Anarchy

Malatesta, Errico, 1853-1932Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.9

Word count: 96K words
Chapters: 10

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.Anarchy by Errico MalatestaAuthor: Malatesta, Errico, 1853-1932,Language: English, Class: HX: Social sciences: Socialism, Communism, Anarchism, Release Date: Jul 28, 2012

Editor's review

Malatesta's Anarchy is a concise introductory pamphlet on anarchist thought. In plain, direct language the author sets out the basic tenets of anarchism and responds to the misunderstandings and objections common at the time, rather than piling up abstract theory. Its value lies in showing how a practitioner within the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century European anarchist movement thought: it stresses freedom, voluntary association, and criticism of oppressive authority, and its manner of discussion is plain and strongly argumentative. As a public-domain English e-book from Project Gutenberg, it is easy to obtain and suitable for reading as a primary source in intellectual history and political theory. In reading it one sees both the author's vision of an ideal society and the polemical tone of the radical currents of that era. It is suitable for readers interested in political philosophy and the history of social movements to browse as primary material, and also as a reference text in discussions of the relationship between freedom and order.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in political philosophy and anarchist thought who want to read primary sources
Students and enthusiasts studying the history of European social movements in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
Advanced English learners who want to practice reading with short English political essays
People who need to discuss the relationship between freedom and authority in class or in a reading group

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting a systematic, complete theoretical system or an academically annotated edition
Casual readers who only want light stories and lack patience for political argumentation
Readers whose English reading is still at an elementary level and who find argumentative long sentences difficult

Reading tips

First read through once to grasp the overall argument, then mark paragraph by paragraph the misunderstandings and rebuttals the author addresses.
Read in conjunction with the late nineteenth-century European social background, and be careful to distinguish the author's claims from the polemical context of his time.
It can be read alongside related short texts from other schools of political philosophy to form a comparative perspective.
After reading, restate the core arguments in your own words to test whether you have truly understood the logic of the argument.

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.

FAQ

Is this book a complete theoretical treatise?

No. It is closer to an introductory polemical pamphlet for general readers; it is short and focuses on clarifying the basic position of anarchism and responding to common doubts, rather than building a rigorous academic system. It is suitable as a starting point for understanding this current of thought, not as an endpoint.

How difficult is the English, and what level is it suitable for?

The original is an English political essay; the sentences tend toward a polemical style, the vocabulary is not especially obscure, but the argument is fairly dense. It is more suitable for readers with college-level English reading ability who can patiently handle long sentences; beginners can use a dictionary and slow down.

Do I need prior knowledge of anarchism to read this book?

Not much prior knowledge is needed; the author wrote for ordinary readers who were skeptical. But if you first understand the social and political background of nineteenth-century Europe, it will be easier to understand why the author repeatedly emphasizes certain points.

Comments

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About the author

Malatesta, Errico, 1853-1932 Author · Italian · 1853–1932

Errico Malatesta (1853–1932) was an Italian anarchist theorist and revolutionary activist who advocated direct action. He devoted his life to spreading and practicing anarchist ideas and had a significant influence on the anarchist movement in Italy and internationally. His writing is known for its clarity and accessibility; he often presented anarchist positions to ordinary readers in the form of dialogue and debate, opposing state authority and private property and arguing that social change should be achieved through voluntary association and direct action. His representative works include Anarchy, which systematically sets out his basic ideas, and Fra Contadini, which discusses land and social questions through a dialogue among peasants, reflecting his orientation toward ordinary people. Public information on the details of his life is limited, so this introduction focuses on the themes and influence of his works.