Kropotkin’s “The Conquest of Bread” Today; Anarchist Political Economics

by Wayne Price

For forty years, Peter Kropotkin (1842—1921) was active in the anarchist movement. “Kropotkin…was the chief exponent of the ideas of the European anarchist movement, which for the most part, only developed after Bakunin’s death.” (Cahm 1989; p. ix) One of his most well-known books was The Conquest of Bread. Written clearly and understandably, it laid out his program of anarchist-communism and is still widely read throughout the world.

Revenge of the Return of Anarchy and Democracy (Revisited)

From Libertarian Labyrinth by Shawn P. Wilbur

The most recent issue of Anarcho-Syndicalist Review includes an article by Wayne Price, “Do Anarchists Support Democracy? The Opinions of Errico Malatesta,” in which he once again takes up the defense of “democracy” as at least consistent with anarchist principles. A brief discussion of the article on the North American Anarchist Studies Association list picked up threads from the 2017 C4SS “Mutual Exchange” on anarchy and democracy.

Do Anarchists Support Democracy? The Opinion of Errico Malatesta

From Anarcho-Syndicalist Review by Wayne Price

In the current political crisis of the U.S., it is vital for anarchists and other radicals to be clear about their view of democracy. To this end, I am reviewing the opinions of the Italian revolutionary anarchist Errico Malatesta.

I would prefer revolutionary internationalism

From libcom.org
December 8, 2024

A response to Wayne Price's ‘Should Anarchists Defend Ukraine? A Response to Bill Beech’ in Black Flag, Autumn 2024, Vol4.

To those who read the pages of Black Flag, it will be clear from Wayne Price’s response to my essay ‘War on Anarchism’, that his arrogance can only be matched by his ignorance. It is hard to debate someone who is fully committed to remaining ignorant and who persistently avoids any discussion of specifics, while retreating into abstract slogans and idealistic positions. In response to the many facts I present and the 48 footnotes, Wayne Price offers a stale reference to Bakunin, an oblique reference about Ukrainian anti-semitism (to quarrel with an argument I didn’t make), and a reference TO HIMSELF, Wayne Price.

After the U.S. Election of a Semi-Fascist

by Wayne Price

After the U.S. Election of a Semi-Fascist: A Few Thoughts by an Anarchist

Since the November 2024 national election there has been a mountain of reevaluations, recriminations, reconsiderations, and desperations—by liberals and radicals. Some blame popular racism and sexism for the defeat of a Black woman candidate. Others note that a racist nativism led to an hysterical fear of Mexican and other immigrants. This was a fear which the Republicans played up but which the Democrats also played to. The arrogance and elitism of the Democrats has been referred to. Others focus on the economic suffering of working class people, their stalled wages, the effects of inflation, the housing shortage, and so on. All of these were undoubted factors—especially the economic problems of working people, which Harris did not really address, Yet these, and similar influences, seem to leave something out. How could a person such as Donald Trump win a majority of the population—a slight (1.6%) majority, but consistently in most “demographics?” Were the price of eggs that high?

War on Anarchism

From libcom.org
June 10, 2024

The split in the anarchist movement between antimilitarists and Natopolitan Anarchists has grown deeper since February 2022. The Natopolitans continue to support the arming of the Ukrainian state, the escalation of hostilities, both in weapons and in scale, despite the numbers of dead Ukrainians, regardless of the threat of nuclear conflict, regardless of the reality of this war and its unending suffering meted out on the working class of Ukraine. In doing so, they are waging war on anarchism, here, over there and everywhere.

Malatesta’s Revolutionary Anarchism in British Exile

Review of The Armed Strike: The Long London Exile of 1900—13.  The Complete Works of Errico Malatesta.  Vol. V. (2023). by Wayne Price

The Italian Errico Malatesta (1853—1932) was a comrade and friend of Michael Bakunin and Peter Kropotkin. Calling himself an anarchist-socialist, he was respected and loved by large numbers of anarchists and workers, in Italy and other countries. He was closely watched by the police forces of several nations. He had escaped imprisonment in Italy and lived in various countries in Europe, the Middle East, the U.S.A., and Latin America. Four times he spent time in Britain. This volume has collected works from his longest stay there, from 1900 to 1913, from when he was 48 to 61.

A Talk on the Ukrainian-Russian War

Based on a talk I gave at the August 12, 2023 Los Angeles Anarchist Book Fair
by Wayne Price

When the Russian state invaded Ukraine, I was immediately on the side of the Ukrainian people. Mainly this was because, like most people, I hate oppression, exploitation, and bullying. I am on the side of the oppressed, the exploited, the beaten, the marginalized, and the dominated. Especially whenever they fight back. While my political opinions have evolved over the years, this attitude has continued to be at the heart of my worldview.

The Revolutionary Practice of Anarchism

From Anarkismo by Wayne Price

Original title: The Revolutionary Practice of Anarchism: Review of Zoe Baker, Means & Ends: The Revolutionary Practice of Anarchism in Europe and the United States

This is an outstanding overview of the anarchist movement. It covers the period from 1868 (the approximate beginning of revolutionary anarchism as a movement) to 1939 (the defeat of the Spanish Revolution and the beginning of World War II). While anarchism has been a world movement, this book only covers European and U.S. anarchism, which has inherent limitations (also, the author admits to only reading English). Further, the text does not discuss all tendencies which have been regarded as anarchist. It does not deal with individualist or market-oriented anarchisms, nor with anarchist-pacifism nor some other trends.

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