I know my kind arent really looked at with any favor around these parts but I have always been interested in keeping myself from being locked in an ideological bubble.
I recently asked a question on r/anarchy101 and someone nice enough to respond recommended I look into mutualism. I fully admit my understanding of mutualism could be generously described as minimal. I essentially only "know" that it is free market anti capitalism which I admit doesn't quite make sense to me .
But. I want it to make sense, even if just in theory. I find I learn best through reading, generally an actual physical book. If anyone has some suggestions for great places to start learning about mutualism it would be much appreciated. The only left anarchist books I have read so far are "Anarchism and Other Essays" and "The Conquest of Bread" but was hoping for something more directly explaining mutualism and how it might function.
Studies in mutualist political economy by Kevin Carson.
I used to be a An-cap. I made the jump due to realizing that the early American individualist Anarchist were not pro capitalism....Ya that's right Individualist against capitalism.
Check out people who valued individualism but were not necessarily capitalists: William Godwin, William B Greene, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, Benjamin Tucker, Josiah Warren, Lysander spooner an more.
The An-caps like to hold on to the Idea of individualism but if you look deeper you may find some forms of socialism may further maximize freedoms of the individual as opposed to capitalism.
The inherent contradictions in capitalism make it deeply antagonistic to individualism. Profit is expropriated labour, you cannot expropriate your own labour, so it must come from another's labor as a very basic example.
This is actually what made me jump from neoliberal to anarchist years ago. Probably the best starting point to understand that not every firm of individualism is, necessarily, capitalist (and that, in the end, the property is actually a process and that process exploits the human condition and compress the freedom of beings).
Appreciate that, added it to my list. I admit I don't think it will change my mind but am open to the idea that it could. Worst case scenario I will know the pros and cons of the system and wont just believe any old strawman thrown out about mutualism.
I will say, if you’re dipping your toes into left libertarianism, be prepared for a bit of a mindfuck as far as terminology goes. Whether it changes your mind or not, hopefully your understanding of the words “capitalism” and “socialism” will be deeply challenged, as well as “public” and “private.”
Back when Google+ was a thing I used to spend a lot of time talking to both left-libertarians and right-libertarians, and I have to agree with the Farmer here.
The left uses these words with different meanings than you might be used to, and, I think, it is super important to understand how or you will be very confused.
(Take for example the distinction between private and personal property, which if you were unaware of, could make the ancom stance, for example, on private property seem a little weird)
I think that Advocates of Freed Markets Should Embrace “Anti-Capitalism” from that Markets not Capitalism book is one of the best texts on the definition of capitalism. I've sent that to so many right-libertarians.
Mutualism was one of the terms Proudhon used to describe anarchist theory and practice, at a time before anarchism had come into use. Proudhon declared himself an anarchist, and mutualism was alternately an anarchist principle and a class of anarchistic social relations—but a lot of the familiar terminology and emphases did not yet exist. Later, after Proudhon’s death, specifically collectivist and then communist forms of anarchist thought emerged. The proponents of anarchist communism embraced the term anarchism and they distinguished their own beliefs (often as “modern anarchism”) with mutualism (which they treated as not-so-modern anarchism, establishing their connection and separation from Proudhon and his work.) Mutualism became a term applied broadly to non-communist forms of anarchism (most of them just as “modern” as anarchist communism) and the label was particularly embraced by anarchist individualists. For some of those who took on the label, non-capitalist markets were indeed an important institution, while others adopted something closer to Proudhon’s social-science, which simply does not preclude some form of market exchange. And when mutualism experienced a resurgence about twenty years ago, both a “free market anti-capitalism” and a “neo-Proudhonian” current emerged.
For the more traditional of those two modern tendencies, there are two AMAs available on Reddit (2014 and 2017) that might answer some of your questions. Or you can look around the Proudhon Library site or the dozens of mutualism-related threads here and in r/Anarchy101 for more clarification. And more specific questions are always welcome here at r/mutualism.
If you decide to tackle Proudhon's What is Property? I've worked up some reading notes that help contextualize and explain it a bit.
The Iron Fist Behind the Invisible Hand by Kevin Carson does a great job of introducing some of the broad mutualist criticisms of capitalism (tho Carsonian mutualism is kinda its own little subcategory of mutualism; mutualism is not entirely cohesive and has various camps). It's a longish essay but much more accessible than Studies or other longform works. It's also probably the most ancap-adjacent major mutualist work, and I think a serious ancap (as opposed to the reactionary troll types) will get something out of it even if they aren't "converted". It's freely available and there is an audio recording floating around somewhere as well. I would definitely second Markets Not Capitalism as well.
Something I came to realize in my studies is that, the best way, I feel, to achieve individualism is through the power of a collective. If we band together to keep each from being oppressed, then we can truly be free.
I'm currently reading " A system of economic contradictions " or " the philosophy of poverty " by Pierre Joseph Proudhon, It's pretty good, would recommend
It's too bad that only the first volume is entirely translated, since it's hard to get the full argument without the contradictions playing all the way out.
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r/mutualism
I know my kind arent really looked at with any favor around these parts but I have always been interested in keeping myself from being locked in an ideological bubble.
I recently asked a question on r/anarchy101 and someone nice enough to respond recommended I look into mutualism. I fully admit my understanding of mutualism could be generously described as minimal. I essentially only "know" that it is free market anti capitalism which I admit doesn't quite make sense to me .
But. I want it to make sense, even if just in theory. I find I learn best through reading, generally an actual physical book. If anyone has some suggestions for great places to start learning about mutualism it would be much appreciated. The only left anarchist books I have read so far are "Anarchism and Other Essays" and "The Conquest of Bread" but was hoping for something more directly explaining mutualism and how it might function.
Thanks in advance.
Studies in mutualist political economy by Kevin Carson.
I used to be a An-cap. I made the jump due to realizing that the early American individualist Anarchist were not pro capitalism....Ya that's right Individualist against capitalism.
Check out people who valued individualism but were not necessarily capitalists: William Godwin, William B Greene, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, Benjamin Tucker, Josiah Warren, Lysander spooner an more.
The An-caps like to hold on to the Idea of individualism but if you look deeper you may find some forms of socialism may further maximize freedoms of the individual as opposed to capitalism.
The inherent contradictions in capitalism make it deeply antagonistic to individualism. Profit is expropriated labour, you cannot expropriate your own labour, so it must come from another's labor as a very basic example.
What is Property? By P.J. Proudhon
Thanks!
Welcome! This isn't the gentlest of text for a capitalist, but this is a foundational text for anarchism.
I am fine with having my ideals challenged. I think anyone on the radical spectrum of ideas whether that be capitalist or socialist is used to it.
This is actually what made me jump from neoliberal to anarchist years ago. Probably the best starting point to understand that not every firm of individualism is, necessarily, capitalist (and that, in the end, the property is actually a process and that process exploits the human condition and compress the freedom of beings).
The Well-read Anarchist podcast has an audiobook version of this if you prefer to listen. It’s pretty good.
Markets Not Capitalism
Entire text online for free, you can buy paper copy from a reputable book dealer (ie anywhere but Amazon)
This book realigned me from ancapistan to left lib territory
Appreciate that, added it to my list. I admit I don't think it will change my mind but am open to the idea that it could. Worst case scenario I will know the pros and cons of the system and wont just believe any old strawman thrown out about mutualism.
I will say, if you’re dipping your toes into left libertarianism, be prepared for a bit of a mindfuck as far as terminology goes. Whether it changes your mind or not, hopefully your understanding of the words “capitalism” and “socialism” will be deeply challenged, as well as “public” and “private.”
Back when Google+ was a thing I used to spend a lot of time talking to both left-libertarians and right-libertarians, and I have to agree with the Farmer here.
The left uses these words with different meanings than you might be used to, and, I think, it is super important to understand how or you will be very confused.
(Take for example the distinction between private and personal property, which if you were unaware of, could make the ancom stance, for example, on private property seem a little weird)
I think that Advocates of Freed Markets Should Embrace “Anti-Capitalism” from that Markets not Capitalism book is one of the best texts on the definition of capitalism. I've sent that to so many right-libertarians.
Standard introductory cut-and-paste:
If you decide to tackle Proudhon's What is Property? I've worked up some reading notes that help contextualize and explain it a bit.
Thanks, this is really concise and I am sure your notes will come in handy.
The Iron Fist Behind the Invisible Hand by Kevin Carson does a great job of introducing some of the broad mutualist criticisms of capitalism (tho Carsonian mutualism is kinda its own little subcategory of mutualism; mutualism is not entirely cohesive and has various camps). It's a longish essay but much more accessible than Studies or other longform works. It's also probably the most ancap-adjacent major mutualist work, and I think a serious ancap (as opposed to the reactionary troll types) will get something out of it even if they aren't "converted". It's freely available and there is an audio recording floating around somewhere as well. I would definitely second Markets Not Capitalism as well.
Something I came to realize in my studies is that, the best way, I feel, to achieve individualism is through the power of a collective. If we band together to keep each from being oppressed, then we can truly be free.
I'm currently reading " A system of economic contradictions " or " the philosophy of poverty " by Pierre Joseph Proudhon, It's pretty good, would recommend
It's too bad that only the first volume is entirely translated, since it's hard to get the full argument without the contradictions playing all the way out.
OHH that does suck, I didn't even know, I haven't finished it yet, but damn, If i spoke french I'd translate it hahahahaha
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