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AN ANARCHIST FAQ: Volume One

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ISBN 13: 
9781902593906
Library of Congress Control No.: 
2007939197
Number of pages: 
555
First published: 
1995-2007 on the net
This edition: 
2008
Contents: 

An Anarchist FAQ: After ten years
Introduction
Introduction to Volume 1

Section A: What is anarchism?
An overview of what anarchism stands for, where it comes from and what anarchists have done. Presents a summary of the major schools of anarchism as well as important anarchist and related thinkers.

A.1. What is anarchism?
A.2. What does anarchism stand for?
A.3. What types of anarchism are there?
A.4. Who are the major anarchists thinkers?
A.5. What are some examples of’ "Anarchy in Action"?

Section B: Why do anarchists oppose the current system?
Why anarchists are against hierarchy, capitalism and the state.  What they are and how they affect liberty. On the negative nature and impact of social hierarchies and economic classes.

B.1. Why are anarchists against authority and hierarchy?
B.2. Why are anarchists against the state?
B.3. Why are anarchists against private property?
B.4. How does capitalism affect liberty?
B.5. Is capitalism empowering and based on human action?
B.6. But won’t decisions made by individuals with their own money be the best?
B.7. What classes exist within modern society?

Section C: What are the myths of capitalist economics?
Why capitalist economics is an ideology, not a science. Why anarchists think capitalism is exploitative. Exposes the extremely negative effects of trying to run a society along the lines recommended in economics textbooks.

C.1. What is wrong with economics?
C.2. Why is capitalism exploitative?
C.3. What determines the distribution between labour and capital?
C.4. Why does the market become dominated by Big Business?
C.5. Why does Big Business get a bigger slice of profits?
C.6. Can market dominance by Big Business change?
C.7. What causes the capitalist business cycle?
C.8. Is state control of money the cause of the business cycle?
C.9. Would laissez-faire capitalism reduce unemployment?
C.10. Is "free market" capitalism the best way to reduce poverty?
C.11. Doesn’t neo-liberalism in Chile prove that the free market benefits everyone?
C.12. Doesn’t Hong Kong show the potentials of  "free market" capitalism?

Section D: How do statism and capitalism affect society?
How economics and politics can not be separated and outlines the impact of each on the other.  It indicates how wealth influences society and discusses the media, imperialism, nationalism, state intervention and technology.

D.1. Why does state intervention occur?
D.2. What Influence does wealth have over politics?
D.3. How does wealth influence the mass media?
D.4. What is the relationship between capitalism and the ecological crisis?
D.5. What causes imperialism?
D.6. Are anarchists  against Nationalism?
D.7. Are anarchist opposed to National Liberation struggles?
D.8. What causes militarism and what are its effects?
D.9. Why does poltical power become concentrated under capitalism?
D.10. How does capitalism affect technology?
D.11. Can politics and economics be separated from each other?

Section E: What do anarchists think causes ecological problems?
An overview of the roots of the ecological crisis and why anarchist reject many commonly proposed solutions as inadequate (when they do not make it worse).

E.1. What are the root causes of our ecological problems?
E.2. What do eco-anarchists propose instead of capitalism?
E.3. Can private property rights protect the environment?
E.4. Can laissez-faire capitalism protect the environment?
E.5. Can ethical consumerism stop the ecological crisis?
E.6. What is the population myth?

Section F: Is "anarcho"-capitalism a form of anarchism?
No it is not. If you know about anarchism and it’s history you will already know why.
 
F.1. Are "anarcho"-capitalists really anarchists?
F.2. What do "anarcho"-capitalists mean by freedom?
F.3. Why do "anarcho"-capitalists place little or no value on equality?
F.4. What is the right-"libertarian" position on private property?
F.5. Will privatising "the commons" increase liberty?
F.6. Is "anarcho"-capitalism against the state?
F.7. How does the history of "anarcho"-capitalism show that it is not anarchist?
F.8. What role did the state take in the creation of capitalism?

Appendix: The Symbols of Anarchy
This explains why anarchists carry Black and Black and Red Flags and use the circled- A. What they mean and where they originate from.

1. What is the history of the Black Flag?
2. Why the red-and-black flag?
3. Where does the circled-A  come from?

Quotes about: 

"The Anarchist FAQ has been one of the standout achievements of the last decade in terms of its
rigorous treatment of every aspect of the theory. It’s translation from screen to print is long over due." -- Freedom

"The primary source of information about anarchism on the worldwide web ‘and ‘a foundation stone for laying  down the idea of anarchism as the viable alternative that we should work towards achieving."  -- Workers' Solidarity Movement

"The Anarchist FAQ should be one of the first stops for anyone studying anarchism. It’s an extensive compilation of material, painstakingly indexed, of anarchist history, theory and practice. Just tracing the tantalising block quotes to their original sources, via the amazing bibliography – which alone is worth the price of the book – will take you a long way toward an education on any of the subject headings. On a personal note I benefited greatly from stumbling across the FAQ near the beginning of my own journey into Anarchism." -- Kevin Carson, Studies in Mutualist Political Economy

"The Anarchist FAQ Collective are to be congratulated on producing this excellent book. Always intended to be used by Anarchists as an organising tool the FAQ will also be useful to new comers to Anarchism and to those who already think of themselves as Anarchists, but who would like to deepen their understanding of Anarchist politics. The FAQ format makes it really easy to dip into in order to find answers to all those questions that Anarchists are often asked by sceptics and critics (of right and left) as well as by other activists who are sympathetic but just don’t know much about anarchism, or have been influenced by the many misrepresentations of Anarchism  put about by Leninists and the capitalist media. So the Anarchist FAQ succeeds in being a very accessible introduction to Anarchism, whilst being at the same time detailed, wide-ranging, properly researched and authoritative, highly recommended!" -- David Berry, A History of the French Anarchist Movement, 1917-1945

"The most comprehensive resource available … for a discussion on Anarchism is An Anarchist FAQ." -- Flint Jones, North Eastern Federation Anarchist Communists”