PhiloWikiConceptsPhilosophersBooksInteractive graph

Concept

Insurrectionary anarchism

Insurrectionary anarchism
Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain · source

Overview

Insurrectionary anarchism is a revolutionary theory and tendency within the anarchist movement that emphasizes the importance of insurrection as a revolutionary practice. It is critical of formal organizations, such as labor unions and federations that are based on a political program and periodic congresses; instead, insurrectionary anarchists advocate for informal and small affinity group-based organization. Insurrectionary anarchists put value in attack, permanent class conflict and a refusal to negotiate or compromise with 'class enemies'.

Associated closely with the Italian anarchist movement, the theory of insurrectionary anarchism has historically been linked with a number of high-profile assassinations, as well as the bombing campaigns of the Galleanisti and Informal Anarchist Federation (FAI).

Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).

Possible passages

Found by search and not yet checked by a person; they may only mention the idea in passing.

  1. They loved democracy because they hated Germany; but they thought they hated Germany because they loved democracy. The correlative impulses of aggression and resistance to aggression have both been operative in all the countries engaged in the war. Those who have not been dominated by one or other of these impulses may be roughly divided into three classes. There are, first, men whose national sentiment is…

    Bertrand Russell, Why Men Fight

    Close in meaning to Insurrectionary anarchism; the term itself is not named.

    Read the chapter · Open in the reader

  2. The first conflict has already arisen around the question of the form of government. The Russian bourgeoisie needs a monarchy. In all the countries pursuing an imperialistic policy, we observe an unusual increase of personal power. The policy of world usurpations, secret treaties and open treachery requires independence from Parliamentary control and a guarantee against changes in policies caused by the change of…

    Leon Trotsky, Our Revolution

    Close in meaning to Insurrectionary anarchism; the term itself is not named.

    Read the chapter · Open in the reader

  3. The individual is absolute; all persons have the right of expressing their thoughts in speech and print; every man must enjoy equal electoral rights. As a battle cry against feudalism, the demand for democracy had a progressive character. As time went on, however, the metaphysics of natural law (the theory of formal democracy) began to show its reactionary side--the establishment of an ideal standard to control the…

    Leon Trotsky, Dictatorship vs. Democracy

    Close in meaning to Insurrectionary anarchism; the term itself is not named.

    Read the chapter · Open in the reader

Philosophers who discussed Insurrectionary anarchism

Related ideas

Place in the tradition

Part of Anarchism.

Explore Insurrectionary anarchism in the interactive graph →