Frequently Asked Questions About Anarchism
What is an anarchist?
All kinds of people from all around the world are anarchists. You might even know some. David Graeber describes anarchists as people who “oppose illegitimate authority and hierarchy. Anarchists are in favor of voluntary, non-hierarchical self-organization, and direct democracy. Anarchists are simply people who believe human beings are capable of behaving in a reasonable fashion without having to be forced to.”
Why do anarchists oppose authority and hierarchy?
Anarchists believe that no one is better situated to make decisions that affect your life than you are. Anarchists believe that power can corrupt even the best of intentions. The state maintains order through violence or the threat of violence. Anarchists believe that order should never be created through the use of violence or coercion. We believe in organizing ourselves to build effective movements in our schools, workplaces, and local communities.
What do anarchists think of climate/environmental issues?
Capitalism incentivizes pollution and environmental destruction for profit. An anarchist society would not incentivize these catastrophic practices. Anarchists support environmental responsibility and sustainability. Our planet’s resources won’t last forever. We need to use them responsibly. Pollution and climate change disproportionately affect underdeveloped countries, people of color, and poor people, and the working class.
Why is anarchism important to students and workers?
Students and workers are both affected by systems of power and control; anarchism entails liberation from those oppressive systems by providing students and workers the tools to liberate themselves. For example, promoting workplace democracy and political autonomy. In an anarchist, student-run school, students would have a real voice in how decision are made and how the school operates.
If there is no state, who would make the rules and guarantee order?
YOU WOULD!!! Decisions would be made democratically or through consensus building that takes everyone’s voice into account. Anarchists advocate communal democratic decision-making rather than top-down decision-making. In an anarchist society, regardless of differences, everyone’s voice is important. Your voice matters as much as anyone else’s.
But without rulers, without police, wouldn’t there be chaos?
People organize without being told what to do all the time, without resulting in chaos. Most social interaction is voluntary anyway. For example, on campus student organizations. Anarchists strongly believe in voluntary self-organization as the most effective method of running our communities..
Aren’t anarchists violent?
Some are, but most anarchists oppose violence as a means to achieve their goals of a truly democratic society. Many anarchists see violence as another form of coercion, which is one of the reasons they oppose the state. The state almost always relies on violence as a means of enforcing its will and imposing policies that protect the interests of the ruling class. This shouldn’t be confused with self-defense, which is generally consistent with anarchist principles. There are many anarchist organizations, now and in the past, that advocate armed self-defense as a means of protection.
What types of Anarchists are there?
- Left/social anarchists: believe in collective organization and worker control of the workplace
- Insurrectionists: advocate revolution as a means for social change
- Primitivists: oppose man-made technology and return to a primitive society
- Right anarchists/anarcho-capitalists: anarcho-capitalists see capitalism as the fulfillment of a free society
- Mutualists: promote a society where each person might possess their own means of production, either individually or collectively
- Christian anarchists: believe that anarchism and socialism are inherent in Christianity
- Anarchists Without Adjectives: advocate for an anarchist movement free of qualifying labels
Some well-known anarchist or anarchist-inspired organizations:
- Food Not Bombs – a democratic organization that believes in mutual aid as a means of achieving peace and provides meals to those in need
- Anarchist Black Cross Federation – a group that advocates for political prisoners
- The Industrial Workers of the World – a union founded in 1905 that organizes for worker control of the workplace, currently involved in organizing food and retail sectors
- Mondragon – a multinational worker-owned cooperative based in Spain, managed completed by the workers
- CrimethInc is a decentralized collective of autonomous anarchist cells. They are most widely known for publishing a series of articles, zines, posters, and stickers.
- Catholic Worker Movement – a Catholic, anarchist organization founded in the 1930’s by Dorothy Day, still active in many US cities
- Occupy Wall Street/Occupy Atlanta – an international social movement focused on social inequality and democratic participation, based on several anarchist practices
- Anti-Racist Action/Anti-Fascist Action – an international collective of groups committed to challenging and confronting racists and neo-fascists in the streets
Major anarchist movements and republics, past & present:
- PKK in Kurdistan (current) – a confederation of Kurdish communities that practice libertarian municipalism and direct democracy, known worldwide for strongly resisting ISIS in Iraq and Syria
- Ukrainian Anarchists (1918-1921) – founded an anarchist republic during the Russian Revolution, fought against both the Tsarists and the Bolsheviks
- Spanish Republicans – fought fascists and Nazi’s to create an anarchist, worker-run republic in Catalonia during the Spanish Civil War, hugely influential on modern anarchism
- Zapatistas in Chiapas, Mexico – The Zapatistas have created a collection of communities in the state of Chiapas, Mexico that operates independently of the Mexican government. Their organization is strongly influenced by libertarian socialism, anarchism, and Marxism
- Argentina (2001-present) – after many business closed their doors, workers reclaimed their workplaces and now operate them collectively
- El Alto in Bolivia (present) – a community of 100,000+ mostly indigenous people
- Freetown Christiania in Denmark (present)
- Elsewhere – There are countless other small anarchist and anti-authoritarian groups in the US and around the world. Some are explicitly anarchist while other practice anarchist principles while not using the label. They include worker-owned cooperatives, housing rights and squatter movements, prison and legal reform groups, communes and intentional living communities, faith groups, community gardens and food coops, charity and mutual aid organizations…the list goes on. Any group of individuals who come together on their own to achieve a common purpose in a democratic manner could be said to be practicing anarchist techniques. You’re probably been involved in a group like that yourself without even knowing it.
Notable Quotes from Famous Anarchists
“Anarchism stands for the liberation of the human mind from the dominion of religion and liberation of the human body from the coercion of property; liberation from the shackles and restraint of government. It stands for a social order based on the free grouping of individuals…”
–Emma Goldman
“Anarchism is democracy taken seriously.”
–Edward Abbey
“The individual cannot bargain with the state. The state recognizes no coinage but power: and it issues the coins itself.”
–Ursula Le Guin
“Absence of government; disbelief in, and disregard of, invasion and authority based on coercion and force; a condition of society regulated by voluntary agreement instead of government.”
–Fred Woodworth
“Authority, unless justified, is inherently illegitimate and that the burden of proof is on those in authority. If this burden can’t be met, the authority in question should be dismantled.”
–Noam Chomsky
“An anarchist is someone who doesn’t need a cop to make him behave.”
–Ammon Hennacy
“Governments never lead; they follow progress. When the prison, stake or scaffold can no longer silence the voice of the protesting minority, progress moves on a step, but not until then.”
–Lucy Parsons
Voices of the Anarchist Reading Club
“I’ve been an anarchist for nearly 20 years and have been a member of various anti-authoritarian groups, including the IWW and Occupy Atlanta. I believe that workers are entitled to their share of what they produce and that no one is more qualified to make choices that affect your life and your community more than you are. To me, that’s the essence of anarchism and if we put those ideas into practice we truly can create a better world for everyone.”
–Jeremy G, Dahlonega resident, IWW organizer, Oglethorpe Univ. alum
“Since becoming an anarchist two years ago I’ve read anarchist writings and those writings have inspired me. It’s inspired me to inform others about anarchism and to have a space in Dahlonega where people can learn and discuss anarchism in a positive environment.”
–Joey A, Student at UNG
“Having investigated (and adhered to) a variety of political, social, and economic ideologies, I ended up coming to the conclusion that anarchist concepts like voluntary self-organization and autonomy make good sense. The Anarchist Reading Club is a great way to explore those and many other ideas!”
–Alex M, History Alumni UNG
“I’m not sure what I’d call myself, but I’ve found that the Anarchist Reading Club fosters a safe environment where I can discuss with my peers the potential for a future anarchist society, the concepts therein, and many other intriguing discussion topics centered around Anarchism.”
–Meg J
“For me, the ARC was somewhere I could come to escape the monotonous status quo of society. The ARC is a club that allows me to explore ideas that you want, rather than what your boss, your teacher, or your government want you to.
–Christian W
“I volunteered for political campaigns since my childhood. I’ve always been politically active. I no longer feel comfortable supporting either party with my votes, donations, or time. The ARC allows me to stay engaged with issues I find important outside the traditional political system.”
–Tori G, Dahlonega resident, IWW member
Anarchist Reading Club 