Classical Anarchism

Anarchists argue that the abolition of government does not entail the collapse of order, but how can there be order in a modern society without government? In "Classical Anarchism", George Crowder considers the presentation of stateless order in the works of Godwin, Proudhon, Bakunin, and Kropotkin, writers who epitomized the "classical" tradition of anarchist thought. Dr Crowder argues that their solution to the problem of stateless order is much more coherent and persuasive if considered in its historical and intellectual context. He focuses on three aspects of anarchist thought which have often been misunderstood or neglected: the "positive" character of the anarchist conception of freedom, the complexity of the anarchists' responses to Rousseau, and the degree to which the anarchists were influenced by contemporary scientism. The concluding chapter offers a contemporary evaluation of classical anarchism and considers prospects for the future resuscitation of anarchist thought. This book is aimed at teachers and students of politics and political theory, especially nineteenth-century political thought, and historians of political thought.