Man, ‘Quite a World of Federations’ or Man ‘is a Group’: The Incompatibility of Anarchism and Individualism
Anarchist Studies - ISSN 2633-8270
Volume 25 Number 2
Man, ‘Quite a World of Federations’ or Man ‘is a Group’: The Incompatibility of Anarchism and Individualism
Costas Galanopoulos pages -
Abstract
The aim of this essay is to develop a genealogy of anarchism and individualism. The methodological assumption is that anthropological premises underpin every political philosophy and these ought to be used as analytical tools. The argument shows how one of these genealogical lines connects, among others, Locke with Stirner, as advocates of the propertarian theory of man as an owner, and that the other connects classical thought (Aristotle’s zoon politicon) with classical anarchism, in its view of man as an heir. We will argue, then, that the anthropological theories of Stirner and of anarchism are not only incompatible, but mutually exclusive. Furthermore, we will argue that Stirner fails to achieve his main aims, to provide an anthropology free of abstractions and fictions and thus break away from the western philosophical tradition. And he fails because he bases his philosophy on the ontological premise of a man/society dualism, a dualism that anarchism rejects as inconceivable.
SORRY - you are not registered as being permitted online access to the full text of this article
You have the following options:
- If you are viewing this via an institution or academic library you can ask that your institution takes out a Subscription to this journal.
- If you already have a Personal Subscription please login below
Forgotten your username / password? Click here to locate
- Purchase an annual Personal Subscription
PRINT + DIGITAL personal subscription (£35 / year)
DIGITAL personal subscription (£30 / year)
A Personal Subscription provides immediate access not only to the single article you are seeking, but also to all past and future articles in this journal up to the expiry of your annual (calendar year) subscription. - Purchase immediate access to this single article (UK£7.00) - Buy article Coming Soon
To cite this article
Costas Galanopoulos (2017) Man, ‘Quite a World of Federations’ or Man ‘is a Group’: The Incompatibility of Anarchism and Individualism, Anarchist Studies, 25(2), -