Excerpt from Th orie de la Propri t Si le pmpri taire pr f re conserver ces constructions et plantations, il doit le remboursement des mat riaux et du prix de la main-d'oeuvre, sans gard la plus ou moins grande augmentation de valeur que le fonds a pu recevoir. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Théorie de la Propriété (Classic Reprint)

Business & Money

Pierre-Joseph Proudhon

Economics

Forgotten Books

LARGE PRINT EDITION! More at LargePrintLiberty.com.  This book was an influential work of nonfiction on the concept of property and its relation to anarchist philosophy by the French anarchist and mutualist Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, first published in 1840.  In the book, Proudhon most famously declared that "property is theft". Proudhon believed that the common conception of property conflated two distinct components which, once identified, demonstrated the difference between property used to further tyranny and property used to protect liberty. He argued that the result of an individual's labor which is currently occupied or used is a legitimate form of property. Thus, he opposed unused land being regarded as property, believing that land can only be rightfully possessed by use or occupation (which he called "possession"). As an extension of his belief that legitimate property (possession) was the result of labor and occupation, he argued against such institutions as interest on loans and rent.  Some contemporary anarchists use the terms personal property (or possessive property) and private property to signify the distinctions Proudhon put forth in regard to ownership of the produce of labor and ownership of land. In this sense, private property would refer to claimed ownership of unused land or goods, and personal property would refer to produce of labor currently in use. This differentiation is an important component in anarchist critique of capitalism.

What is property?: An inquiry into the principle of right and of government (The Dover anarchy library)

Business

Dover Publications

Proudhon's classic exposition of individualist anarchism, now back in print after many years, in the excellent John Beverly Robinson translation. 

General idea of the revolution in the nineteenth century

Politics & Social Sciences

Politics & Government

Haskell House Publishers (NYC)

The Philosophy of Misery

Proudhon begins his discussion of economics with an explanation of his theory concerning God, the human soul, society, and the possibility for social progress. Having established the possibility of progress, he goes on to suggest a new system for organizing economies and societies. In this groundbreaking work, Proudhon lays out his own plan for reforming economics to better achieve the goals of mankind: freedom and happiness. His system, eventually called "mutualism" proposes that through radical free markets, goods will be valued based on the amount of work that they embody - and that without interference from governments or taxation, laborers will exchange goods of equal labor values, thus eliminating the exploitation of workers by those who physically produce nothing. PIERRE-JOSEPH PROUDHON (1809-1865) was a French political philosopher who wrote extensively on anarchy and was the first person known to have referred to himself as an anarchist. He believed that the only property man could own was whatever he made himself, and argued against the communist concept of mass ownership. His most famous writings include What Is Property? (1840) and General Idea of the Revolution in the Nineteenth Century (1851).

Literature & Fiction

History & Criticism

Cosimo Classics

Pierre-Joseph Proudhon makes his case here of the necessity of revolution. His philosophy can be applied to any society, but in the atmosphere of great political upheaval in the mid 1800s, revolution seemed like destiny for France. Proudhon attacks past revolutionaries for failing to achieve a real transformation in society and offers a new path for future generations to follow: the dismantling of government. In its place, he envisions social contracts between all members of society in which they agree to exchanges that are entirely beneficial to both parties. No one need suffer. No one need be exploited by another. A true revolution, using Proudhon's principles, would bring about an anarchic utopia. Students of political science and philosophy, activists working for social justice, and those fed up with government corruption will find his argument thought provoking and educational. PIERRE-JOSEPH PROUDHON (1809-1865) was a French political philosopher who wrote extensively on anarchy and was the first person known to have referred to himself as an anarchist. He believed that the only property man could own was whatever he made himself and argued against the communist concept of mass ownership. His most famous writings include What Is Property? (1840) and System of Economic Contradictions; or The Philosophy of Poverty (1846).

General Idea of the Revolution in the Nineteenth Century

Philosophy

Proudhon's most famous declaration that "property is theft" comes from this, his most famous work, published in French in 1840; the English translation dates from 1890. According to Proudhon, only that which is being used is real property. Land must be lived on or farmed to be property, and goods must have been made by one's own labor to be owned. These new definitions challenge the very basis of capitalist systems, and Proudhon used them as the foundation for his writings in support of anarchy. Activists, historians, and philosophers will find themselves pondering his arguments long after they have finished reading.

What is Property?

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