A-Infos (en) Italy, FAI, Umanita Nova #22-26 - "Anarchy - What It Really Means." From a famous 1911 essay (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

[...]Anarchy actually means liberation of the human mind from the 
control of religion; liberation of the human body from the control of 
property; liberation from the chains and restrictions of government. 
Anarchy means a social order based on the free association of 
individuals for the purpose of producing true social wealth; an order 
that will guarantee every human being the freedom to access the riches 
of the earth and the fullest enjoyment of the necessities of life, 
according to individual desires, tastes, and inclinations.
[...]Let us turn to the methods. Anarchy is not, as many might suppose, 
a theory of the future to be realized by divine inspiration. It is a 
living force in the affairs of our lives, constantly creating new 
conditions. The methods of anarchy therefore do not comprise a rigid 
program to be implemented in all circumstances. The methods must arise 
from the economic needs of each place and climate, and from the 
behavioral and intellectual requirements of individuals. The calm and 
serene nature of a Tolstoy will hope for different methods of social 
reconstruction than those of the intense and overflowing personality of 
a Bakunin or a Kropotkin. It should also be evident that Russia's 
economic and political needs will require more drastic measures than 
those of England or America. Anarchy does not imply military training 
and uniformity; it does mean a spirit of revolt, in whatever form, 
against everything that hinders the growth of human beings. All 
anarchists agree on this point, just as they agree in their opposition 
to the political machine as a means of achieving great social change.
[...]What does the history of parliamentary democracy demonstrate? 
Nothing but failures and defeats, not even a single reform aimed at 
improving the economic and social conditions of the people. Laws and 
decrees have been enacted to improve and protect working conditions. 
Thus, just last year, it was demonstrated that Illinois, the state with 
the most stringent laws for the protection of miners, has experienced 
the greatest mining disasters. In states where child labor laws prevail, 
child exploitation is at its highest. And although workers enjoy full 
political opportunities, capitalism has reached its most brazen zenith.
Even if workers were able to have their own representatives, which our 
good socialist politicians are clamoring for, what hope is there for 
their honesty and good faith? We need only keep the political process in 
mind to realize that its well-intentioned path is actually full of 
pitfalls: manipulation, intrigue, flattery, lies, and deception; in 
fact, deception of every kind, by which aspiring politicians succeed. 
Added to this is the complete demoralization of personalities and 
convictions, until nothing remains that can still give any hope of 
gaining anything from such human wrecks. Time and again, people have 
been foolish enough to trust, believe, and support aspiring politicians 
with their last resources, only to find themselves betrayed and 
deceived. One might argue that men of integrity will not be corrupted by 
the political millstone. Perhaps not; but such men will be completely 
incapable of exerting even the slightest influence on the behalf of the 
workforce, as has been demonstrated on numerous occasions. The state is 
the economic master of its servants. Men of good will, if they exist, 
would either remain faithful to their political faith, thus losing their 
economic support, or remain faithful to their economic master, thus 
becoming incapable of doing any good. The political arena leaves no 
other alternatives: one becomes a fool or a criminal.
[...]Anarchy therefore advocates direct action, open rebellion, and 
resistance to all laws and restrictions, economic, social, and moral. 
But rebellion and resistance are illegal. Precisely herein lies the 
salvation of humanity. Everything illegal requires integrity, 
independence, and courage.

[...]Universal suffrage itself owes its existence to direct action. If 
it were not for the spirit of rebellion, for the resistance on the part 
of America's revolutionary fathers, their descendants would still be 
wearing the sovereign's livery. If it were not for the direct action of 
John Brown and his comrades, America would still be trading in the flesh 
of black men. True, the trade in white flesh is still going on, but that 
too must be abolished by direct action. Trade unionism, the economic 
arena of the modern gladiator, owes its existence to direct action. Only 
recently have governments and legislators attempted to stifle the trade 
union movement, sentencing defenders of the human right to organize to 
prison for conspiracy. If the trade union movement had sought to advance 
its cause by begging, pleading, and compromising, it would have no reach 
today. In France, Spain, Italy, Russia, even England (witness the 
growing rebellion of the English unions), revolutionary economic direct 
action has become such a powerful force in the battle for industrial 
freedom that the world has realized the incredible importance of 
workers' power. The general strike, the supreme expression of workers' 
consciousness, was ridiculed in America only recently. Today, every 
major strike, to be successful, must recognize the importance of 
widespread, united protest.
Direct action, which has proven effective in the economic sphere, is 
equally powerful in the individual sphere. There, hundreds of forces 
abuse the individual's being, and only constant resistance to these 
forces will liberate him. Direct action against the authority of the 
workplace, against the authority of the law, against the intrusive and 
meddling authority of our moral code, is the logical and consistent 
method of anarchy.
Will this not lead to a revolution? Certainly. No social change has ever 
occurred without a revolution. People are unfamiliar with the history of 
revolutions, or they haven't yet learned that revolution is nothing more 
than thought transformed into action.
Anarchy, the great leaven of thought, permeates every phase of human 
action today. Science, art, literature, theater, the commitment to 
improving economic conditions-indeed, every social and individual 
opposition to the existing disorder of things-is illuminated by the 
spiritual light of anarchy. It is the philosophy of individual 
sovereignty. It is the theory of social harmony. It is the great, 
nascent, living truth that is rebuilding the world, and that will herald 
the Dawn.

Emma Goldman

https://umanitanova.org/anarchia-cosa-significa-veramente-da-un-celebre-scritto-del-1911/
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