''Anarchism'' is book-length study of anarchism written by
Paul Eltzbacher
Paul Eltzbacher (18 February 1868 – 25 October 1928) was a German law professor and author. Eltzbacher was born in Cologne.
He was born to a Jewish family in Cologne. From 1890 to 1895, he was a junior lawyer for the regional court district ...
. It was originally published in 1900 and quickly translated into five languages, including English in 1908 by
Steven T. Byington
Steven Tracy Byington (birthname Stephen) (December 10, 1869 – October 12, 1957) was an American individualist anarchist intellectual and translator.
Life
He was born in Westford, Vermont, and later moved to Ballardvale section of Andover, ...
.
Contents
Eltzbacher gives straightforward descriptions of seven major figures in anarchism: Godwin, Proudhon, Stirner, Bakunin, Kropotkin, Tucker, and Tolstoy. He is not a sympathetic critic.
Publication
Originally published in 1900, Eltzbacher's book was quickly translated into Spanish (1901), French (1902), Russian (1903), and Dutch (1903).
Steven T. Byington
Steven Tracy Byington (birthname Stephen) (December 10, 1869 – October 12, 1957) was an American individualist anarchist intellectual and translator.
Life
He was born in Westford, Vermont, and later moved to Ballardvale section of Andover, ...
translated the English version for publication by
Benjamin Tucker
Benjamin Ricketson Tucker (; April 17, 1854 – June 22, 1939) was an American individualist anarchist and self-identified socialist. Tucker was the editor and publisher of the American individualist anarchist periodical ''Liberty'' (1881–19 ...
in 1908. The English translation was reprinted in 1960 by the
Libertarian Book Club
The Libertarian Book Club and Libertarian League were two postwar anarchist groups in New York City associated with Sam and Esther Dolgoff.
Libertarian Book Club
The Libertarian Book Club was an anarchist circle in postwar New York City. E ...
of New York. The reprint's editor preface provides a history of the book's publication and details on the author, translator, and publisher. But it also introduces errors, particularly in the Proudhon section.
Reception and legacy
Eltzbacher's ''Anarchism'' was among the most accessible compilations of anarchist writings in the early twentieth century. It was and remains among the most read studies of the subject.
Kropotkin himself, in his
1910 ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' article on "Anarchism", commended the book as the best and most fair work on the topic, written with a full knowledge of anarchist literature.
References
Bibliography
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* https://books.google.com/books?id=u_evIt8DtO8C&pg=PA1
* https://books.google.com/books?id=ux-xAMFUY2gC&pg=PA281
* https://books.google.com/books?id=1iUxDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT477
External links
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1900 non-fiction books
Books about anarchism
German non-fiction books
German-language non-fiction books
{{anarchism-book-stub