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A Short Introduction to Anarchist-Communism

Anarchist communism is a form of anarchism that advocatesthe abolition of the State and capitalism in favour of a horizon-tal network of voluntary associations through which everyonewill be free to satisfy his or her needs.

Anarchist communism is also known as anarcho-commu-nism, communist anarchism, or, sometimes, libertarian com-munism. However, while all anarchist communists are libertar-

ian communists, some libertarian communists, such as coun-cil communists, are not anarchists. What distinguishes anar-chist communism from other variants of libertarian commu-nism is the formers opposition to all forms of political power,hierarchy and domination.

Anarchist communism stresses egalitarianism and the aboli-tion of social hierarchy and class distinctions that arise fromunequal wealth distribution, the abolition of capitalism andmoney, and the collective production and distribution ofwealth by means of voluntary associations. In anarchist com-munism, the state and property no longer exist. Each individ-ual and group is free to contribute to production and to satisfytheir needs based on their own choice. Systems of productionand distribution are managed by their participants.

The abolition of wage labour is central to anarchist commu-nism. With distribution of wealth being based on self-deter-mined needs, people will be free to engage in whatever activ-ities they find most fulfilling and will no longer have to engagein work for which they have neitherthe temperament nor

the aptitude.Anarchist com-m u n i s t sargue thatthere is novalid way ofmeasuring thevalue of anyone persons eco-nomic contribu-tions because allwealth is a collectiveproduct of current andpreceding generations.

Anarchist communistsargue that any economicsystem based on wagelabour and private prop-erty will require a coer-cive state apparatus toenforce property rightsand to maintain the unequaleconomic relationships thatwill inevitably arise.

Well known anarchist commu-

nists include Peter, or Piotr,Kropotkin (Russia), Errico

Malatesta (Italy) and Nestor

Makhno (Ukraine). Kropotkin is often seen as the most impor-tant theorist of anarchist communism, outlining his economic

ideas in booksThe Conquest of Bread and Fields, Factoriesand Workshops. Kropotkin felt co-operation to be more bene-

ficial than competition, arguing in Mutual Aid: A Factor ofEvolution that this was illustrated in nature. Anarchist com-munist ideas were very influential in the introduction of anar-

chism to Japan through the efforts of Ktoku Shsui in theearly 1900s who corresponded with Kropotkin and translated

his works. Alexander Berkman and Emma Goldman (whowere both deported from the USA to Russia in 1919) becameimportant proponents of Communist anarchism and becameespecially critical of Bolshevism after they discovered its dev-

astating reality first-hand in Russia, and after the Red Armyscrushing of the Kronstadt uprising. They in turn had been

influenced by German-born migre to the USA,Johann Most,who had earlier helped bring anarchist communist thought to

Britain though his contact with Frank Kitz in London around1880 (see Anarchist Communism in Britain for a full histor-ical account).

Many platformists refer to themselves as anarchist commu-nists, although other anarchist communists are uncomfortablewith some areas of the Organisational Platform document,such as the issue of collective responsibility as supported byMahkno but opposed by Malatesta. In general anarchist com-

munists of all kinds are critical of some aspects of anarcho-syndicalism which considers workplace self-management byworkers as fundamental to the aims (as well as the means) of

achieving social revolution and still maintains eco-nomic relations based on reward of effort and

exchange.Modern day anarchist communists are repre-

sented in several organisations within the

International of Anarchist Federations,including the Anarchist Federation (Britain).Platformist anarchist communists include theWorkers Solidarity Movement (Ireland), theNorth-Eastern Federation of AnarchistCommunists (USA) and the ZabalazaAnarchist Communist Front (South Africa).

Many nascent Eastern European,Russian and Caucasian

anarchist groupsidentify with anar-chist communismand there is astrong anarchistcommunist current

amongst contempo-rary Latin Americanand Caribbean

anarchist organi-sations.

Anarchist Communism- An Introduction -

Edited by the Anarchist Federation Text downloaded from www.libcom.org

Check out www.anarkismo.net More copies can be downloaded from www.zabalaza.net