Bakunin
Mikhail Bakunin (1814–76) was born into aristocracy but grew interested in radical ideas as a young man. Although he was initially inspired by Marx, he later distanced himself from socialism. Bakunin disagreed with the idea of a worker's state, seeing it as a source of corruption, even in its transitional forms. He did not provide a detailed vision of an ideal society, only a broad outline. His major work, God and the State, was published posthumously in 1882. The main points of Bakunin's philosophy are outlined below.
Bakunin believed in propaganda by the deed to bring about revolution. This direct action would take the form of general strikes, non-payment of taxes and rent, as well as violent acts.
Bakunin argued that humans are naturally sociable. He proposed abolishing society and forming collectivised communes with total economic equality.
He believed in the concept of natural law to which all people are subject. In a stateless society, natural law would take over.
He advocated a system of federalism in which workers and peasants would band together in voluntary communities (communes) that would vary in size.
Communes would trade with each other on mutually negotiated terms, based on the labour value of goods instead of their market value.
Bakunin was a major advocate of collectivist anarchism and a significant thinker in the anarchist movement of the nineteenth century. He believed that political power is fundamentally oppressive and trusted in human sociability. For him, true freedom could only come from collectivism, which means self-governing communities based on voluntary cooperation, no private property, and a system where rewards match contributions. Bakunin supported individual acts of violence, calling the ‘sacred instinct of violence’ essential for dismantling political, social, and religious institutions. He also sharply criticized the state-centered ideas of Marxism. However, his thoughts were not always consistent or systematic, showing a tension between materialism and romanticism in his writings.
Bakunin's key works, L’Empire knouto-germanique et la révolution sociale (1871) and Statism and Anarchy (1873), showcased his clash with Marx. Like Marx, Bakunin was a committed revolutionary who advocated for violent change. However, he rejected political control, centralization, and submission to authority, although he unconsciously supported his role within the movement. He criticized what he saw as typical German ways of thinking and instead celebrated the raw spirit of rebellion he observed in Russian peasants. Bakunin’s version of anarchism stood in stark contrast to Marx's communism. His views posed a threat to Marxists, both personally and theoretically. Bakunin believed that a revolutionary movement should first abolish the state, which resonated with many activists. He foresaw the dangers of Marx's plan to keep the state (tyranny of the proletariat) until socialism arrived, warning that it could lead to bureaucratic tyranny and dictatorship.
Proudhon and Bakunin rank as the founders of 19th-century anarchism. Bakunin formulated no coherent body of doctrine, and his voluminous and vigorous writings were often left incomplete. However, his fame and personality inspired a large and widely dispersed following. Small anarchist groups existed in Great Britain, Switzerland, and Germany, though the powerful anarcho-syndicalist wing of the French trade unions owed more to Proudhon than to Bakunin. Anarchist movements owing allegiance to Bakunin continued to flourish in Italy and especially in Spain, where as late as 1936 the anarchists were the strongest revolutionary party.