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Life and Ideas: The Anarchist Writings of Errico Malatesta

This book compiles a selection of Errico Malatesta's writings, which delve into the principles and philosophy of anarchism. It includes his thoughts on social organization, revolution, and the role of the individual in a stateless society. more

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Errico Malatesta
Errico Malatesta

Errico Malatesta was an Italian anarchist philosopher, writer, and activist. Born on December 14, 1853, in Recanati, Italy, he was a prominent figure in the anarchist movement. His work focused on the principles of anarchism, advocating for a society without authority and state. Malatesta was a key figure in the development of anarchist theory and practice, influencing many later anarchists. He passed away on July 22, 1932. more

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“If you say that you reject violence when it exceeds the limits imposed by the needs of defense, they accuse you of pacifism, without understanding that violence is the whole essence of authoritarianism, just as the repudiation of violence is the whole essence of anarchism.”

IfsNeedsWholeUnderstandingViolenceLimitsEssenceDefenseRejectsExceedAnarchismAuthoritarianismPacifism
Book:Life and Ideas: The Anarchist Writings of Errico Malatesta
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“Anarchists are opposed to violence; everyone knows that. The main plank of anarchism is the removal of violence from human relations. It is life based on freedom of the individual, without the intervention of the gendarme. For this reason we are the enemies of capitalism which depends on the protection of the gendarme to oblige workers to allow themselves to be exploited--or even to remain idle and go hungry when it is not in the interest of the bosses to exploit them. We are therefore enemies of the State which is the coercive violent organization of society.”

KnowsHumansStatesReasonIndividualInterestEnemyViolenceDependsCapitalismOrganizationRelationWorkersProtectionViolentHungryBossAnarchyIdleInterventionExploitsAnarchismAnarchistHuman RelationsRemoval
Book:Life and Ideas: The Anarchist Writings of Errico Malatesta
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“Anarchism is the abolition of exploitation and oppression of man by man, that is, the abolition of private property and government; Anarchism is the destruction of misery, of superstitions, of hatred. Therefore, every blow given to the institutions of private property and to the government, every exaltation of the conscience of man, every disruption of the present conditions, every lie unmasked, every part of human activity taken away from the control of the authorities, every augmentation of the spirit of solidarity and initiative, is a step towards Anarchism.”

MenHumansGovernmentSpiritLyingGivenStepsTakenConditionsActivityAuthorityConscienceDestructionHatredInstitutionsPropertyMiseryBlowOppressionSuperstitionsInitiativeExploitationSolidarityAnarchismPrivate PropertyDisruptionAbolitionHuman ActivityExaltation
Book:The Method of Freedom: An Errico Malatesta Reader
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“Intolerance of oppression, the desire to be free and develop one personality to its full limits, is not enough to make one an anarchist. That aspiration towards unlimited freedom, if not tempered by a love for mankind and by the desire that all should enjoy equal freedom, may well create rebels who soon become exploiters and tyrants.”

IfsShouldWellsMayEnoughDesireEnjoyMankindPersonalityLimitsEqualOppressionAspirationRebelTyrantsIntoleranceUnlimitedAnarchist
Book:Life and Ideas: The Anarchist Writings of Errico Malatesta
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“The basic function of the government everywhere in all times, whatever title it adopts and whatever its origin and organisation may be, is always that of oppressing and exploiting the masses, of defending the oppressors and the exploiters: and it's principal, characteristic and indispensable instruments are the police agent and the tax-collector, the soldier and the gaoler - to whom must be invariably added the trader in lies, be he priest of schoolmaster, remunerated or protected by the government to enslave minds and make them docilely accept the yoke.”

MindMayGovernmentLyingAcceptingTaxesMassFunctionPoliceInstrumentsSoldierAll TimeAgentsTitlesCharacteristicsPriestsProtectedPrincipalIndispensableOrganisationCollectorsOppressorsYokeTraders
Author:Errico Malatesta
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“The question may seem embarrassing, but it can be answered in a few words. For two people to live in peace they must both want peace; if one of them insists on using force to oblige the other to work for him and serve him, then the other, if he wishes to retain his dignity as a man and not be reduced to abject slavery, will be obliged in spite of his love of peace, to resist force with adequate means.”

PeopleIfsMenWantMayMeanTwoSeemsForceWishDignitySlaverySpiteEmbarrassingHis LoveAdequateObligedFew WordsAdequate Means
Author:Errico Malatesta
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“The object of a comedy is not to correct morals or ridicule the vices of society; no, a comedy should depict the discrepancies between life and purpose, should be the fruit of bitter indignation aroused by the degradation of human dignity, should be sarcasm, and not an epigram, convulsive laughter and not an amused grin, should be written with bile and not diluted salt, in a word, it should embrace life in its highest significance.”

ShouldHumansPurposeMoralComedyWrittenObjectsHighestLaughterDignityEmbraceFruitVicesBitterSarcasmSignificanceSaltRidiculeDegradationAmusedHuman DignityIndignationEpigramsDiscrepanciesEmbrace LifeDiscrepancies Between
Author:Vissarion Belinsky
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