consisted of five sections: "Solution of the Problème Social;" "Organisation of the Crédit and of the Circulation;" "Résumé of the Question Social;" "Banque of the Échange;" and "Banque of the People."
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (15 January 1809 – 19 January 1865) was a French socialist, politician, philosopher, economist, and the founder of mutualist philosophy. He was the first person to declare himself an anarchist, using that term and is widely regarded as one of anarchism's most influential theorists. Proudhon is considered by many to be the "father of anarchism". Proudhon became a member of the French Parliament after the Revolution of 1848, whereafter he referred to himself as a federalist. Proudhon described the liberty he pursued as "the synthesis of communism and property". Some consider his mutualism to be part of individualist anarchism while others regard it to be part of social anarchism.
Nesse livro Proudhon transcreve um discurso feito aos insurgentes da revolução francesa de 1848. Nele, semeia as ideias do que irá se tornar o Mutualismo, tece críticas aos monarquistas, aristocratas, democratas e comunistas de seu tempo. Para Proudhon nenhum dos grupos políticos conseguiu interpretar a verdadeira vontade do povo.
"A democracia, afirmando a soberania do povo, é como a teologia ajoelhada ante o santo cibório: nem uma nem outra podem provar o Cristo que ela adoram, e ainda menos manifestá-lo"