Demanding the Impossible: A History of Anarchism - Softcover

Peter Marshall

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1604860642 ISBN 13: 9781604860641

Publisher: PM PRESS, 2010

Synopsis

Navigating the broad spectrum of anarchy, from Taoism to Situationism, from Ranters to Punk, individualists to communists, this is a lively study of an oft' misunderstood subject. It explores key anarchist concepts such as freedom, equality, authority and power and investigates the successes and failures of anarchist movements throughout the world. While remaining sympathetic to anarchism, it presents a balanced, critical account. Included are classic thinkers such as Godwin, Bakunion and Reclus as well as libertarian Camus, Nietzsche, Foucault and Chomsky.

About this title

Review:

"[This is] the book I always recommend when asked--as I often am--for something on the history and ideas of anarchism." --Noam Chomsky

"Large, labyrinthine, tentative: for me these are all adjectives of praise when applied to works of history, and [this book] meets all of them." --George Woodcock, Independent

"Though this highly engaging book can certainly be read from start to finish, I expect that its ultimate role in the average reader's life will be as a reference; not like an encyclopedia but rather more like a favorite author' collected works or a Bible: a massive repository of wisdom and of histories that might be otherwise lost to us." --Time Out New York

"Blowing away cobwebs of misunderstanding and misrepresentation, this is a stimulating portrait of a highly varied but distinctive political ideal, tradition, and practice arising from the enduring human impulse to be free." --Publishers Weekly

"Attractively written and fully referenced . . . bound to be the standard history." --Colin Ward, Times Educational Supplement

About the Author:

Peter Marshall is a philosopher, a historian, a poet, and the author of 15 books, including Nature's Web: Rethinking Our Place on Earth.

About this edition

• Publisher: PM PRESS
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1604860642
• ISBN 13: 9781604860641
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 800