From: Freiheit, July 25, 1885
Action as Propaganda
by Johann Most
We have said a hundred times or more that when modern revolutionaries carry out actions, what is important is not solely these actions themselves but also the propagandistic effect they are able to achieve. Hence, we preach not only action in and for itself, but also action as propaganda.
It is a phenomenally simple matter, yet over and over again we meet people, even people close to the center of our party, who either do not, or do not wish, to understand. We have recently had a clear enough illustration of this over the Lieske affair...
So our question is this: what is the purpose of the anarchists' threats -- an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth -- ... (From: Anarchy Archives.) Anarchism is a world view, a philosophy of society; indeed the philosophy of society, for whoever considers the world and human life in their profoundest senses and their complete development, and then decides on the societal form of greatest desirability, cannot but decide for anarchism. Every other form is a half-measure and a patchwork.
Is anarchism desirable? Well, who does not seek freedom? What man, unless willing to declare himself in bondage, would care to call any control agreeable? Think about it!
Is anarchism possible? The failure of attempts to attain freedom does not mean the cause is lost. The facts that the struggle for freedom is clearer and stronger than ever before, that today there are different preconditions to... (From: Anarchy Archives.) To most Americans Anarchy is an evil-sounding word -- another name for wickedness, perversity, and chaos. Anarchists are looked upon as a herd of uncombed, unwashed, and vile ruffians, bent on killing the rich and dividing their capital. Anarchy, however, to its followers actually signifies a social theory which regards the union of order with the absence of all government of man by man; in short, it means perfect individual liberty.
If the meaning of Anarchy has so far been interpreted as a state of the greatest disorder, it is because people have been taught that their affairs are regulated, that they are ruled wisely, and that authority is a necessity.
In by-gone centuries any person who asserted that mankind could get along with... (From: Anarchy Archives.) From: [Freiheit, September 13, 1884]
Since we believe that the propaganda of action is of use, we must be prepared to accept whatever attendant circumstances it involves.
Everyone now knows, from experience, that the more highly placed the one shot or blown up, and the more perfectly executed the attempt, the greater the propagandistic effect.
The basic preconditions of success are methodical preparation, deception of the enemy in question and the overcoming of any obstacles that stand between the one who is to carry out the deed and the enemy.
The expense incurred by such undertakings is, as a rule, quite considerable. Indeed, one could go so far as to say that the possibility of such an action succeeding usually depends... (From: Anarchy Archives.) Johann Most's most famous speech.
"Among the beasts of prey man is certainly the worst." This expression, very commonly made nowadays, is only relatively true. Not man as such, but man in connection with wealth is a beast of prey. The richer a man, the greater his greed for more. We may call such a monster the `beast of property." It now rules the world, making mankind miserable. and gains in cruelty and voracity with the progress of our so called `civilization " This monster we will in the following characterize and recommend to extermination.
Look about ye! In every so-called "civilized" country there are among every 100 men about 95 more or less destitute and about 5 money-bags.
It is unnecessary to trace all the sneaking w... (From: http://www.eclipse.net/~basket42/beast.html.) Published by
Freiheit Publishing Association
New York
Among all mental diseases which man has systematically inoculated into his cranium, the religious pest is the most abominable.
Like all things else, this disease has a history; it only regrettable that in this case nothing will be found of the development from nonsense to reason, which is generally assumed to be the course of history.
Old Zeus and his double, Jupiter, were still quite decent, jolly, we might even say, somewhat enlightened fellows, if compared with the last triplet on the pedigree of gods who, on examination, can safely rival with Vitzliputzli as to brutality and cruelty.
We won't argu... (From: Anarchy Archives.) The Pittsburgh Manifesto to the Workingmen of America
FELLOW-WORKMEN: The Declaration of Independence says:
“…But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them (the people) under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty to throw off such government and provide new guards for their future security.”
This thought of Thomas Jefferson was the justification for armed resistance by our forefathers, which gave birth to our Republic, and do not the necessities of our present time compel us to reassert their declaration?
Fellow-Workmen, we ask you to give us your attention for a few moments. We ask you candidly to read th... (From: TheAnarchistLibrary.org.) The proclamation of the 1883 Congress of the International Working Peoples' Association, taken from the English edition of Freiheit, 27 December 1890. - Johann Joseph Most
The Pittsburgh Proclamation
Comrades!
In the Declaration of Independence of the United States we read: "When in a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security."
Has the moment not arrived to heed the advice of Thomas Jefferson, the true founder of the American Republic? Has government not become oppression?
And is our government anythi... (From: Anarchy Archives.) WARNING
This book has been reproduced for academic purposes only. The reader is cautioned against the actual construction & use of the devices described. Such activities would be in violation of local, state laws, and may result in personal injury or death.
INTRODUCTION
Few students of turbulent politics fail to look backward to the anarchist activities during the last half of the 19th century and to one of the formost promoters — a man by the name of Johann Most (1846 — 1906).
His most controversial work “Revolutionäre Kriegswissenschaft” (Military Science for Revolutionaries) has been wrongly credited by some writers as his contribution to the American anarchist movement. While writ... (From: TheAnarchistLibrary.org.) A Paper on Communism and Anarchism,
By John Most
New York, Bernhard & Schenck, 167 William Street,
1890.
A DAGGER in one hand, a torch in the other, and all his pockets brimful with dynamite-bombs -- that is the picture of the anarchist, such as it has been drawn by his enemies. They look at him simply as a mixture of a fool and a knave, whose able, purpose is universal topsy-turvy, and whose only means to that purpose is to slay anyone and everyone who differs from him.
The picture is an ugly carricature, but its general acceptance is not to be wondered at, since, for years all non-anarchistic papers have been busy in circulating it. Even in certain la... (From: Anarchy Archives.) From: Freiheit, November 15, 1884
When Is The People "Ready" For Freedom?
by Johann Most
"Not yet, by a long chalk!" is what the world's blackguards have been answering since time immemorial. Today, things are not so much better as worse in this regard, since we have people agreeing with this sentiment who otherwise behave as if they were working for the highest possible human happiness. sentiment who otherwise behave as if they were working for the highest possible human happiness.
It is easy to understand some crown prince or other declaring that the people are not "ready" for freedom; after all, if he were to say the opposite, he would be showing just how superfluous he is and signing his own death warrant.
In the sam... (From: Anarchy Archives.) One of the principal features of the development of modern industrial production is the ever-increasing organization of the laboring force and of the means of production. The result is that with less “hands” a continually growing amount of commodities is being produced. From this last is might be concluded that man should be thus enabled to satisfy all his intellectual and physical wants with a decreasing exertion of his physical powers. Yet, no such result is apparent. On the contrary, all progress in the direction of facilitating the process of production has the effect of reducing the number of laborers employed, and of challenging those who are out of employment to increase the intensity with which they compete among themsel... (From: TheAnarchistLibrary.org.)
