Statism and Anarchy PDF
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Michail Bakunin Statism and Anarchy 1873 Contents CritiqueoftheMarxistTheoryoftheState . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 SomePreconditionsforaSocialRevolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 PreconditionsforaSocialRevolutioninRussia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 2 Critique of the Marxist Theory of the State Thereisnoroadleadingfrommetaphysicstotherealitiesoflife. Theoryand factareseparatedbyanabyss. Itisimpossibletoleapacrossthisabyssbywhat Hegelcalleda“qualitativejump”fromtheworldoflogictotheworldofnature andofreallife. Theroadleadingfromconcretefacttotheoryandviceversaisthemethodof scienceandisthetrueroad. Inthepracticalworld,itisthemovementofsociety towardformsoforganizationthatwilltothegreatestpossibleextentreflectlife itselfinallitsaspectsandcomplexity. Suchisthepeople’swaytocompleteemancipation,accessibletoall—theway oftheanarchistsocialrevolution,whichwillcomefromthepeoplethemselves, an elemental force sweeping away all obstacles. Later, from the depths of the popularsoul,therewillspontaneouslyemergethenewcreativeformsofsocial life. Thewayofthegentlemenmetaphysiciansiscompletelydifferent. Metaphysi- cianisthetermweuseforthedisciplesofHegelandforthepositivists,andin general, for all the worshippers of science as a goddess, all those modern Pro- crusteanswho,inonewayoranother,havecreatedanidealofsocialorganization, a narrow mold into which they would force future generations, all those who, insteadofseeingscienceasonlyoneoftheessentialmanifestationsofnaturaland sociallife,insistthatalloflifeisencompassedintheirnecessarilytentativescien- tifictheories. Metaphysiciansandpositivists,allthesegentlemenwhoconsiderit theirmissiontoprescribethelawsoflifeinthenameofscience,areconsciously orunconsciouslyreactionaries. Thisisveryeasytodemonstrate. Scienceinthetruesenseofthatword,realscience,isatthistimewithinreach ofonlyaninsignificantminority. Forexample,amongusinRussia,howmany accomplished savants are there in a population of eighty million? Probably a thousandareengagedinscience,buthardlymorethanafewhundredcouldbe considered first-rate, serious scientists. If science were to dictate the laws, the overwhelming majority, many millions of men, would be ruled by one or two hundredexperts. Actuallyitwouldbeevenfewerthanthat, becausenotallof scienceisconcernedwiththeadministrationofsociety. Thiswouldbethetask ofsociology—thescienceofsciences—whichpresupposesinthecaseofawell- trainedsociologistthathehaveanadequateknowledgeofalltheothersciences. HowmanysuchpeoplearethereinRussia—inallEurope? Twentyorthirty— andthesetwentyorthirtywouldruletheworld? Cananyoneimagineamore absurdandabjectdespotism? 3 Itisalmostcertainthatthesetwentyorthirtyexpertswouldquarrelamong themselves,andiftheydidagreeoncommonpolicies,itwouldbeattheexpense of mankind. The principal vice of the average specialist is his inclination to exaggeratehisownknowledgeanddeprecateeveryoneelse’s. Givehimcontrol andhewillbecomeaninsufferabletyrant. Tobetheslaveofpedants—whata destinyforhumanity! Givethemfullpowerandtheywillbeginbyperforming onhumanbeingsthesameexperimentsthatthescientistsarenowperforming onrabbitsanddogs. Wemustrespectthescientistsfortheirmeritsandachievements,butinorder topreventthemfromcorruptingtheirownhighmoralandintellectualstandards, theyshouldbegrantednospecialprivilegesandnorightsotherthanthosepos- sessedbyeveryone—forexample,thelibertytoexpresstheirconvictions,thought, andknowledge. Neithertheynoranyotherspecialgroupshouldbegivenpower over others. He who is given power will inevitably become an oppressor and exploiterofsociety. Butwearetold: “Sciencewillnotalwayshethepatrimonyofafew. Therewill come a time when it will be accessible to all.” Such a time is still far away and therewillbemanysocialupheavalsbeforethisdreamwillcometrue,andeven then,whowouldwanttoputhisfateinthehandsofthepriestsofscience? Itseemstousthatanyonewhothinksthatafterasocialrevolutioneverybody willbeequallyeducatedisverymuchmistaken. Science,thenasnow,willremain oneofthemanyspecializedfields,thoughitwillceasetobeaccessibleonlyto a very few of the privileged class. With the elimination of class distinctions, education will be within the reach of all those who will have the ability and thedesiretopursueit,butnottothedetrimentofmanuallabor,whichwillbe compulsoryforall. Availabletoeveryonewillbeageneralscientificeducation,especiallythelearn- ingofthescientificmethod,thehabitofcorrectthinking,theabilitytogeneralize fromfactsandmakemoreorlesscorrectdeductions. Butofencyclopedicminds andadvancedsociologiststherewillbeveryfew. Itwouldbesadformankindifat anytimetheoreticalspeculationbecametheonlysourceofguidanceforsociety, ifsciencealonewereinchargeofallsocialadministration. Lifewouldwither,and humansocietywouldturnintoavoicelessandservileherd. Thedominationof lifebysciencecanhavenootherresultthanthebrutalizationofmankind. We,therevolutionaryanarchists,aretheadvocatesofeducationforallthepeo- ple,oftheemancipationandthewidestpossibleexpansionofsociallife. Therefore wearetheenemiesoftheStateandallformsofthestatistprinciple. Inopposition tothemetaphysicians,thepositivists,andalltheworshippersofscience,wede- clarethatnaturalandsociallifealwayscomesbeforetheory,whichisonlyoneof itsmanifestationsbutneveritscreator. Fromoutofitsowninexhaustibledepths, 4 societydevelopsthroughaseriesofevents,butnotbythoughtalone. Theoryis alwayscreatedbylife,butnevercreatesit;likemile-postsandroadsigns,itonly indicatesthedirectionandthedifferentstagesoflife’sindependentandunique development. Inaccordancewiththisbelief,weneitherintendnordesiretothrustuponour ownoranyotherpeopleanyschemeofsocialorganizationtakenfrombooksor concoctedbyourselves. Weareconvincedthatthemassesofthepeoplecarryin themselves,intheirinstincts(moreorlessdevelopedbyhistory),intheirdaily necessities,and. intheirconsciousorunconsciousaspirations,alltheelements of the future social organization. We seek this ideal in the people themselves. Every state power, every government, by its very nature places itself outside andoverthepeopleandinevitablysubordinatesthemtoanorganizationandto aimswhichareforeigntoandopposedtotherealneedsandaspirationsofthe people. Wedeclareourselvestheenemiesofeverygovernmentandeverystate power,andofgovernmentalorganizationingeneral. Wethinkthatpeoplecanbe freeandhappyonlywhenorganizedfromthebottomupincompletelyfreeand independentassociations,withoutgovernmentalpaternalismthoughnotwithout theinfluenceofavarietyoffreeindividualsandparties. Such are our ideas as social revolutionaries, and we are therefore called an- archists. We do not protest this name, for we are indeed the enemies of any governmentalpower,sinceweknowthatsuchapowerdepravesthosewhowear itsmantleequallywiththosewhoareforcedtosubmittoit. Underitspernicious influencetheformerbecomeambitiousandgreedydespots,exploitersofsociety infavoroftheirpersonalorclassinterests,whilethelatterbecomeslaves. Idealistsofallkinds—metaphysicians,positivists,thosewhosupporttherule ofscienceoverlife,doctrinairerevolutionists—alldefendtheideaofstateand state power with equal eloquence, because they see in it, as a consequence of theirownsystems,theonlysalvationforsociety. Quitelogically,sincetheyhave acceptedthebasicpremise(whichweconsidercompletelymistaken)thatthought precedeslife,thattheoryispriortosocialexperience,and,therefore,thatsocial sciencehastobethestartingpointforallsocialupheavalsandreconstructions. They then arrive unavoidably at the conclusion that because thought, theory, and science, at least in our times, are in the possession of very few, these few oughttobetheleadersofsociallife,notonlytheinitiators,butalsotheleaders of all popular movements. On the dayfollowing the revolution the newsocial ordershouldnotbeorganizedbythefreeassociationofpeople’sorganizationsor unions,localandregional,fromthebottomup,inaccordancewiththedemands and instincts of the people, but only by the dictatorial power of this learned minority,whichpresumestoexpressthewillofthepeople. 5 Thisfictionofapseudo-representativegovernmentservestoconcealthedomi- nationofthemassesbyahandfulofprivilegedelite;aneliteelectedbyhordes of people who are rounded up and do not know for whom or for what they vote. Uponthisartificialandabstractexpressionofwhattheyfalselyimagineto bethewillofthepeopleandofwhichthereallivingpeoplehavenottheleast idea,theyconstructboththetheoryofstatismaswellasthetheoryofso-called revolutionarydictatorship. Thedifferencesbetweenrevolutionarydictatorshipandstatismaresuperficial. Fundamentally they both represent the same principle of minority rule over themajorityinthenameofthealleged“stupidity”ofthelatterandthealleged “intelligence”oftheformer. Thereforetheyarebothequallyreactionarysinceboth directlyandinevitablymustpreserveandperpetuatethepoliticalandeconomic privilegesoftherulingminorityandthepoliticalandeconomicsubjugationof themassesofthepeople. Nowitisclearwhythedictatorialrevolutionists,whoaimtooverthrowthe existing powers and social structures in order to erect upon their ruins their owndictatorships,neverwereorwillbetheenemiesofgovernment,but,tothe contrary,alwayswillbethemostardentpromotersofthegovernmentidea. They aretheenemiesonlyofcontemporarygovernments,becausetheywishtoreplace them. They are the enemies of the present governmental structure, because it excludesthepossibilityoftheirdictatorship. Atthesametimetheyarethemost devoted friends of governmental power. For if the revolution destroyed this powerbyactuallyfreeingthemasses,itwoulddeprivethispseudo-revolutionary minorityofanyhopetoharnessthemassesinordertomakethemthebeneficiaries oftheirowngovernmentpolicy. Wehavealreadyexpressedseveraltimesourdeepaversiontothetheoryof Lassalleand Marx, which recommends to theworkers, if not asa finalideal at leastasthenextimmediategoal,thefoundingofapeople’sstate,whichaccording totheirinterpretationwillbenothingbut“theproletariatelevatedtothestatus ofthegoverningclass.” Letusask,iftheproletariatistobetherulingclass,overwhomisittorule? Inshort,therewillremainanotherproletariatwhichwillbesubduedtothisnew rule,tothisnewstate. Forinstance,thepeasant“rabble”who,asitisknown,does notenjoythesympathyoftheMarxistswhoconsiderittorepresentalowerlevel ofculture,willprobablyberuledbythefactoryproletariatofthecities. Or,ifthis problemistobeapproachednationalistically,theSlavswillbeplacedinthesame subordinaterelationshiptothevictoriousGermanproletariatinwhichthelatter nowstandstotheGermanbourgeoisie. 6 IfthereisaState,theremustbedominationofoneclassbyanotherand,asa result,slavery;theStatewithoutslaveryisunthinkable—andthisiswhyweare theenemiesoftheState. What does it mean that the proletariat will be elevated to a ruling class? Is it possible for the whole proletariat to stand at the head of the government? TherearenearlyfortymillionGermans. Canallfortymillionbemembersofthe government? Insuchacase,therewillbenogovernment,nostate,but,ifthereis tobeastatetherewillbethosewhoareruledandthosewhoareslaves. TheMarxisttheorysolvesthisdilemmaverysimply. Bythepeople’srule,they mean the rule of a small number of representatives elected by the people. The general,andeveryman’s,righttoelecttherepresentativesofthepeopleandthe rulersoftheStateisthelatestwordoftheMarxists,aswellasofthedemocrats. Thisisalie,behindwhichlurksthedespotismoftherulingminority,alieallthe moredangerousinthatitappearstoexpresstheso-calledwillofthepeople. Ultimately, from whatever point of view we look at this question, we come alwaystothesamesadconclusion,theruleofthegreatmassesofthepeopleby aprivilegedminority. TheMarxistssaythatthisminoritywillconsistofworkers. Yes,possiblyofformerworkers,who,assoonastheybecometherulersofthe representativesofthepeople,willceasetobeworkersandwilllookdownatthe plainworkingmassesfromthegoverningheightsoftheState;theywillnolonger representthepeople,butonlythemselvesandtheirclaimstorulershipoverthe people. Thosewhodoubtthisknowverylittleabouthumannature. Theseelectedrepresentatives,saytheMarxists,willbededicatedandlearned socialists. The expressions “learned socialist,” “scientific socialism,” etc., which continuously appear in the speeches and writings of the followers of Lassalle and Marx, prove that the pseudo-People’s State will be nothing but a despotic controlofthepopulacebyanewandnotatallnumerousaristocracyofrealand pseudo-scientists. The“uneducated”peoplewillbetotallyrelievedofthecaresof administration,andwillbetreatedasaregimentedherd. Abeautifulliberation, indeed! TheMarxistsareawareofthiscontradictionandrealizethatagovernmentof scientistswillbearealdictatorshipregardlessofitsdemocraticform. Theyconsole themselveswiththeideathatthisrulewillbetemporary. Theysaythattheonly care and objective will be to educate and elevate the people economically and politicallytosuchadegreethatsuchagovernmentwillsoonbecomeunnecessary, and the State, after losing its political or coercive character, will automatically developintoacompletelyfreeorganizationofeconomicinterestsandcommunes. Thereisaflagrantcontradictioninthistheory. Iftheirstatewouldbereallyof thepeople,whyeliminateit? AndiftheStateisneededtoemancipatetheworkers, thentheworkersarenotyetfree,sowhycallitaPeople’sState? Byourpolemic 7 againstthemwehavebroughtthemtotherealizationthatfreedomoranarchism, whichmeansafreeorganizationoftheworkingmassesfromthebottomup,is thefinalobjectiveofsocialdevelopment,andthateverystate,notexceptingtheir People’s State, is a yoke, on the one hand giving rise to despotism and on the othertoslavery. Theysaythatsuchayoke—dictatorshipisatransitionalstep towardsachievingfullfreedomforthepeople: anarchismorfreedomistheaim, whilestateanddictatorshipisthemeans,andso,inordertofreethemassesof people,theyhavefirsttobeenslaved! Uponthiscontradictionourpolemichascometoahalt. Theyinsistthatonly dictatorship(ofcoursetheirown)cancreatefreedomforthepeople. Wereplythat all dictatorship has no objective other than self-perpetuation, and that slavery is all it can generate and instill in the people who suffer it. Freedom can be createdonlybyfreedom, byatotalrebellionofthepeople, andbyavoluntary organizationofthepeoplefromthebottomup. Thesocialtheoryoftheanti-statesocialistsoranarchistsleadsthemdirectly andinevitablytowardsabreakwithallformsoftheState, withallvarietiesof bourgeoispolitics,andleavesnochoiceexceptasocialrevolution. Theopposite theory,statecommunismandtheauthorityofthescientists,attractsandconfuses itsfollowersand,underthepretextofpoliticaltactics,makescontinuousdeals with the governments and various bourgeois political parties, and is directly pushedtowardsreaction. The cardinal point of this program is that the State alone is to liberate the (pseudo-)proletariat. Toachievethis,theStatemustagreetoliberatetheprole- tariatfromtheoppressionofbourgeoiscapitalism. Howisitpossibletoimpart suchawilltotheState? TheproletariatmusttakepossessionoftheStatebya revolution—anheroicundertaking. ButoncetheproletariatseizestheState,it mustmoveatoncetoabolishimmediatelythiseternalprisonofthepeople. But accordingtoMr. Marx,thepeoplenotonlyshouldnotabolishtheState,but,on the contrary, they must strengthen and enlarge it. and turn it over to the full dispositionoftheirbenefactors,guardians,andteachers—theleadersoftheCom- munistparty,meaningMr. Marxandhisfriends—whowillthenliberatethem intheirownway. Theywillconcentratealladministrativepowerintheirown stronghands,becausetheignorantpeopleareinneedofastrongguardianship; andtheywillcreateacentralstatebank,whichwillalsocontrolallthecommerce, industry, agriculture, andevenscience. Themassofthepeoplewillbedivided intotwoarmies,theagriculturalandtheindustrial,underthedirectcommand ofthestateengineers,whowillconstitutethenewprivilegedpolitical-scientific class. 8 Some Preconditions for a Social Revolution ThepropagandaandorganizationoftheInternationalisdirectedexclusively to the working class, which in Italy, as in the rest of Europe, embodies all the life, power, and aspirations of the future society. The International attracted only a handful of adherents from the bourgeois world who, having learned to passionatelyhatetheexistingsocialorderandallitsfalsevalues,renouncedtheir classanddedicatedthemselvesbodyandsoultothecauseofthepeople. Iftheycanrootoutthelastvestigesofsubjectiveloyaltytothebourgeoisworld, and those of personal vanity, these men, though few in number, could render priceless services to the revolutionary movement. They draw their inspiration fromthemovementofthepeople. Butinexchangetheycancontributeexpert knowledge,thecapacityforabstractthoughtandgeneralization,andtheability toorganizeandcoordinate—qualitieswhichconstitutethecreativeforcewithout whichanyvictoryisimpossible. InItalyandRussiatherearemoresuchyoung menthanthereareinothercountries. Butwhatisamuchmoreimportantasset for the Revolution is that there is in Italy an enormous proletariat, unusually intelligentbynaturebutveryoftenlackingeducationandlivingingreatpoverty. Thisproletariatcomprisestwoorthreemillionurbanworkers,mainlyinfactories andsmallworkshops,andapproximatelytwentymilliontotallydeprivedpeasants. Thishugeclasshasbeenreducedtosuchdesperationthateventhedefendersof thisterriblesocietyarebeginningtospeakoutopenlyinparliamentandinthe official press, admitting that things have reached the breaking point, and that something must immediately be done to avoid a popular holocaust which will destroyeverythinginitspath. NowherearetheremorefavorableconditionsfortheSocialRevolutionthanin Italy. TheredoesnotexistinItaly,asinmostotherEuropeannations,aspecial categoryofrelativelyaffluentworkers,earninghigherwages,boastingoftheir literarycapacities,andsoimpregnatedbyavarietyofbourgeoisprejudicesthat, excepting income, they differ in no way from the bourgeoisie. This class of bourgeoisworkersisnumerousinGermanyandinSwitzerland;butinItaly,on thecontrary,theyarcinsignificantinnumberandinfluence,ameredropinthe ocean. InItalyitistheextremelypoorproletariatthatpredominates. Marxspeaks disdainfully,butquiteunjustly,ofthisLumpenproletariat. Forinthem,andonly in them, and not in the bourgeois strata of workers, are there crystallized the entireintelligenceandpowerofthecomingSocialRevolution. Apopularinsurrection,byitsverynature,isinstinctive,chaotic,anddestruc- tive,andalwaysentailsgreatpersonalsacrificeandanenormouslossofpublic andprivateproperty. Themassesarealwaysreadytosacrificethemselves;and 9 this is what turns them into a brutal and savage horde, capable of performing heroicandapparentlyimpossibleexploits,andsincetheypossesslittleornothing, theyarenotdemoralizedbytheresponsibilitiesofpropertyownership. Andin momentsofcrisis,forthesakeofself-defenseorvictory,theywillnothesitateto burndowntheirownhousesandneighborhoods,andpropertybeingnodeterrent, sinceitbelongstotheiroppressors,theydevelopapassionfordestruction. This negative passion, it is true, is far from being sufficient to attain the heights of the revolutionary cause; but without it, revolution would be impossible. Revo- lutionrequiresextensiveandwidespreaddestruction,afecundandrenovating destruction,sinceinthiswayandonlythiswayarenewworldsborn. . . Not even the most terrible misery affecting millions of workers is in itself enoughtospurthemtorevolution. Manisbynatureendowed(orcursed)bymar- velouspatience,andonlythedevilknowshowhecanpatientlyendureunimag- inablemiseryandevenslowdeathbystarvation;andeventheimpulsetogive waytodespairissmotheredbyacompleteinsensibilitytowardhisownrights, andanimperturbableobedience. . . Peopleinthisconditionarehopeless. Theywouldratherdiethanrebel. But whenamancanbedriventodesperation,heisthenmorelikelytorebel. Despair isabitter, passionatefeelingcapableofrousingmenfromtheirsemiconscious resignationiftheyalreadyhaveanideaofamoredesirablesituation,evenwithout muchhopeofachievingit. Butitisimpossibletoremaintoolonginastateof absolute despair: one must give in, die, or do something about it — fight for a cause,butwhatcause? Obviously,tofreeoneself,tofightforabetterlife. . . ButpovertyanddesperationarestillnotsufficienttogeneratetheSocialRevo- lution. Theymaybeabletocallforthintermittentlocalrebellions,butnotgreat andwidespreadmassuprisings. Todothisitisindispensablethatthepeoplebe inspiredbyauniversalideal,historicallydevelopedfromtheinstinctualdepths ofpopularsentiments,amplifiedandclarifiedbyaseriesofsignificanteventsand severe and bitter experiences. It is necessary that the populace have a general ideaoftheirrightsandadeep,passionate,quasi-religiousbeliefinthevalidity oftheserights. Whenthisidea andthispopularfaitharejoined tothekindof miserythatleadstodesperation,thentheSocialRevolutionisnearandinevitable, andnoforceonearthwillbeabletoresistit. This is exactly the situation of the Italian proletariat. The sufferings they areforcedtoendurearescarcelylessterriblethanthepovertyandmiserythat overwhelmtheRussianpeople. ButtheItalianproletariatisimbuedwithagreater degreeofpassionaterevolutionaryconsciousnessthanaretheRussianmasses, aconsciousnesswhichdailybecomesstrongerandclearer,Bynatureintelligent andpassionate,theItalianproletariatisatlastbeginningtounderstandwhatit wantsandwhatmustbedonetoachieveitscompleteemancipation. Inthissense 10
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