A discussion of Proudhon’s views during the American Civil War which indicates that the common assertion that he supported the South is inaccurate. Rather, he opposed both sides and argued for full political-economic rights for blacks as well as economic reforms to abolish the proletariat. It appeared in Anarcho-Syndicalist Review, No. 60 Summer 2013.
(more…)Category: Anarchists
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Proudhon’s constituted value and the myth of labour notes
A debunking of the common notion that Proudhon advocated “labour notes” as suggested by Marx in The Poverty of Philosophy. What Proudhon actually argued is explained and the key ideas of System of Economic Contradictions are discussed. It appeared in Anarchist Studies, Volume 25 No. 1
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Laying the foundations: Proudhon’s contribution to anarchist economics
This is an introduction to Proudhon’s economic ideas and their influence on revolutionary anarchism. It is a chapter from the new book The Accumulation of Freedom: Writings on Anarchist Economics (AK Press, 2012) and its blurb (in part) states: “The only crisis of capitalism is capitalism itself… The Accumulation of Freedom brings together economists, historians, theorists, and activists for a first-of-its-kind study of anarchist economics.” All quotes are from Property is Theft! A Pierre-Joseph Proudhon Anthology (AK Press, 2011) and the chapter covers all of Proudhon’s major works in chronological order.
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Review: The Altruism Equation
A review of a book on evolutionary theory and altruism which discusses Kropotkin. Unfortunately, as shown, the account of Kropotkin’s ideas is flawed and so both “mutual aid” and his contribution to science are obscured. It appeared in Anarcho-Syndicalist Review No. 91 (Winter 2025)
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Mutual Aid: Kropotkin versus Jones
A review of book by a noted academic who tries to discuss Kropotkin’s ideas on mutual aid but fails due to its inaccuracies as well as the author’s acceptance of the cultural assumptions of the society he inhabits. It appeared in Freedom, 2nd March 2008.
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