New Books in Critical Theory

Alex Prichard, "Anarchism: a Very Short Introduction" (Oxford UP, 2022)

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Feb 7, 2026
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INSIGHT

Anarchism and the Rise of Nation-States

  • Anarchists supported early national liberation movements but opposed the state as an instrument of freedom.
  • They believed true freedom came from communal self-organization, not state institutions, even revolutionary ones.
INSIGHT

Classical Anarchism and the French Revolution

  • Classical anarchism emerged from the French Revolution's failure to deliver true liberty and equality.
  • Anarchists sought to expand the revolution's secularization of politics, democratizing all aspects of society.
INSIGHT

Kropotkin and Mutual Aid

  • Kropotkin, a prince-turned-anarchist, argued that mutual aid, not competition, drives evolution and human society.
  • He believed the state and its centralized power disrupt natural mutual aid, creating scarcity and conflict.
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