Anarchism in the English tradition: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article

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Anarchism in the English tradition

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	Topics Anarchism in the English tradition Topic Home AnarchismAnarchism Anarchism is the name of a political philosophy or a group of doctrines and attitudes that are centered on rejection of gove... in EnglandEngland England is the largest and most populous constituent country of the United Kingdom.... initially developed within the context of radical WhiggeryBritish Whig Party The Whigs are often described as one of two political parties in Great Britain from the late 17th to the mid 19th centuries... and Protestant religious dissent. During the English Civil WarEnglish Civil War The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians a... and the industrialisationIndustrialisation Industrialisation, industrialization or an industrial revolution is a process of social and economic change wher... English anarchist thought developed in the context of revolutionary working classWorking class Working class is a term used both in academic sociology as well as in ordinary conversation.... politics. Early development Like much of the rest of EuropeEurope Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth.... , Medieval England was ruled by a limited monarchMonarch A monarch is a type of ruler or head of state.... in coalition with a parliament of wealthy aristocrats and landowners. Unlike continental EuropeContinental Europe Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the continent of Europe, exp... , the parliament of the rich maintained its rights and privileges. When the English monarchy sought to establish absolute monarchyAbsolute monarchy Absolute monarchy is a monarchical form of government where the king has the power to rule his or her land or country and it... , the English parliament rebelled. During this civil warEnglish Civil War The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians a... dissenting Protestants and rural workers began forming utopian communities based on common ownership of the tools of production. This revolts can be distinguished from medieval revolts like Wat TylerWat Tyler Walter Tyler, commonly known as Wat Tyler was the leader of the English Peasants' Revolt of 1381.... 's on the basis that they occurred inside a commodified production system. (See Christopher Hill, Century of Revolution). As a result of this Civil War, the English aristocratic and capitalist ruling classes united behind Parliament. The Civil War, however, established many civil liberties. Gerrard WinstanleyGerrard Winstanley Gerrard Winstanley was an English Protestant religious reformer and political activist during the Protectorate of Oliver Cro... , who published a pamphlet calling for communal ownership and social and economic organization in small agrarian communities in the 17th century, is considered another of the forerunners of modern anarchism. The first modern author to have published a treatise explicitly advocating the absence of government was William GodwinFacts About William Godwin William Godwin was an English journalist, political philosopher and novelist.... in An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice (1793); though he did not use the word anarchism, some today regard him as the "founder of philosophical anarchism". Liberals were often labeled "anarchists" by monarchistsFacts About Monarchy A monarchy, from the Greek ????, "one," and a??e??, "to rule", is a form of government that has a Monarch as Head of... , even though they did not call for the abolition of hierarchy. Still, they did promote the idea of human equality, individual rightsIndividual rights "Individual rights" are the common rights of individuals in a society.... , and the responsibility of the people to judge their governments, which provided a groundwork for the development of anarchist thought. Nineteenth century to World War II In the latter nineteenth century, opposition to the existing order of society and a feeling that one could do without it, was not uncommon. It varies from the gradualist support for the English republic of Charles BradlaughCharles Bradlaugh Charles Bradlaugh was a political activist and one of the most famous English atheists of the 19th century.... to the revolutionary republicanism of Algernon Charles SwinburneAlgernon Charles Swinburne Algernon Charles Swinburne was a Victorian era English poet.... , to the anarcho-socialism of William MorrisWilliam Morris William Morris was an English artist, writer, socialist activist and pioneer of Eco-socialism, one of the principal founder... and Oscar WildeOscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Anglo-Irish playwright, novelist, poet, short story writer and Freemason.... to the full-blown anarchism of Peter KropotkinPeter Kropotkin Prince Peter Alexeyevich Kropotkin was one of Russia's foremost anarchists and one of the first advocates of what he call... and his sympathisers. Herbert ReadHerbert Read Sir Herbert Edward Read, MC, DSO was an English poet and critic of literature and art.... provided intellectual stimulus during this period, with key works such as Anarchy & Order; Poetry & Anarchism (1938), Philosophy of Anarchism (1940), "Existentialism, Marxism and Anarchism" (1949), Revolution & Reason (1953), "Icon and Idea" (1955) and My Anarchism (1966), the latter shortly before his death. 1960s Revival A surge of popular interest in anarchism occurred during the 1960s and 1970s. In the UKUnited Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country and sovereign state that lies off the northwest coast... this was associated with the punk rockPunk rock Punk rock is an anti-establishment rock music movement with origins in the United States and United Kingdom around 1974 or 1... movement; the band CrassCrass Overview Crass was an influential English anarchist punk rock band. ... is celebrated for its anarchist and pacifistPacifism Pacifism is the opposition to war or violence as a means of settling disputes.... ideas. Since the turn of the millennium, UK anarchists have expressed their beliefs through the medium of filmFilm Film is a term that encompasses motion pictures as individual projects, as well as the field in general.... , raveRave A rave is an all-night dance event where DJs and other performers play electronic dance music and rave music.... music, and live theatre, especially the satire practised by the Komedy Kollective, from the North of England. A rejection of industrial technologyTechnology Despite its cultural pervasiveness, technology is an elusive concept.... is also prominent in the views of many green anarchistsGreen anarchism Green anarchism is a set of related political theories that is derived from philosophical and social movements such as socia... , with Colin WardColin Ward Colin Ward was an editor of the British anarchist newspaper Freedom from 1947 to 1960, and the founder and editor of the... acting as theorist for this national current. This worldview was associated with the growth of the anti-roads movement in the UK, and the Earth Liberation FrontEarth Liberation Front The Earth Liberation Front is the collective name for anonymous and groups that, according to the now defunct Earth Libera... . Organisations Anarchist FederationAnarchist Federation Anarchist Federation is the name of several organisations:... Class WarClass war Class war can refer to:* Class conflict, the social phenomenon... Movement Against the MonarchyMovement Against the Monarchy The Movement Against the Monarchy, abbreviated and commonly referred to simply as MAM, is a UK-based Anarchist organiz... Reclaim The StreetsReclaim the Streets Reclaim the Streets is a group of people with a collective ideal of community ownership of public spaces.... Solidarity FederationSolidarity Federation Summary The Solidarity Federation is a federation of class struggle anarchists active in Britain.... Further reading John Quail (1978) The Slow Burning Fuse: The Lost History of the British Anarchists London: Paladin Murray Bookchin (1995) . Edinburgh: AK Press. George McKay (1996) Senseless Acts of Beauty: Cultures of Resistance since the Sixties. London: Verso. ISBN 1-85984-260-7. George McKay, ed. (1998) DiY Culture: Party & Protest in Nineties Britain. London: Verso. ISBN 1-85984-028-0.