Anarchism: A Criticism and History of the Anarchist Theory

Zenker, E. V. (Ernst Viktor), 1865-1940Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 3.0
Word count
514K words
Chapters
52

Tags

English Originals Politics Power GameIntellectual EnlightenmentSocial CritiqueAcademic StudyIntellectual Commentary

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Anarchism: A Criticism and History of the Anarchist Theory by E. V. ZenkerAuthor: Zenker, E. V. (Ernst Viktor), 1865-1940,Language: English, Class: HX: Social sciences: Socialism, Communism, Anarchism, Release Date: Apr 6, 2010

Editor's review

This is an early work that surveys the origins and history of anarchist theory from a critical standpoint. Zenker attempts to balance sympathetic understanding with critical scrutiny, tracing the theoretical lineage while pointing out its internal contradictions in practice. As a free public-domain e-book from Project Gutenberg, its value lies not in offering the latest contemporary discussion but in showing how early twentieth-century intellectuals understood and questioned anarchism; it is a sample of the history of reception in intellectual history. The prose has a polemical tone and period limitations, and its definitions of concepts such as individualism and collective action differ from today's; readers should note the difference in context. It is suitable as comparative reading for beginners in intellectual history and political philosophy, and for readers interested in classical anarchist texts. It is not a field study of contemporary anarchist movements, nor does it offer operational organizational plans; it should be read for theoretical analysis rather than taking sides.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Not a good fit for

Reading tips

  1. Read the table of contents and conclusion first to grasp the author's critical framework, then return to the chapters on theoretical origins.
  2. Keep notes distinguishing the theoretical positions the author reports from the author's own critical judgments.
  3. Read alongside a neutral intellectual history textbook to correct period prejudice and conceptual differences.
  4. After each chapter, summarize the author's argument in two or three sentences to check whether you have truly understood.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

Contents

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24
  25. 25
  26. 26
  27. 27
  28. 28
  29. 29
  30. 30
  31. 31
  32. 32
  33. 33
  34. 34
  35. 35
  36. 36
  37. 37
  38. 38
  39. 39
  40. 40
  41. 41
  42. 42
  43. 43
  44. 44
  45. 45
  46. 46
  47. 47
  48. 48
  49. 49
  50. 50
  51. 51
  52. 52

FAQ

Does this book support or oppose anarchism? The title states it is a "criticism and history," and the author surveys anarchist theory from a critical standpoint, both recounting its history and claims and raising doubts; it is neither pure propaganda nor wholesale rejection. Readers should see it as a polemical work by an early twentieth-century scholar, distinguish between the theoretical content the author reports and the author's own judgments, and avoid simply classifying it as for or against.
What background knowledge is needed before reading? It is advisable first to understand the basic outline of nineteenth-century European industrialization, the workers' movement, and major political currents, and to know the divisions between anarchism, socialism, and Marxism. If entirely unfamiliar, read an introduction to intellectual history before entering this book; otherwise one may mistake the author's period-bound formulations for universal conclusions.
Are the book's views still applicable today? The historical survey retains reference value, but specific judgments carry the context and limitations of the early twentieth century, and conceptual definitions are not fully consistent with contemporary discussion. It is better used as comparative material in intellectual history, helping one understand how intellectuals of the time received and criticized anarchism, rather than directly as a basis for contemporary political analysis.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Zenker, E. V. (Ernst Viktor), 1865-1940 Author · Austrian · 1865–1940

Ernst Viktor Zenker (1865–1940) was an Austrian writer and journalist known for popular works on social, cultural, and historical subjects addressed to a general readership. His writing combined readable narrative with careful organization of material, aiming to make complex theories and social phenomena clear and accessible. His representative work, Anarchism: A Criticism and History of the Anarchist Theory, surveys anarchist theory through both criticism and history, tracing its intellectual development while assessing its claims, and reflects his ability to turn social questions into accounts intelligible to the public. Because public information is limited, details of his life and a complete bibliography require further verification; what can be confirmed is that he worked as a writer and journalist and that his books were oriented toward popular education.