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The Politics Shed- A Free Text Book for all students of Politics.
In The Ego and His Own (1844) Stirner claims that the individual is utterly egoistical, with no interest in the welfare of others, unless this can in some way benefi t themselves . He believed that without the oppressive state, sovereign individuals would come together out of the selfi sh need for security and because working with others is rational, even if it is not natural
Stirner, a German philosopher also known as Johann Caspar Schmidt, created a radical form of individualism rooted in egoism. He rejected any restrictions on personal freedom. Unlike other anarchists who focused on moral ideas like justice and community, Stirner only highlighted the importance of the individual. He argued that the person is the main focus in matters of morality. By stating that no outside authority holds true power, he believed that personal desires form the foundation for real freedom. This perspective impacted Nietzsche, especially his notion that God is dead, and later helped shape existentialism. Stirner's key political work is The Ego and His Own, published in 1845. He also argued that egoism does not have to be anti-social. He envisioned a Union of Egoists, where all members agree to join voluntarily and can leave whenever they choose.
Max Stirner had a significant impact on individualist anarchism and nihilism. His ideas focused on abolishing both the state and society. In his most famous book, The Ego and His Own, published in 1844, he introduced the concept of egoism. Stirner argued that understanding human behaviour hinges on recognising that people act out of self-interest.
He believed that individuals have the right to claim anything they find in the world, even using others to serve their needs. In his book, he portrayed a society where people interact based on mutual usefulness rather than emotional connections.
Stirner opposed the state, religion, and ideologies, arguing that they limit people's freedom of choice. He referred to anything that hinders a person's pursuit of self-interest as a 'spook' or 'ghost,' suggesting that these institutions are deceptive illusions that claim to offer freedom but actually restrict it.
Instead of ideologies and organised religion, Stirner encouraged individuals to develop their own sense of ego. He believed that as egoism became more widespread, it would challenge all authority without leading to constant conflict. He envisioned groups called 'unions of egoism,' where people work together to enhance their self-interest. These unions would eventually replace the state.
Stirner earned a reputation as one of the most radical anarchists of the nineteenth century, aiming to dismantle the state through force. His view of human nature is often seen as pessimistic, which some consider fair. He acknowledged that people could act selflessly, but usually only when it benefits their own interests.
Stirner also advocated for unrestricted individual freedom, asserting that the state and private property must be abolished to allow maximum liberty. He wanted to eliminate moral constraints that might limit personal freedom. He believed that morality, religion, ideology, and philosophy should be resisted by independent individuals. Stirner shared this resistance to morality with Georges Sorel, who thought that actions breaking public moral standards were necessary for true mental freedom.
Stirner was born in Bayreuth, Bavaria, on October 25, 1806. What little is known of his life is mostly due to the Scottish born German writer John Henry Mackay, who wrote a biography of Stirner (Max Stirner - sein Leben und sein Werk), published in German in 1898. A 2005 English translation has now appeared.
Stirner attended university in Berlin, where he attended the lectures of Hegel, who was to become a vital source of inspiration for his thinking, and on the structure of whose work Phenomenology of Spirit (Phänomenologie des Geistes), he modelled his own book. (Hegel's influence on Stirner's thinking is debatable, and is discussed in more detail below.)
While in Berlin in 1841, Stirner sometimes participated in a discussion group of young philosophers called "The Free" [Die Freien], and who historians have subsequently categorized as so-called Young Hegelians. Some of the best known names in 19th century literature were members of this discussion group, including Bruno Bauer, Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Ludwig Feuerbach, and Arnold Ruge.
While some of the Young Hegelians were eager subscribers to Hegel's dialectical method, and attempted to apply dialectical approaches to Hegel's conclusions, the "left wing" members of the Young Hegelians, e.g. those named above, broke with Hegel. Feuerbach and Bauer led this charge.
Frequently the debates would take place at Hippel's, a Weinstube (wine bar) in Friedrichstrasse, attended by, amongst others, the young Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, at that time still adherents of Feuerbach. The only portrait we have of Stirner consists of a cartoon by Engels, drawn forty years later from memory on the request of Stirner's biographer John Henry Mackay.
Stirner worked as a schoolteacher employed in an academy for young girls when he wrote his major work The Ego and Its Own, which in part is a polemic against both Hegel and some Young Hegelians (e.g. Ludwig Feuerbach, Bruno Bauer), but also against communists as Wilhelm Weitling and against the anarchist Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, not to mention Feuerbach. He resigned his teaching position in anticipation of the controversy arising from his major work's publication in October 1844.
Stirner married twice; his first wife was a household servant with whom he fell in love at an early age. Soon after their marriage, she died due to complications with pregnancy in 1838. In 1843 he married Marie Dähnhardt, an intellectual associated with Die Freien. They divorced in 1846. The bitter ironic dedication of The Ego and Its Own - "to my sweetheart Marie Dähnhardt" - may hint at the reasons for the shortness of their liaison. Marie later converted to catholicism and died 1902 in London.
One of the most curious events in those times was that Stirner planned and financed (with his second wife's inheritance) an attempt by some Young Hegelians to own and operate a milk-shop on co-operative principles. This enterprise failed because the German dairy farmers harboured suspicions of these well-dressed intellectuals with their confusing talk about profit-sharing and other high-minded ideals. Meanwhile, the milk shop itself appeared so ostentatiously decorated that most of the customers felt too poorly dressed to buy their milk there.
After The Ego and Its Own, Stirner published German translations of Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations and Jean-Baptiste Say's Traite d'Economie Politique, and a set of his replies to his critics were collected in a small work titled History of Reaction (1852).
In 1856, Stirner died in Berlin, Prussia from an infected insect bite. As the story goes, Bruno Bauer was the only Young Hegelian present at his funeral.
Stirner believes that the core of human nature is self-interest, meaning each person should express their individuality without restrictions. Therefore, a rational individual should be able to use whatever or whoever they wish to reach their goals. Stirner’s individual is at the centre of their own moral universe, freely exercising their will without limits. In his writing, he does not judge actions like a mother harming her child, incest, or murder. His view of egoism emphasizes self-autonomy or mastery over oneself. He describes this concept as 'ownness,' stating that one is truly oneself only when in control, rather than being controlled by others or personal desires like the pursuit of wealth. While Stirner acknowledges that people may act altruistically, he argues it must be in their own interest.
With such strong individualism, Stirner sees no room for compromise between egoism and the state. He views the two as fundamentally opposed, as self-mastery conflicts with the state’s aim to control individuals. According to Stirner, only the individual ego rightfully claims sovereignty, while the state is always oppressive. He also dismisses morality, religion, and ideology as illusions meant to create a false sense of freedom while curbing egoism. These types of control, along with the state, need to be eliminated for people to prioritise their own interests. Stirner considers society as coercive, forcing its members to prioritize community over individual freedom. He believes that individual self-interest results in conflict, leading society into chaos. His solution is not a powerful state but rather groups of independent individuals.
From an economic perspective, Stirner rejects capitalism and its work ethic. He describes factory work as resembling slavery, which leads to feelings of alienation. Instead, work should be fulfilling and allow individuals to enjoy their efforts. Traditional ideas of ownership, whether private or collective, do not fit into his vision. In his view, egoistic property can be freely used by self-interested individuals without moral limits.
Stirner envisions a future without a state, formed by unions of egoists engaging in insurrection. These voluntary groups would allow people to pursue personal goals orderly and mutually. He believes such unions could provide enough resources for security and reduce poverty. Importantly, these unions do not subordinate individuals but are flexible, allowing people to come together without sacrificing their sovereignty. These groups serve a practical purpose for personal rather than collective ambitions. In Stirner's view, such associations do not constitute a structured society.
Summary:
Summary:
People are self-interested egotists.
The state denies people the right to fulfill their egoism and individualism.
Society of any kind restrains people. We must be completely self-reliant.
The accumulation and retention of property is our main economic motivation.
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