Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (1809-1865) was a French political philosopher, writer, and considered the father of modern anarchism. In 1840, he published "What is Property?" where he famously declared "property is theft," which profoundly influenced socialist and anarchist thought. Proudhon advocated mutualism, opposed capitalist exploitation and state authority, and significantly influenced thinkers like Karl Marx and Mikhail Bakunin. His works including "The Philosophy of Poverty" remain important texts in political philosophy and social theory.
