The conquest of bread

by Peter Kropotkin

Paper Book, 2006

Description

The Conquest of Bread presents the clearest statement of Kropotkin's anarchist social doctrines. It possesses a lucidity of style not often found in books on social themes. In Kropotkin's own description, the book is "a study of the needs of humanity, and the economic means to satisfy them". Taking the Paris Commune as its model, its paramount aim is to show how a social revolution can be made and how a society, organized on libertarian lines, can then be built on the ruins of the old. Form Stirner's individualism, Proudhon's mutualism and Bakunin's collectivism Kropotkin proceeded to the principle of "anarchist communism", by which private property and inequality of income would give way to the free distribution of goods and services. In summing up his beliefs he said, "The anarchists conceive a society in which all the mutual relations of its members are regulated... by mutual agreements between the members of the society and by a sum of social customs and habits...continually developing and continually readjusting in accordance with the ever-growing requirements of a free life stimulated by the progress of science, invention and the steady growth of higher ideals."  In his introduction, George Woodcock throws a modern light on the significance and scope of Kropotkin's work.… (more)

Status

Available

Call number

335.83

Publication

Oakland, CA : AK Press, 2006.

User reviews

LibraryThing member HadriantheBlind
Well, this was interesting to look over. Especially after my big focus on Chinese authoritarian capitalism over the past few weeks.

Kropotkin advocates a unique ideology, which might now be classified as 'anarcho-communism'. This combination was jarring, from my biased American viewpoint, especially
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because communism is immediately associated with central planning and statism. Kropotkin, to his credit, immediately identifies some of the problems with central planned economies.

After this, he constructs his new ideal society with loving detail, moving from the basic necessities (food, clothing, shelter), to wages and the structure and distribution of goods, and education. He avoids much hard economic detail, and this book is made for mass discussion.

Now I find myself in agreement with him in more areas that I would have thought. Mechanization, technology, and planning have made many previously awful jobs much more reasonable and efficient. Women need to be brought out and made equal, of course, of course. Cooperation has worked in some fields, particularly with modern technology and the internet. I could go on about crowd-sourcing, the public domain, GNU, Creative Commons Licenses, and so forth. I agree that happy and autonomous workers are best, in terms of production, and happiness. Not to mention that there has been an empirically shown biological imperative for altruism. (see: Stephen Jay Gould's essay for further detail)

However, I confess I am distrustful that people will willingly buy into such ideas, what after the spread of the idea of rugged individualism. Or whether if people are simply good enough to willingly move over to communes, or participate in group or community thinking. Or if any moneyed interests will conspire to make such a society impossible. And this is coming from an avowed idealist/optimist. Although I'd much prefer this society to a Social Darwinist 'every man for himself' arena. Only too often have I seen evolution, a wonderful biological theory, tarnished by being used as a justification for societal misfortunes and inequalities.

Will such a utopia work? Perhaps. I'm not really sure. My inner empirical scientist wants to say 'try it out and let's see'. Perhaps that's the only way to be sure.
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LibraryThing member Paul_S
I completely disagree but this is worth a read. Author was ahead of its time. By about 1000 years. I'm sure he'll be vindicated once machines take over.
LibraryThing member Eavans
Technology promised us easier lives. *Looks down at notes*

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Language

Original publication date

1892

ISBN

1904859100 / 9781904859109
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