor localities. In this case, as in so many others, the workers pay the piper that their masters may dance. &n... (From : AnarchyArchives.)