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Gates of Freedom: Voltairine de Cleyre and the Revolution of the Mind

Gates of Freedom: Voltairine de Cleyre and the Revolution of the Mind delves into the life and philosophical work of Voltairine de Cleyre, an influential figure in the history of anarchism. The book examines her role in shaping the intellectual and political landscape of her time, highlighting her advocacy for individual freedom, social equality, and the abolition of hierarchy. It provides an in-depth look at her writings and speeches, offering insights into her vision for a free society and the impact of her ideas on contemporary movements. more

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Voltairine de Cleyre
Voltairine de Cleyre

Voltairine de Cleyre was an American anarchist writer and orator, a significant figure in the history of American anarchism. Born on November 17, 1866, and passing away on June 20, 1912, de Cleyre was a leading advocate for women's rights, labor rights, and the abolition of the state. more

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“Government is as unreal, as intangible, as unapproachable as God. Try it, if you don't believe it. Seek through the legislative halls of America and find, if you can, the Government. In the end you will be doomed to confer with the agent, as before.”

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Book:Exquisite Rebel: The Essays of Voltairine de Cleyre -- Anarchist, Feminist, Genius
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“Socialism and Communism both demand a degree of joint effort and administration which would beget more regulation than is wholly consistent with ideal Anarchism; Individualism and Mutualism, resting upon property, involve a development of the private policeman not at all compatible with my notion of freedom.”

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Book:Exquisite Rebel: The Essays of Voltairine de Cleyre -- Anarchist, Feminist, Genius
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“If the believers in liberty wish the principles of liberty taught, let them never intrust that instruction to any government; for the nature of government is to become a thing apart, an institution existing for its own sake, preying upon the people, and teaching whatever will tend to keep it secure in its seat.”

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Book:Exquisite Rebel: The Essays of Voltairine de Cleyre -- Anarchist, Feminist, Genius
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“And now, what has Anarchism to say to all this, this bankruptcy of republicanism, this modern empire that has grown up on the ruins of our early freedom? We say this, that the sin our fathers sinned was that they did not trust liberty wholly. They thought it possible to compromise between liberty and government, believing the latter to be 'a necessary evil,' and the moment the compromise was made, the whole misbegotten monster of our present tyranny began to grow. Instruments which are set up to safeguard rights become the very whip with which the free are struck.”

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Book:Exquisite Rebel: The Essays of Voltairine de Cleyre -- Anarchist, Feminist, Genius
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