Anarchism: A Very Short Introduction
by Colin Ward
Colin Ward's "Anarchism: A Very Short Introduction" explores anarchism not as a utopian ideal, but as a practical, ongoing process of individual and societal transformation. The book challenges the conventional understanding of the state, arguing it exists to safeguard the powerful and is dismantled not through revolution, but by fundamentally altering human relationships and behaviors. Ward emphasizes the inherent human capacity for self-organization and voluntary cooperation, presenting these as a continuous, achievable alternative to coercion. Rather than a distant, unattainable objective, anarchism is depicted as a lived philosophy, a constant striving for alternative social structures rooted in mutual aid and freedom.
4 popular highlights from this book
Key Insights & Memorable Quotes
Below are the most popular and impactful highlights and quotes from Anarchism: A Very Short Introduction:
“Every state protects the privileges of the powerful.”
“The state is not something which can be destroyed by a revolution, but is a condition, a certain relationship between human beings, a mode of human behaviour; we destroy it by contracting other relationships, by behaving differently.”
“the ideal of a self-organizing society based on voluntary cooperation rather than upon coercion is irrepressible.”
“A goal which is infinitely remote is not a goal at all, it is a deception.”
