The Floodgates of Anarchy

by Stuart Christie, Albert Meltzer

Back in print and featuring a new foreword by the authors, this polemic approaches the subject of anarchism in relation to class struggle. It presents an argument against class-based society and hierarchy and advocates for a free and equal society based on individual dignity and merit. Drawing from the authors’ experiences as activists and documenting the activities of other 20th-century anarchists—including clandestine activities and social change by any means—this fundamental text asserts that government is the true enemy of the people and that only through the dissolution of government can the people put an end to exploitation and war, leading to a fully free society.

Genres: Politics

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Stuart Christie was a Scottish anarchist writer and publisher. As an 18-year-old Christie was arrested while carrying explosives to assassinate the Spanish caudillo General Franco. He was later alleged to be a member of the Angry Brigade, but was acquitted of related charges. He went on to found the Cienfuegos Press publishing house and in 2008 the online Anarchist Film Channel which hosts films and documentaries with anarchist and libertarian themes.

Reviews

[Matt Sautman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flawed, yet compelling- conspiratorial, yet (occasionally) objective. The Floodgates of Anarchy distances itself from previous "anarchist" texts by rebelling not against the government contemporary of its publication, but the idea of all governments. While many consider Anarchists to be wholly against all governments, any reader who has encountered Irving Horowitz's anthology The Great Anarchists knows that this is not always the case, that an individual is often times labeled an anarchist by those who support the current mode of government whether or not the "anarchist" in question supports government at all. That being said, as whole-hearted as Christie and his co-author Metzler seem to be, the crux of the argument is based upon a false notion of a nostalgic past that can be re-obtained. Most of the points they raise are ponder-worthy, though a lot of these points fail to hold up as one analyzes the arguments implied by these claims. The reason for the 5 star review is from how much enjoyment I had dissecting the the rhetoric of the text and learning about how (some) anarchists think, but I understand other might give this text a lower review if they were looking for something to convince them to become anarchists through compelling, fool-proof arguments.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has moments of great insight. But those moments are lost in unfocused chapters and arguments that come from a place of ignorance. The book aims to address class struggle, but the author's understanding of class is flawed to say the least.

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

interesting, but a little disappointing. Contains the original incarnation of the "political compass idea". The tone of this book is likely to inspire confirmed revolutionary anarchists, but bemuse and alienate everyone else.