Marx and the Anarchists

[Sitaram]

An interesting question arose elsewhere on the forum which has captured my attention: namely, "What is the relationship between Anarchists and Marxism.


By the way, this post constitutes HISTORY and not POLITICS. A discussion of the Peloponnesian Wars during Herodotus' day was politics, but now it is history.

Here are some things I quickly found, I must read them over and read the links in their entirety, but at least it is a start.


diy-punk.org/anarchy/secA1.html

(excerpts):

Anarchism is a political theory which aims to create anarchy, "the
absence of a master, of a sovereign." [P-J Proudhon, What is Property
, p. 264] In other words, anarchism is a political theory which aims to
create a society within which individuals freely co-operate together as
equals. As such anarchism opposes all forms of hierarchical control -
be that control by the state or a capitalist - as harmful to the
individual and their individuality as well as unnecessary.

[Maljackson]

sitaram can u help me?

[Sitaram]

I am off to work, and late... but over the coming days I may be able to help whatever it is, unless you have waited til the last minute and it is due tomorrow

[Leon Trotsky]

Summary: Karl Marx and Mikhail Bakunin (an anarchist) battled for control of the First International. Marx believed that when communism comes into being because class differences have disappeared democracy of the will of society will prevail. Bakunin believed that from this situation an full time bureaucracy will come into being which would put it's own interests above others. The USSR is pointed out as an example by future anarchists of this. There is however problems with this argument, partly due to the circumstances that Stalin came to rule the USSR, and his belief that the revolution had put the party in charge, while Lenin and Trotsky believed it had put the working class in charge via the Soviets. But by this time this was largely irrelevant as the working class had been decimated by a 'civil' war where countries like Britain and Poland had invaded Russia.

This is what Marx himself had to say about Bakunin: marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1874/04/bakunin-notes.htm

[Remarkable]

According to this book I read on anarchy,some german anarchists with Max Stirner in their midsts had some confidences with Marx,but being a rational man,he considered this friendships purely non-political.Since the anarchists parted definitely from the socialists in Bazel,they have not had very satisfactory relationships with each other.Anyway,in the end,none of Marxes theories have any anarchist colouring in them.So you can judge by yourself...

[Timberly.Gray]

From my limited understanding, Marxism is little more than a theory of history, and a description of the way in which a perfect society should operate. Anarchism on the other hand is overtly political. Don't be fooled by the Marx-Leninist interptetation of Marx's writings. I think you'll find the flavour of his actual intentions to be far more benign and accurate than popular perception would have you believe.