During the COVID-19 pandemic, a unique form of political expression emerged globally. Italians sang together from their balconies, Iranians recited poetry, and mutual aid groups sprang up worldwide to support communities with direct services like grocery deliveries, free classes, and emergency fundraising. This spontaneous self-organization reflected the principles of political anarchism, emphasizing cooperation without centralized authority.
Anarchism, as described by feminist revolutionary Emma Goldman, is "the philosophy of a new social order based on liberty unrestricted by man-made law" and the belief that "all forms of government rest on violence and are therefore wrong, harmful, and unnecessary." Mainstream political theories often assume a central authority is essential for societal stability. Think of Thomas Hobbes' view that life without government would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." However, anarchists challenge this notion, arguing that governments are inherently oppressive while human beings are naturally cooperative rather than violent or competitive.
Though life without governments can be hard to envision, especially beyond small-scale examples like the Paris Commune and the Zapatistas in Mexico, anarchists point out that human self-organization predates the state. Anthropologist David Graeber observed that everyday life involves anarchic behavior—whether it's waiting in line for a bus without police enforcement or voluntarily joining clubs and sports teams. This natural order suggests that cooperation can thrive without formal hierarchies.
Anarchists argue that the existence of states is tied to the emergence of private property. Early anarchist Pierre-Joseph Proudhon famously declared, "property is theft," emphasizing that wealth accumulation and resource control led to state formation to protect the interests of the wealthy. He believed property should belong to those who create its value, as inequality arises when laborers are excluded from ownership. This critique closely aligns anarchism with socialist principles, particularly the rejection of economic exploitation.
While socialists like Karl Marx believed a worker-controlled government could prevent exploitation, anarchists like Mikhail Bakunin disagreed, asserting that any centralized authority would inevitably become oppressive. Bakunin expanded on Proudhon's ideas by opposing all hierarchies, from landlords to monarchs. He advocated for collectivism, where workers collectively share resources and decision-making power.
Peter Kropotkin, another influential anarchist, introduced anarchist communism, building on Bakunin's collectivism. He proposed a needs-based system where resources were distributed not based on labor but individual necessity. Kropotkin likened his vision to a public library where resources are available without proving worthiness, promoting an egalitarian society without centralized authority.
Anarchism has been both praised and critiqued throughout history. One key criticism is its perceived impracticality—how can a stateless society function on a large scale? Supporters counter that the real impracticality lies in maintaining oppressive systems and expecting better results. The Occupy Wall Street movement, for example, embodied anarchistic principles, emphasizing direct democracy and wealth equality but struggled with organizational challenges due to the absence of centralized leadership.
Modern anarchism remains diverse, ranging from anti-capitalist movements to crypto-anarchists who use technology like cryptocurrency to bypass state regulations. This ideological diversity also extends to the use of violence. While some anarchists, such as Emma Goldman, justified violence as a tool for revolution, others emphasize peaceful mutual aid and community building as the path forward.
Anarchist communities, like the Zapatistas, continue to embody stateless cooperation, while everyday gestures of mutual aid, such as volunteering at community gardens and soup kitchens, reflect anarchist ideals in practice. As Colin Ward noted, anarchism thrives in everyday acts of kindness and cooperation, challenging us to imagine a world where mutual aid replaces government authority.
Though fully stateless societies are rare in the modern era, the principles of anarchism—resistance to oppressive power, mutual aid, and decentralized cooperation—persist in movements worldwide. Whether through revolutionary action or simple acts of community support, the core idea remains: a society based on equality and shared resources without hierarchical control.