Anselme Bellegarrigue

The Anarchic Order Anselme Bellegarrigue

Anselme Bellegarrigue (1813 - 1870) is a nearly forgotten early anarchist, a contemporary of Proudhon and Max Stirner, with similarities to each. Like the Proudhon, he self-identified as "an anarchist", an enemy of centralized power and authority and champion of workers. Like Stirner, he opposed the individual to the State, and urged the individual to recognize and pursue self-interest above all, until the State is supplanted by the individual. Bellegarrigue writes that the Revolution can't be achieved by armed violence, since any violent uprising is simply one government trying to replace another. Instead, people should turn away from politics, refuse to participate, look after their own interests, do something useful and trade with other people; their eventual economic success will grant them real independence and freedom. To the extent this occurs, the State and politicians will become irrelevant. The 3 texts presented here are all original translations: "To Action!! An Interpretation of the Democratic Idea""Manifesto""The Revolution"