Basics of Anarchism

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The consistent anarchist, then, should be a socialist, but a socialist of a particular sort. He will not only oppose alienated and specialized labor and look forward to the appropriation of capital by the whole body of workers, but he will also insist that this appropriation be direct, not exercised by some elite force acting in the name of the proletariat.

— Noam Chomsky

In Daniel Guérin, Anarchism: From Theory to Practice, 1970

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June 27, 2008

Unwelcome Guests: #416 - War is Peace, Slavery is freedom, Ignorance is Profit

The battle over who owns and controls the mass media, which ideas and information will reach a broad public is central to the question of whether rule by the people can or will exist. the failure of the American mass media to truthfully
inform the public is predictable, and was predicted by the people who fought the commercialization of radio in the early 20th century. In a media system based on profits from advertising revenue, the attention of the audience becomes the product sold to the advertiser. The ideal audience is therefore not only large, it is one not in the habit of thinking
critically.

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What is anarchism? Who are anarchists and what do they do? Who are some notable anarchists? Isn't anarchy about violence? Is anarchism a viable alternative to the current political system? Are anarchists really against the government?

If you have any of these questions about anarchism and anarchists, or are interested in learning more about these topics, this page provides a quick overview of the subject. Infoshop.org has hundreds of pages, news stories and features that explain the basics of anarchism and much more. There are hundreds of websites and blogs about anarchism, as well as hundreds of books about the subject.

Beginner Guides

One good online source for beginners is An Anarchist FAQ which is very comprehensive. The scope of the FAQ is very wide-ranging, so beginners might want to pay attention to the first half dozen sections.

Core Concepts

Anti-authoritarian, black bloc, class war, collective, consensus decision-making, cooperation, direct action, direct democracy, freedom, freedom of association, general strike, mutual aid, propaganda of the deed, revolution, solidarity, voluntary association, wage slavery, working class

Notable Anarchist Thinkers

Basic Books

About Anarchism by Nicolas Walter
Anarchism by Sean Sheehan
Anarchism: A Documentary History Of Libertarian Ideas—Volume One: From Anarchy To Anarchism (300CE to 1939) edited by Robert Graham
Anarchism: A Very Short Introduction by Colin Ward
Anarchism (Broadview Encore Editions) by George Woodcock
Anarchist Portraits by Paul Avrich
Anarcho-Syndicalism: Theory and Practice
Bakunin: The Creative Passion
Days of War, Nights of Love by CrimethInc
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Anarchism, But Were Afraid To Ask... by Simon Read
Expect Resistance by CrimethInc
Getting Free by James Herod
No Gods No Masters edited by Daniel Guerin
Quiet Rumours: An Anarcha-Feminist Reader

Magazines and Journals

Anarchy - A general interest anarchist magazine that covers theory, dissent and culture. Widely know for its stance against ideology and the home of post-left anarchism.
Anarcho Syndicalist Review - A long-running magazine on work struggles, organizing, syndicalism, and the IWW.
Fifth Estate Magazine - One of the oldest anarchist magazines published in the U.S. An eclectic magazine that covers anarchism, dissent, social struggles, radical culture and contemporary issues.
Green Anarchy - A feisty magazine about anti-civilization, environmental activism, and militant struggles around he world.