Anarchism: Kropotkin and Tolstoy

1. Anarchism:Kropotkin and Tolstoy D. Allen Dalton ECON 325 – Radical Economics Boise State University Fall 2011

2. Peter Kropotkin (1842-1921) • Born Moscow; father landowner and owner of serfs • 1857-1861; Corps of Pages • 1862-67; Cossack officer • 1867-71; studied Math in St. Petersburg • 1872- joined IWA, came into contact with anarchists • Imprisoned in Russia, escaped to London; expelled from Switzerland in 1877; imprisoned in France 1883 • Actively supports WWI against Germany • Returns to Russia in aftermath of February Revolution 1917

3. Evolutionary Utilitarianism “A society is an aggregation of organisms trying to combine the wants of the individual with those of co-operation for the welfare of the species in establishing the best conditions for realizing the greatest happiness of humanity.” - Anarchist Communism, p. 4

4. Kropotkin’s Teaching • Basis – The goal of social evolution is attaining the largest possible human happiness. Fundamental requisites for the attainment of this goal are “the principle of equality” and “the commandment of energy.” • “Do to others as you would have it done to you in the like case.” • “Be strong; overflow with the passion of thought and action: so shall your understanding, your love, your energy, pour itself into others.” - Anarchist Morality, p. 41, 61

5. Kropotkin’s Teaching On Law – Legislation is a hindrance to human happiness. Three classes of legislation: protection of property, government, persons. They exist to rob the producer, uphold privilege of nobility, clergy and bourgeoisie, and give a false sense of protection. On the State – The State is a hindrance to human evolution toward greatest human happiness.

6. The State “What does this monstrous engine serve for, that we call ‘State’? For preventing the exploitation of the laborer by the capitalist? of the peasant by the landlord? or for assuring us of work? for providing us food when the mother has nothing but water left for her child? No, a thousand times no. …’State’ is tantamount to ‘war’ …civil war rages at the same time with foreign war; …the State … has become a weapon of the rich against the exploited; of the propertied against the propertyless.” - Words of a Rebel, p. 14

7. Kropotkin’s Teaching • On Society – Anarchism is the highest and inevitable form of society. • ”Free associations are beginning to take to themselves the entire field of human activity.” - Anarchist Communism, p. 25 • Organization of the Stateless Society – • Contractual organization of individuals into communes, contractual organization of communes into federations.

8. Kropotkin’s Teaching • On Property –Private property is a hindrance to the evolution of mankind toward greatest happiness. Its effects are chronic crises, unemployment, want and misery in the midst of over-production. It produces a caste of idlers who are a threat to general morality and offends against justice.

9. Kropotkin’s Teaching On Wealth – All of the entire accumulated wealth is the product of labor, present and past. “Every discovery, every progress, every increase in our wealth, has its origin in the total bodily and mental activity of the past and present. Then by what right can any one appropriate to himself the smallest fraction of this vast total and say ‘this belongs to me and not to you.’?” - Conquest of Bread, pp. 8-9

10. Kropotkin’s Teaching • Economics – Community ownership of all property, consumption as well as producer goods. Community decisions as to production – access dependent upon labor. Shares based upon wants/needs not shares of production. “It will be recognized that every one who co-operates in production to a certain extent has in the first place the right to live, and in the second place the right to live comfortably.” - Conquest of Bread, p. 229. “Free taking of everything in superfluity, and rations of that in which there is a possibility of dearth: rations according to needs, with preference to children, the aged, and the weak in general.” - “Place of Anarchism in Socialistic Evolution,” p. 13

11. Kropotkin’s Teaching On Transition –A social revolution will occur – the people taking possession of society’s total stock of goods – extending for several years to complete the social and economic transformation. The “People” will limit the bloodshed because of their sympathy of their victims.

12. Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) • Born Yasnaya Polyana, Russia • 1843-1846; student Kazan – oriental languages and jurisprudence • 1847-8; studied jurisprudence at St. Petersburg • 1851-5; served in Caucasus and Crimea as artillery officer • 1861 on; agriculturalist and author • War and Peace; Anna Karenina • My Confession (1879); What I Believe (1884); The Kingdom of God is Within You (1893)

13. “The Anarchists are right in everything; in the negation of the existing order, and in the assertion that, without Authority, there could not be worse violence than that of Authority under existing conditions. They are mistaken only in thinking that Anarchy can be instituted by a revolution. But it will be instituted only by there being more and more people who do not require the protection of governmental power…There can be only one permanent revolution - a moral one: the regeneration of the inner man.” - On Anarchy

14. Christianity Matthew 5: 38-39 [Jesus said,] “You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.‘ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. “ “I needed only to take these words simply and downrightly, as they were spoken, and at once everything in Christ’s whole teaching…was comprehensible to me…and the main gist appeared no longer useless but a necessity; everything formed a whole…” - “What I Believe”, p. 15

15. Tolstoy’s Teaching • Basis – Christian “True Love,” the setting aside of one’s personal comfort for others due to his life in God. Faith is knowledge of the truth based in reason. • On Law and the State– Rejects Law and the State because both are based upon and upheld by violence. Instead of Law, Love is to be the rule of action.

16. Tolstoy’s Teaching • Kingdom of God – The following of Christ’s teaching, especially the five commandments of the Sermon on the Mount: • Keep the peace and restore it when broken; • Remain true to one another as man and wife; • Make no vows; • Forgive injury and do not resist evil; • Refrain from breaking the peace for the people’s sake.

17. Tolstoy’s Teaching • On Property –Property establishes dominion of possessors over non-possessors, dividing brothers and sisters into castes, introducing dependency and exploitation. Labor is exploited by those who own land and tools, so that the product of labor passes out of labor’s hands. Property is defended by violence.

18. Tolstoy’s Teaching • Economic Organization – A society based on Love requires a distribution based on its commandments. Two precepts that follow from Love are (1) “Man lives not to be served, but to serve.” (2) “Share what you have with the poor; gather no riches.”

19. Tolstoy’s Teaching Transition – Self-reform upon the basis of Love; change one’s life to conform with Love, and spread the truth by word and deed.