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Anarchist Intervention Series #1
Anarchism and Its Aspirations
From nineteenth-century newspaper publishers to the protesters in the “Battle of Seattle” and the recent Greek uprising, anarchists have long been incited to action by the ideal of a “free society of free individuals”—a transformed world in which people and communities relate to each other intentionally and without hierarchy or domination. But what exactly would that look like, and how can we get there?
Anarchism and Its Aspirations provides an accessible overview of the history and hopeful future of this vision for a better world. The book quickly brings even the uninitiated reader up to speed with a crash course on some of the most influential anarchists in history and their ideas about how we might achieve the transformation of society. From there, the book looks at how these principles have been put into practice by groups such as the Situationist International, social ecologists, Zapatistas, anti-globalization activists, and other directly democratic organizations and communities in their respective struggles against capitalism and state control.
Laying out a clear introduction to some of the main ideas behind an often-misunderstood political philosophy, Anarchism and Its Aspirations helps us imagine the vast possibility of a truly free and democratic society.
Cindy Milstein is an activist and educator from Vermont. She serves on the board of the Institute for Anarchist Studies, co-organizes the Renewing the Anarchist Tradition conference, and is a collective member at Black Sheep Books. Her essays have appeared in several anthologies, including Realizing the Impossible, Confronting Capitalism, and Globalize LiberationX.
Anarchism and Its Aspirations provides an accessible overview of the history and hopeful future of this vision for a better world. The book quickly brings even the uninitiated reader up to speed with a crash course on some of the most influential anarchists in history and their ideas about how we might achieve the transformation of society. From there, the book looks at how these principles have been put into practice by groups such as the Situationist International, social ecologists, Zapatistas, anti-globalization activists, and other directly democratic organizations and communities in their respective struggles against capitalism and state control.
Laying out a clear introduction to some of the main ideas behind an often-misunderstood political philosophy, Anarchism and Its Aspirations helps us imagine the vast possibility of a truly free and democratic society.
Cindy Milstein is an activist and educator from Vermont. She serves on the board of the Institute for Anarchist Studies, co-organizes the Renewing the Anarchist Tradition conference, and is a collective member at Black Sheep Books. Her essays have appeared in several anthologies, including Realizing the Impossible, Confronting Capitalism, and Globalize LiberationX.
152 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
44 people are currently reading
984 people want to read
About the author
Cindy Barukh Milstein
18 books90 followersCindy Barukh Milstein is a diasporic queer Jewish anarchist and longtime organizer. They've been writing on anarchism for over two decades, and are the author of Anarchism and Its Aspirations and Try Anarchism for Life: The Beauty of Our Circle. They edited the anthologies Rebellious Mourning: The Collective Work of Grief and Deciding for Ourselves: The Promise of Direct Democracy, among others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
October 18, 2022
It took me a while to read this little book because it is repetitive and the words are longer than they need to be ("factionalism" "adjectival" "contemporaneously" etc) but I got a few powerful ideas from reading, mainly that anarchism is anti-heirarchy -> anti-capitalist + anti-state and according to Milstein is something that can be practiced on smaller scales in everyday life (an idea I loved and related to!).
She kept referencing some event in Seattle in the 2000s but never explained what actually happened so that was frustrating. Across the board she tended to use abstract language and not supply the chewy details that would have been super helpful. Parts ended up reading like a spiritual guide or worshipful poetry- "anarchism is all things" repetitions - her go-to is describing anarchism as one thing and then its opposite in long lists that don't actually say anything substantive or evidence-based. Not what I was looking for in a book explaining anarchy.
But I did get through it and learned a lot in the process, and even think of myself as a kind of at-home anarchist. I'm new to political reading maybe I'll read a couple of fiction books then read some more on anarchism from another author.
I'm not a good skimmer but this would be a good book to skim.
She kept referencing some event in Seattle in the 2000s but never explained what actually happened so that was frustrating. Across the board she tended to use abstract language and not supply the chewy details that would have been super helpful. Parts ended up reading like a spiritual guide or worshipful poetry- "anarchism is all things" repetitions - her go-to is describing anarchism as one thing and then its opposite in long lists that don't actually say anything substantive or evidence-based. Not what I was looking for in a book explaining anarchy.
But I did get through it and learned a lot in the process, and even think of myself as a kind of at-home anarchist. I'm new to political reading maybe I'll read a couple of fiction books then read some more on anarchism from another author.
I'm not a good skimmer but this would be a good book to skim.
April 22, 2010
One of the most common questions I hear is people asking for nice books that provide a basic idea of what Anarchism actually is and what it stands for. I finally have a book by someone who's written it recently, and is still alive, so this is the one I'm going to recommend. "Anarchism and Its Aspirations" by Cindy Milstein is a short, concise but great intro text which you can read in a few hours. The book paints anarchism as a hopeful school of thought that sees the best in humanity while recognizing that centralized power and inequality does bad things to human condition. Milstein points out what anarchists are for as well as the usual idea of what they are against, freedom "to choose" as well as freedom "from wants", something that liberalism and capitalism both miss by overemphasizing one over the other.
Anarchism also poses the way to do it, by organizing from the bottom up as democratically as possible instead of top-down, working to change things in the hear and now as well as visioning a better world. Anarchists traditionally have tried to live the change they want to see, pre-figuring their politics into their organizations. They also actively work to create spaces that envision what they're looking to create, like social centers and infoshops. Anarchists also recognize that there is a democratic impulse within people and that often revolutions come about when this impulse reaches a breaking point, only to be later crushed by the people who take power in the name of the revolution, as can be seen in the French Revolution, Russian Revolution, Mexican Revolution, Spanish Revolution, or more recently in Gwangju, South Korea. Anarchism is anti-state and anti-capitalist, a libertarian form of socialism, and shares a similar vision with groups who do not consider themselves Anarchists, like the zapatistas, council communists, autonomous marxists, or the situationists. And one of the nice things, Milstein points out, is that it leaves room for disagreement beyond that, especially in the forms of emphasis, whether it be on class struggle, racial politics, women's liberation, queer liberation, ecological justice, or some combination of these and more.
I've called myself an anarchist for nearly a decade now, and I've got to say that this is probably the best recently published book I've read on anarchism, and deserves to be placed amongst the classics.
Anarchism also poses the way to do it, by organizing from the bottom up as democratically as possible instead of top-down, working to change things in the hear and now as well as visioning a better world. Anarchists traditionally have tried to live the change they want to see, pre-figuring their politics into their organizations. They also actively work to create spaces that envision what they're looking to create, like social centers and infoshops. Anarchists also recognize that there is a democratic impulse within people and that often revolutions come about when this impulse reaches a breaking point, only to be later crushed by the people who take power in the name of the revolution, as can be seen in the French Revolution, Russian Revolution, Mexican Revolution, Spanish Revolution, or more recently in Gwangju, South Korea. Anarchism is anti-state and anti-capitalist, a libertarian form of socialism, and shares a similar vision with groups who do not consider themselves Anarchists, like the zapatistas, council communists, autonomous marxists, or the situationists. And one of the nice things, Milstein points out, is that it leaves room for disagreement beyond that, especially in the forms of emphasis, whether it be on class struggle, racial politics, women's liberation, queer liberation, ecological justice, or some combination of these and more.
I've called myself an anarchist for nearly a decade now, and I've got to say that this is probably the best recently published book I've read on anarchism, and deserves to be placed amongst the classics.
August 12, 2012
Introductions to anarchism are always going to be hard work. Anarchism is a pretty heterogeneous entity, with a lot of scope for emphasis on organisational forms, strategies and tactics. That’s why calls for recommending a beginners text are always likely to go way beyond the bounds of aesthetical or literary appeal.
Even moreso, the problem is compounded because the canon of often recommended texts like Berkman, Goldman, Kropotkin, Maltesta, Meltzer, etc. etc. can come across quite one-sided as they don’t immediately address the practical circumstances confronted by people in the 21st century however well they are written.
Cindy Milstein steps up and takes a valiant attempt to address the contemporary implications of anarchism in her primer Anarchism and Its Aspirations. She notes that the anchor of her vantage point is anti-globalisation struggles, mainly ‘The Battle for Seattle’ which she contrasts with the political fallout of 9/11 and Katrina. Although it as to be said the book covers most of the philosophical and historical bases of anarchism.
The framework of anarchism is conveyed in the book primarily through the construct of ethics. My initial baulk at this was rather unjust, because it’s meant ethics not as it as come to be understood within consumerist jargon about lifestyle choices, but in the old-fashion meaning; a set of values. As Cindy explains;
“Anarchism contends that people would be much more humane under nonhierarchical social relations and social arrangements. Hence my concentration on the ethics – the values pertaining to how humans conduct themselves” (pg12)
She expands on this further putting other concepts together as a ‘unity of ethics’ which inform anarchism, these include social responsibility, liberation, the concept of positive and negative freedom, egalitarianism, your classic notions of mutual aid, co-operation, free association, but also joy, spontaneity, pluralism and regard for due process.
Initial misreading aside, I still feel packaging this as ethics is not the best way to present the anarchist project. It’s not explicitly implied, but it almost lends itself to a discussion of values between various people rather than a common framework for emancipation. Maybe this is just an issue of semantics on my part. But in the same vein, the old adage about anarchism being the best of liberalism and communism, repeated in the book, probably made more sense in an age when people could remember liberals were anything other than regressive. But alas Rousseau is long behind all of us.
The book prattles through a good deal of history capturing well the influences, and the processes which all fuelled classical anarchism, a good as an overview as your going to get considering the brevity. Cindy illustrates the splits within the early International Workingmen’s Association and rightfully points to the early failings of the antiauthoritarians in addressing oppressions beyond those imposed by the state and capital, namely race and gender. I just don’t think it’s enough to challenge the false dichotomy of Marxism and Anarchism and say there are libertarian strains within Marxism though. Mark Leier I think covered this best, in his Bakunin biography when he talked about there being a clear overlap between the best of both.
A chapter in the book is given over to developing the anarchist origins of anti-capitalism. So a line is traced from Godwin and Proudhon all the way through to it being ‘rediscovered’ in the 50’s and it being reinvigorated by the New Left and the Situationist International. Along the way ecological and cultural influences are thrown in along with input by Automon, squatters, anti-nuclear activists, the black bloc, Zapatistas which all culminate together in the watershed event of Seattle.
Milstein argues that the shot in the arm for the anarchist project was Marx’s misunderstanding of ‘statecraft’ and then the pluralism that’s become implicit in anti-globalisation struggles. I note that although she acknowledges anarchism’s keen ability to adapt she doesn’t pick up on the fact that without a mass base to attach itself to, its main reference points are never explicitly about the working class. This speaks to me that anarchism is still a skewed project reeling from the entrenched orthodoxy of the left and simply moving into a comfortable niche left vacant. It’s telling that in the book as a whole, the organising of work and the possibilities of post-capitalist production is not discussed at any length. And this is further complicated by the examples of self-organising she gives being bias towards sub-cultural groups (a point which she concedes).
Alongside the ethical framework, the basis for a good deal of the book is given over to the prospects of building an alternative set of institutions through direct democracy. Direct democracy is important to social anarchists but it’s clearly part of Milstein’s ‘reconstructive vision’ strategy, and the place where the influences of her mentor, Bookchin resound the clearest. Milstein wants to see a move towards dual power, building popular assemblies which contest our collective strength against capital and the state, and pre-empts the limitations of the current movement.
“[D]irect action protests remain trapped. On the one hand, they reveal and confront domination and exploitation…[But w]ithout this ability to self-govern, street actions translate into nothing more than a countercultural version of interest group lobbying, albeit far more radical than most and generally unpaid.” (pg112-3)
The book is a great introduction to a healthy current that abounds through the anarchist movement. And with the Occupy movement in full-swing only a little time after its production, it seems as relevant as ever. Its upbeat, has a clear vision and is not trying to reinvent the wheel. My prevailing problem is that it lacks the bite and antagonism I feel the new world requires and it leaves a number of unanswered questions pertaining to the role of the working class as an agency for political change.
[A review I did for Freedom Press 2011]
Even moreso, the problem is compounded because the canon of often recommended texts like Berkman, Goldman, Kropotkin, Maltesta, Meltzer, etc. etc. can come across quite one-sided as they don’t immediately address the practical circumstances confronted by people in the 21st century however well they are written.
Cindy Milstein steps up and takes a valiant attempt to address the contemporary implications of anarchism in her primer Anarchism and Its Aspirations. She notes that the anchor of her vantage point is anti-globalisation struggles, mainly ‘The Battle for Seattle’ which she contrasts with the political fallout of 9/11 and Katrina. Although it as to be said the book covers most of the philosophical and historical bases of anarchism.
The framework of anarchism is conveyed in the book primarily through the construct of ethics. My initial baulk at this was rather unjust, because it’s meant ethics not as it as come to be understood within consumerist jargon about lifestyle choices, but in the old-fashion meaning; a set of values. As Cindy explains;
“Anarchism contends that people would be much more humane under nonhierarchical social relations and social arrangements. Hence my concentration on the ethics – the values pertaining to how humans conduct themselves” (pg12)
She expands on this further putting other concepts together as a ‘unity of ethics’ which inform anarchism, these include social responsibility, liberation, the concept of positive and negative freedom, egalitarianism, your classic notions of mutual aid, co-operation, free association, but also joy, spontaneity, pluralism and regard for due process.
Initial misreading aside, I still feel packaging this as ethics is not the best way to present the anarchist project. It’s not explicitly implied, but it almost lends itself to a discussion of values between various people rather than a common framework for emancipation. Maybe this is just an issue of semantics on my part. But in the same vein, the old adage about anarchism being the best of liberalism and communism, repeated in the book, probably made more sense in an age when people could remember liberals were anything other than regressive. But alas Rousseau is long behind all of us.
The book prattles through a good deal of history capturing well the influences, and the processes which all fuelled classical anarchism, a good as an overview as your going to get considering the brevity. Cindy illustrates the splits within the early International Workingmen’s Association and rightfully points to the early failings of the antiauthoritarians in addressing oppressions beyond those imposed by the state and capital, namely race and gender. I just don’t think it’s enough to challenge the false dichotomy of Marxism and Anarchism and say there are libertarian strains within Marxism though. Mark Leier I think covered this best, in his Bakunin biography when he talked about there being a clear overlap between the best of both.
A chapter in the book is given over to developing the anarchist origins of anti-capitalism. So a line is traced from Godwin and Proudhon all the way through to it being ‘rediscovered’ in the 50’s and it being reinvigorated by the New Left and the Situationist International. Along the way ecological and cultural influences are thrown in along with input by Automon, squatters, anti-nuclear activists, the black bloc, Zapatistas which all culminate together in the watershed event of Seattle.
Milstein argues that the shot in the arm for the anarchist project was Marx’s misunderstanding of ‘statecraft’ and then the pluralism that’s become implicit in anti-globalisation struggles. I note that although she acknowledges anarchism’s keen ability to adapt she doesn’t pick up on the fact that without a mass base to attach itself to, its main reference points are never explicitly about the working class. This speaks to me that anarchism is still a skewed project reeling from the entrenched orthodoxy of the left and simply moving into a comfortable niche left vacant. It’s telling that in the book as a whole, the organising of work and the possibilities of post-capitalist production is not discussed at any length. And this is further complicated by the examples of self-organising she gives being bias towards sub-cultural groups (a point which she concedes).
Alongside the ethical framework, the basis for a good deal of the book is given over to the prospects of building an alternative set of institutions through direct democracy. Direct democracy is important to social anarchists but it’s clearly part of Milstein’s ‘reconstructive vision’ strategy, and the place where the influences of her mentor, Bookchin resound the clearest. Milstein wants to see a move towards dual power, building popular assemblies which contest our collective strength against capital and the state, and pre-empts the limitations of the current movement.
“[D]irect action protests remain trapped. On the one hand, they reveal and confront domination and exploitation…[But w]ithout this ability to self-govern, street actions translate into nothing more than a countercultural version of interest group lobbying, albeit far more radical than most and generally unpaid.” (pg112-3)
The book is a great introduction to a healthy current that abounds through the anarchist movement. And with the Occupy movement in full-swing only a little time after its production, it seems as relevant as ever. Its upbeat, has a clear vision and is not trying to reinvent the wheel. My prevailing problem is that it lacks the bite and antagonism I feel the new world requires and it leaves a number of unanswered questions pertaining to the role of the working class as an agency for political change.
[A review I did for Freedom Press 2011]
July 19, 2019
իրականում, գնահատականս բարձր ա, քանի որ երբ դնում եմ այս գիրքը անարխիզմի մասին կարդացած իմ միւս գրքերի/նիւթերի կողքին, տարբերութիւնն իրօք էական էր։
գաղափարին ծանօթանալու համար գուցէ սա ամենալաւ գրքերից ա, որ կարող էք ընտրել։ մանրամասն բացատրում ա հարցի փիլիսոփայական կողմը, անարխիզմի էութիւնը եւ այլն եւ այլն։
սակայն, այնուամենայնիւ, որքան էլ սիրուն գաղափար ա ու որքան էլ ինձ դուր ա գալիս եւ ինձ մօտ ա անարխիզմը, բայց էս գաղափարն ամբողջութեամբ հիմնւում ա լաւատեսութեան ու յոյսի վրայ։
գաղափարին ծանօթանալու համար գուցէ սա ամենալաւ գրքերից ա, որ կարող էք ընտրել։ մանրամասն բացատրում ա հարցի փիլիսոփայական կողմը, անարխիզմի էութիւնը եւ այլն եւ այլն։
սակայն, այնուամենայնիւ, որքան էլ սիրուն գաղափար ա ու որքան էլ ինձ դուր ա գալիս եւ ինձ մօտ ա անարխիզմը, բայց էս գաղափարն ամբողջութեամբ հիմնւում ա լաւատեսութեան ու յոյսի վրայ։
May 30, 2010
I liked the book. It covered a lot of territory, almost too much territory. I'm not sure who it was meant for. Seemed like an intro, but flew by so fast I'm not sure a newbie would process it all.
October 30, 2024
I wanted a non-academic book about anarchism, and I will say that this book is accessible to a variety of readers. However, I think there Milstein struggled to find consistent style/content for this book. Is it a book of theory? A manifesto? Is it history? The book aims to encompass all, and in doing so produces very little of any category. Perhaps it was also a bit too idealistic to feel impactful.
That being said, I really enjoyed the last two chapters about direct democracy, which introduced me to new ideas, and had a bit more realism and history to it, giving me something to chew on. Overall, a nice introduction and I think I would have loved it had I been in my early twenties.
That being said, I really enjoyed the last two chapters about direct democracy, which introduced me to new ideas, and had a bit more realism and history to it, giving me something to chew on. Overall, a nice introduction and I think I would have loved it had I been in my early twenties.
July 20, 2022
Good for a very very general intro to the basic tenets of anarchistic logic and ideals. Effective at bringing home the points its communicating, it often feels repetitive though. I was wanting for more meat, more substance, but I suppose I can read more specified anarchist texts for that. I found some of the language/arguments not as convincing as I would hope them to be, even though I am a sympathizer of this political tendency. I guess I shouldn’t always seek out incendiary tirades.
It had a more or less positive, light handed approach and I think would not alienate non leftist readers as result, which works to its benefit as an intro text to a very misunderstood politics.
It had a more or less positive, light handed approach and I think would not alienate non leftist readers as result, which works to its benefit as an intro text to a very misunderstood politics.
October 10, 2018
This book does a great job of introducing the ideas from which anarchism stems. It is passionate, clear and down to earth. It gets you excited and, most importantly, provides lots of footnotes to go deeper into any of the specific subjects it deals with. A great unassuming guide to the newbies and a wild eye opener to the possibilities of free association and the alternatives to our current power structures.
I will be recommending it to my friends, and also using it as a reference for future research.
I will be recommending it to my friends, and also using it as a reference for future research.
June 18, 2017
This is now the book I suggest to people if they are interested in beginning to learn about anarchism. It is concise, easy to read, and gives a good introduction and starting point with lots of direction to follow to continue to learn about anarchism. Read it!
Read
February 13, 2012I'm liking it so far. This and The Kingdom of God is Within you by Leo Tolstoy are giving me an idea for my doctoral thesis, whenever I finally go back to college.
November 6, 2021
a good introduction/overview, but it got a bit repetitive and I wish it had further addressed the more practical side of things
May 26, 2023
Such a good introduction to theory & praxis. Some notes:
-Freedom from and freedom to
-Positive freedom
-Mutual aid flips the script of hierarchy in giving
-Logic of domination allows people to abandon others. Voluntary association is not taken lightly
-Voluntary association and boards (other folks should just give money freely if I am donating my expertise)
-Anarchist principle example: agreeing to attend a certain number of meetings before weighing on decision making
-Pleasure, play, kindness, compassion to all aspects of life
-Situationists and culture jamming
-Freedom from and freedom to
-Positive freedom
-Mutual aid flips the script of hierarchy in giving
-Logic of domination allows people to abandon others. Voluntary association is not taken lightly
-Voluntary association and boards (other folks should just give money freely if I am donating my expertise)
-Anarchist principle example: agreeing to attend a certain number of meetings before weighing on decision making
-Pleasure, play, kindness, compassion to all aspects of life
-Situationists and culture jamming
June 21, 2020
Četba nejen pro ty, co mají anarchismus už v srdci, ale i pro ty co jím možná opovrhují, nechápou ho nebo se ho bojí. Filosofická sonda do smýšlení, které kdyby bylo všem lidem přirozené, byl by ten svět o něco hezčím místem. Možná je to utopie - ale boj pokračuje. V Čechách vyšlo v nakladatelství Neklid!
November 18, 2024
Very thought-provoking. The basic concept of treating everyone as a human is something we should all try to do.
BUT DON'T PANIC! I still like America, and I'm not sure I'm ready to scrap our entire government. So don't try to run me out. (Don't look too much into the fact that I was in Canada over the Fourth of July.)
I think it's worth a read if only to challenge you're thinking.
BUT DON'T PANIC! I still like America, and I'm not sure I'm ready to scrap our entire government. So don't try to run me out. (Don't look too much into the fact that I was in Canada over the Fourth of July.)
I think it's worth a read if only to challenge you're thinking.
January 19, 2022
4 stars
Milstein does well to explain some core values of anarchism, with tidbits of history woven in. Would've liked for the book to have elaborated more on practicalities beyond one chapter, but a decent intro nonetheless.
Milstein does well to explain some core values of anarchism, with tidbits of history woven in. Would've liked for the book to have elaborated more on practicalities beyond one chapter, but a decent intro nonetheless.
June 27, 2019
Great modern introduction to anarchism. Light in read, but not trivial.
December 29, 2019
A good primer on the fundamental beliefs at the heart of anarchism. Sometimes it descends into banal "we live in a society" truisms about consumerism and the like, but those can be overlooked.
January 19, 2021
A light introduction to anarchism however it does its job well. Covers basic anarchist principles and ideas.
May 3, 2021
Useful primer
June 19, 2021
En crash-course i, eller hyllningstal till, anarkismen - som det av någon anledning tog mig ett år att ta mig igenom.
August 1, 2024
A lovely little introduction to anarchism.
May 9, 2010
If you're looking for a brief but pithy introduction to modern anarchism, this is your book.
If you're looking for a book to give to someone that will be an intelligent and moving but accessible explanation of anarchism, this is your book.
I won't try to summarize anarchism but instead mention a few of the particular contributions of this book. First, it shows how "anarchism is a synthesis of the best of liberalism and the best of communism" (p. 13), in that it combines individual responsibility with social commitment. Second, the book recognizes the dynamism and heterogeneity inherent in anarchism, thus showing it in some of its various, contemporary manifestations. Lastly, Milstein nicely shows how anarchism is a prefigurative idealism, both maintaining its optimistic ideals at the same time as realizing them in small but real ways here and now.
Note: The five chapters of this book are derived from essays, and the first, title chapter is probably the best. Some of the others are of lesser value, though "Reclaim the Cities: From Protest to Popular Power" makes the important argument that we must go beyond isolated protest actions to sustained ways of reorganizing ways of living along anarchist lines.
Again, highly recommended.
If you're looking for a book to give to someone that will be an intelligent and moving but accessible explanation of anarchism, this is your book.
I won't try to summarize anarchism but instead mention a few of the particular contributions of this book. First, it shows how "anarchism is a synthesis of the best of liberalism and the best of communism" (p. 13), in that it combines individual responsibility with social commitment. Second, the book recognizes the dynamism and heterogeneity inherent in anarchism, thus showing it in some of its various, contemporary manifestations. Lastly, Milstein nicely shows how anarchism is a prefigurative idealism, both maintaining its optimistic ideals at the same time as realizing them in small but real ways here and now.
Note: The five chapters of this book are derived from essays, and the first, title chapter is probably the best. Some of the others are of lesser value, though "Reclaim the Cities: From Protest to Popular Power" makes the important argument that we must go beyond isolated protest actions to sustained ways of reorganizing ways of living along anarchist lines.
Again, highly recommended.
June 16, 2024
I truly struggle to imagine any real benefits of reading this book. Ignoring the author’s obnoxious starry eyed tone, this book has little coherent structure or any solid history or information.
However, this book’s greatest sin is that it’s “anarchism” is just Murray Bookchin’s micro statism and when actual anarchism is mentioned, it is only to bash it. Indeed, Milstein thinks that the early anarchists were foolish to believe that society can operate without a state (oops! I mean “organizational body”, there’s totally a difference!/s)
I should have known what I was in for from the very first chapter where the reader is met with many Bookchin slogans like “direct democracy”, “growth or die” etc. I could have forgiven this book if it had been honest about its intentions, (even then, there are much better intros to Bookchin and communalism) but no, it is completely dishonest about its purpose and consistently misconstrues what anarchism is.
In short, Milstein’s nightmare world of civic gatherings, town meetings, public assemblies, mediation boards, forums and extralegal institutions can burn alongside all other systems of bureaucratic control.
PS: shame on Zoe Baker for recommending this
However, this book’s greatest sin is that it’s “anarchism” is just Murray Bookchin’s micro statism and when actual anarchism is mentioned, it is only to bash it. Indeed, Milstein thinks that the early anarchists were foolish to believe that society can operate without a state (oops! I mean “organizational body”, there’s totally a difference!/s)
I should have known what I was in for from the very first chapter where the reader is met with many Bookchin slogans like “direct democracy”, “growth or die” etc. I could have forgiven this book if it had been honest about its intentions, (even then, there are much better intros to Bookchin and communalism) but no, it is completely dishonest about its purpose and consistently misconstrues what anarchism is.
In short, Milstein’s nightmare world of civic gatherings, town meetings, public assemblies, mediation boards, forums and extralegal institutions can burn alongside all other systems of bureaucratic control.
PS: shame on Zoe Baker for recommending this
May 9, 2010
Just got done with this. I've been reading it over the past 2 weeks in conjunction with Roy's Field Notes on Democracy. Both point to the flaws of parliamentary democracy and both are incredibly inspirational. Both demand people wake up and take a look around; both require us to not only demand liberation and freedom but to create it now.
I've met Cindy in various locations and I'm always a little intimidated being around her. She's thoughtful and definitely critical--both are traits to be valued. Her book lays out a really concrete summary of anarchism and is definitely inclusive of the many strains and ideas surrounding a libertarian socialist society. Her words on democracy are thought provoking and, as i said above, inspiring.
Giving up our freedom and liberty to representatives who are not accountable is no longer acceptable. Milstein elucidates anarchism as a very possible, currently unfolding, and empowering alternative to the state, capitalism, and domination.
Thanks for the work. It's short, to the point, and engaging.
I do recommend.
I've met Cindy in various locations and I'm always a little intimidated being around her. She's thoughtful and definitely critical--both are traits to be valued. Her book lays out a really concrete summary of anarchism and is definitely inclusive of the many strains and ideas surrounding a libertarian socialist society. Her words on democracy are thought provoking and, as i said above, inspiring.
Giving up our freedom and liberty to representatives who are not accountable is no longer acceptable. Milstein elucidates anarchism as a very possible, currently unfolding, and empowering alternative to the state, capitalism, and domination.
Thanks for the work. It's short, to the point, and engaging.
I do recommend.
August 5, 2011
This book is such a great resource! It's certainly for folks already with some knowledge of anarchism and/or leftist politics. It certainly gave me much better context, history, and appreciation for anarchist impetus and influence. I would have liked a little more structure. The book is a quick read and largely hinges on the Battle of Seattle. That specific event works well as an anchor for larger anarchist history and contribution but a little mapping of what would be covered thematically and chronologically would have helped me. I also need a lot more anarchist study. The authors mentioned certainly piqued my interest but I felt a bit green to the whole topic. That said, I really appreciate Milstein's work and presentation. She's truly readable, relatable, and inspiring! I'm grateful for her work!
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July 26, 2011A nicely written introduction to anarchism that can be read by newcomers (for the ideas) or old hats (for a brush up on talking points)alike. Very much a "New Anarchist" text, its theory lives firmly in the post-Seattle realm.
This book gives a very friendly picture of anarchism. It definitely falls short of engaging some of the more contentious aspects of anarchism such as, for instance, revolutionary violence. The author, however, makes no claims to make a complete overview of anarchism, and explicitly sets out to draw on its aspirations specifically. With this in mind I would say that this book is nicely done, give it to yr friends who might be scared off by a more militant text.
This book gives a very friendly picture of anarchism. It definitely falls short of engaging some of the more contentious aspects of anarchism such as, for instance, revolutionary violence. The author, however, makes no claims to make a complete overview of anarchism, and explicitly sets out to draw on its aspirations specifically. With this in mind I would say that this book is nicely done, give it to yr friends who might be scared off by a more militant text.
August 1, 2012
Very compelling primer on anarchism with a strong focus on anarchist ethics in 21st century North America and Europe, focusing much less on the details of the origins of anarchism as a political philosophy distinct from Marxist socialism in the 19th century. Which is fine for the purposes of this book.
Milstein also spends a lot of time explaining the anarchist model of social transformation that she most heartily endorses -- "prefiguration" of alternative institutions that challenge (and eventually replace) both hierarchical state forms and capitalism.
She's a damn good writer.
Milstein also spends a lot of time explaining the anarchist model of social transformation that she most heartily endorses -- "prefiguration" of alternative institutions that challenge (and eventually replace) both hierarchical state forms and capitalism.
She's a damn good writer.
March 30, 2014
Perfect introduction to anyone who is interested in what modern anarchism actually means. The book is intended to get the reader accustomed to the sentiment of libertarian thought and give a small introduction into the idea of horizontal organization. Anarchism and is aspirations does what is intended to do being an excellent way to start AK presses anarchist intervention series.
January 15, 2011
Not really an "introduction to anarchism" (as some of the blurbs inside claim it to be - more like her reasons for being an anarchist and perspective on it), very light on class struggle and analysis (even in the essay on "anticapitalist resistance"), but okay.
July 4, 2010
Cindy's excellent book has great value for all flavor anarchists: young and old, newbies and vets, queers and straights, insurrectionists and DIYers. Her conclusion is thought-provoking and I look forward to hearing more discussion about it soon!
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