Classical Anarchism: The Political Thought of Godwin, Proudhon, Bakunin, and Kropotkin

How can there be order in a modern society without government? In Classical Anarchism, George Crowder considers the presentation of stateless order in the works of writers who epitomized the "classical" tradition of anarchistic thought--Godwin, Proudhon, Kropotkin, and Bakunin. Crowder argues that their theses of stateless order are more coherent and persuasive than usually supposed if considered in their intellectual and historical context. He concentrates on three aspects of anarchist thought which have been previously neglected or misunderstood: the "positive" character of their concept of freedom, the complexity of their responses to Rousseau, and the degree to which they were influenced by contemporary scientism. Crowder closes with an evaluation of classical anarchism from a current perspective and considers prospects for the future of anarchist ideology.