Date: Mon, 08 Feb 1999 19:14:45 +0000
From: Iain McKay <iain.mckay-AT-zetnet.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Anarchism in the 19th century


Hi everyone

<snip>

> Because good Mr. Oppenheim said "some 19th century anarchists"  I have
> no way of knowing the validity of his statement.  

It is truly amazing the nonsense written about anarchists and anarchism.
Mr Oppenheim's comments definitely are at the top of the list. It is
probably wise he did not specify by name the anarchists, they don't
exist.

My question to the
> list is this:  Who were these anarchists, did they even exist, and if so
> is Oppenheim accurately representing them?  I'm talking specifically of
> Oppenheim suggesting that equality of consumption is the same thing as
> eating and dressing alike.  

No anarchist has ever suggested everyone consuming the same, and I've
read almost of them. If we take Proudhon and Bakunin, for example,
they argued that people would consume depending on what they contribute
to society. No way did they suggest that this would be equal. If
we look at Kropotkin, Malatesta, etc., they supported "from each
according to their abilities, to each according to their need" which
is hardly arguing that everyone gets the same.

Also, he seems to imply that these
> anarchists were concerned with eliminating both inequalities based on
> talent and the inequalities of the talents themselves.  In other words,
> he seems to be saying that these anarchists wanted everyone to be the
> same.  

actually, every anarchist based their support for equality on the fact
that we are by nature different. They were not into the elimination
of natural differences, far from it. I can provide quotes by Bakunin
making this point, btw.

Is Oppenheim giving an accurate representation of these mystery
> anarchists?

Nope, Mr. Oppenheim is talking nonsense.

Iain