Anarchist Thinkers & Ideas (Edexcel A Level Politics): Revision Note

Key ideas

• Egoism prioritises individual freedom above all authority

• Rejected the state, morality and collective claims on the individual

• Believed no genuine freedom exists under the state

• Argued for a voluntary union of egoists based on self-interest

Key ideas

• Advocated mutualism and voluntary exchange

• Property should be based on use, not exploitation

• Rejected profit, wage labour and monopolies

• Supported decentralised federations of cooperative communities

Key ideas

• Argued for immediate abolition of the state and hierarchy

• Saw authority as a direct threat to liberty

• Believed humans are naturally cooperative

• Supported worker control of production

Key ideas

• Argued cooperation is natural and essential for survival

• Developed the concept of mutual aid

• Supported communal ownership of resources

• Favoured decentralised, self-governing communities

Key ideas

• Described the state as a ‘cold monster’

• Argued anarchism is necessary for liberty and social justice

• Supported direct action and education

• Bridged individual freedom with collective responsibility