his is the second part of a collaboration with Elle Griffin from The Elysian on political imagination. In our first exchange, Elle asked for examples of anarchy in action. This was my response.
Dear Elle,
What a place to start! It's so exciting to be able to share from this part of my knowledge base that often goes unasked for.
In the interest of starting broad, the Anarchy Works website, compiled by Peter Gelderloos, is an excellent primer organized on a question-and-answer basis that illustrates in practical terms what people desiring anarchy have actually done and why. Pulling from both historical and contemporary movements, it's a comprehensive point of reference for anyone exploring things from an anarchist perspective. Plus, each section ends with a recommended reading list. You'll probably be most interested, initially, by the Economy section.
In the same vein, Peter Marshall dedicates the fifth part of his impressive volume Demanding the Impossible to "Anarchism in Practice," with individual chapters on France, Italy, Spain, Russia and the Ukraine, Northern Europe, the United States, Latin America, and Asia. You might also be interested in part 2 on "The Forerunners of Anarchism," especially the chapters on Taoism, Buddhism, and Christianity.
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