Reading Lists

Are you interested in anarchism? Have you check out our pamphlets and downloads? Would you want more to read? We have here several reading lists for different aspects and tendencies in the anarchist and libertarian tradition.

We at Bandilang Itim value anarchist plurality within our collective. You will find here works from different anarchist tendencies. We listed a lot of books on these lists. This is not a syllabus! We do not expect you to read all of these books! Rather than expecting you to read all of these, we instead provided a wide variety of texts that you can pick and choose from.

If you are looking for fictional or story works related to anarchism or of interests to anarchists, check out our fiction and story reading recommendations.

This list is not and can never be definitive. The entire corpus of anarchist literature can never be encapsulated into a definitive list. If you would like to request a text be added to these lists, please contact us! Our contact information can be found the menu of this website.


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Introduction to Anarchism

Anarchism is the idea that everyone is entitled to complete self-determination. No law, government, or decision-making process is more important than the needs and desires of actual human beings. People should be free to shape their relations to their mutual satisfaction, and to stand up for themselves as they see fit.

To Change Everything: An Anarchist Appeal. CrimethInc.

An appeal to change the hierarchical and controlling world and to change everything starting from everywhere.

An Anarchist Programme. Errico Malatesta.

What are the aims and objectivies of the anarchists? What do anarchists do? This is an anarchist political and economic program.

Anarchy Works. Peter Gelderloos.

A book containing several real-world examples of libertarian organizing.

Anarchy. Errico Malatesta.

A short book introducing anarchist theory and explains what anarchy is.

The Conquest of Bread. Pëtr Kropotkin.

A book introducing theories of organizing society along anarchist lines.

Anarchism and Other Essays. Emma Goldman.

A book on anarchism and anarcho-feminism by the legendary anarchist agitator Emma Goldman.

What Is Communist Anarchism? Alexander Berkman.

A book explaining various aspects of Anarcho-communism. It answers some of the charges made against it and presents the case for communist anarchism. Thorough and well stated, it is today regarded as a classic statement of the cause’s goals and methods.

Anarchism: From Theory to Practice. Daniel Guérin.

A book about the theoretical basis of anarchism, and its practical application to the real world in selected historical examples.

At The Café: Conversations on Anarchism. Errico Malatesta.

A short book explaining various aspects of anarchism to imaginary bourgeoisie and worker audiences.

Your Freedom is My Freedom: The Premise of Anarchism. William Gillis.

An zine explaining the definition and value of freedom and liberation as the basis of anarchist politics.

Anarchist Theory

This reading list ought be tackled after an introduction to anarchy and anarchism as it concerns material discussing anarchist theory. These are not introductory books.

Armed Joy. Alfredo M. Bonanno

A pamphlet on insurrectionary anarchism.

Towards a Fresh Revolution. Friends of Durruti.

A pamphlet by the Friends of Durruti on what they thought how the Spanish Revolution could have been revitalized.

What is Property? An Inquiry into the Principle of Right and of Government. Pierre-Joseph Proudhon.

A long book analyzing property from a scientific socialist perspective.

Ecology of Freedom: The Emergence and Dissolution of Hierarchy. Murray Bookchin.

A long book on how hierarchy developed and how it can be overcome.

Means and Ends: The Anarchist Critique of Seizing State Power. Anarchopac.

An article explaining why anarchists reject seizing state power.

Against the Logic of the Guillotine: Why the Paris Commune Burned the Guillotine—and We Should Too. Crimethinc.

An article explaining why anarchism should not celebrate the guillotine or revolutionary violence.

Anarchy, Geography, Modernity: Selected Writings of Elisée Reclus. Elisée Reclus.

An essay collection compiling the anarchist theories of Reclus.

Emergence and Anarchism: A Philosophy of Power, Action, and Liberation. Scott Nicholas Nappalos.

A book that argues that understanding emergence and living systems gives us a better grasp of how a just society can be achieved.

Social Anarchism and Organization. Federação Anarquista do Rio de Janeiro (FARJ).

A book about Especifismo and the Brazilian anarchist experience.

Organisational Platform of the Libertarian Communists. Dielo Truda.

A book-length pamphlet on the (in)famous Platform for platformism.

The Platform. Workers’ Solidarity Movement.

A critical-sympathetic pamphlet analyzing the Organizational Platform and platformism.

About the Platform. Errico Malatesta and Nestor Makhno.

A pamphlet on various perspectives on the Platform.

Small Communal Experiments and Why They Fail. Pëtr Kropotkin

A pamphlet on Kropotkin’s thoughts on small communal experiments and how they could succeed by analyzing why they fail.

Introduction to Socialism

Socialism is the idea that we ought to organize our society differently from how it is currently organized under capitalism. Socialism is the idea that people ought have power over their own lives and of the things held in common. From this sprouts the idea that workers should be the who manage their own work.

Why Socialism? Albert Einstein.

The famous physicist argues for socialism and introduces socialism to the reader.

Why I Call Myself a Socialist: Is the World Really a Stage? Wallace Shawn.

The famous actor and playwright looking into socialism as a way of fulfilling human possibilities.

The Soul of Man under Socialism. Oscar Wilde.

The famous writer and poet Oscar Wilde’s key text outlining his personal vision for a libertarian socialist society, and its implications for personal freedom and potential.

Preamble to the IWW Constitution. Industrial Workers of the World.

A short article on the IWW explaining the IWW’s goal of abolishing the wage system and capitalism.

Libertarian Communism

Libertarian communism is the idea that we ought have a moneyless, stateless, and classless society. It holds to heart the communist maxim, “from each according to their ability, to each according to their needs.” The current of libertarian communism seeks to reach communism through libertarian means.

Libertarian Communism: An Introduction. Libcom.org

An article introducing the concept of libertarian communism.

Organisational Platform of the Libertarian Communists. Dielo Truda.

A book-length pamphlet on the (in)famous Platform for platformism.

Manifesto of Libertarian Communism. Georges Fontenis.

A pamphlet outlining the theories of libertarian communism from the French anarchist current of libertarian communism.

Libertarian Communism. Isaac Puente.

A pamphlet outlining the theories of libertarian communism from a Spanish perspective. This was written for the CNT, an anarcho-syndicalist federation in Spain.

For a Libertarian Communism. Daniel Guérin.

A book on a collection of essays on libertarian Marxism and attempts to synthesize anarchism and Marxism.

Libertarian Marxism

Libertarian Marxism, and associated tendencies like Autonomous Marxism, are currents and tendencies that emphasize the anti-authoritarian and libertarian aspects of Marxism. Libertarian Marxism is often opposed to the state and is skeptical of hierarchical organization.

Workers’ Councils. Anton Pannekoek.

A foundational text in the defunct Left Communist tendency of Council Communism. It describes how workers’ councils have been and can be organs of self-organised working class power in struggle and a means towards overthrowing capitalism and creating a classless society.

For a Libertarian Communism. Daniel Guérin.

A book on a collection of essays on libertarian Marxism and attempts to synthesize anarchism and Marxism.

Anti-Bolshevik Communism. Paul Mattick.

A collection of works on the theory of Council Communism and criticism of Bolshevik politics.

Reading Capital Politically. Harry Cleaver.

A book about an Autonomist Marxist reading of Karl Marx’s Das Kapital.

Eclipse and Re-emergence of the Communist Movement. Gilles Dauvé and François Martin.

A book on revolution as communisation and the refusal of work.

What was the USSR? Towards a Theory of the Deformation of Value Under State Capitalism. Aufheben.

A book analyzing state capitalism in the USSR.

Situationist Theory

The Situationist International (SI) was an organization of social revolutionaries made up of avant-garde artists, intellectuals, and political theorists, prominent in Europe from its formation in 1957 to its dissolution in 1972. Their theoretical material often critiqued society on the basis of alienation and commodity fetishism embodied in the spectacle, a unified critique of advanced capitalism of which a primary concern was the progressively increasing tendency towards the expression and mediation of social relations through objects. Theoretical material influenced or building upon Situationist theory made after the SI are called Post-Situationist theory.

Society of the Spectacle. Guy Debord.

A classic treatise by Guy Debord on the nature and reproduction of the Spectacle.

Comments on the Society of the Spectacle. Guy Debord.

The sequel to the Society of the Spectacle.

A User’s Guide to Détournement. Situationist International.

An article on the Situationist praxis of detournament.

The Revolution of Everyday Life. Raoul Vaneigem.

A book investigating the terrain of everyday life and the possibility of revolution.

The Joy of Revolution. Ken Knabb.

A book on the possibility of an anti-hierarchical revolution.

Market Anarchism: Mutualism and Agorism

Market Anarchism is a set of tendencies believing that free economic activity is being curtailed by hierarchal institutions and that opposition to such precludes a freed society. Despite being conflated with anarcho-capitalists, a section of Market Anarchists have deeply anticapitalist leanings and argue that capitalist norms itself opposes free markets. Mutualism is one of the earliest anarchist tendencies, believing in looser property norms and reciprocal relations as the basis for all social activity. Agorism is a call for “counter-economic” praxis, acting to prosper against the state-sanctioned spaces to foster a free and voluntary society.

Markets not Capitalism. Gary Chartier.

A set of essays and writings linking together the aspirations of libertarian socialist and market anarchist thought.

Homebrew Industrial Revolution. Kevin Carson.

A history of industrial mass production and vision of a networked and localized alternative.

The New Libertarian Manifesto. Samuel Edward Konkin III.

A call towards “counter-economic” praxis, acting outside the government-sanctioned formal economy towards liberatory goals.

Anarcho-syndicalism

Anarcho-syndicalism is the anarchist praxis of building power by and for workers or individuals through solidarity and direct action rather than through intermediaries. While anarcho-syndicalism is  famously known for organizing workers, it also has applications in communities and neighborhoods.

Anarcho-syndicalism: An Introduction. Libcom.org.

A short explanation of anarcho-syndicalism and notes on its history.

Anarcho-syndicalism: Theory and Practice. Rudolf Rocker.

A general introduction to anarcho-syndicalism.

Fighting for ourselves: Anarcho-syndicalism and the Class Ctruggle. Solidarity Federation.

Short book outlining the history, theory and practice of anarcho-syndicalism in relation to the mainstream workers’ movement and other radical traditions, and setting out their own approach.

The Union Makes Us Strong? Syndicalism: A Critical Analysis. Anarchist Federation.

A pamphlet critically engaging with anarcho-syndicalism.

Anarchism and Community Politics. Iain Mckay.

An article discussing community syndicalism.

Ready to Fight: Developing a 21st Century Community Syndicalism. Shane Burley.

A pamphlet discussing anarchosyndicalist praxis in community politics.

Anarcho-Syndicalism in Puerto Real: From Shipyard Resistance to Direct Democracy and Community Control. Pepe Gomez, Solidarity Federation-IWA.

A pamphlet on anarchosyndicalism and community syndicalism in practice.

Green Syndicalism Bridging the Gap Between Environmentalism and Revolutionary Syndicalism. Jeff Shantz.

An article bridging the gap between environmentalism and revolutionary syndicalism.

Ecology

Ecology and anarchism have long and fecund relationship. Ecology and anarchism produced currents such as Social Ecology, anarchist nihilism, Deep Ecology, Anti-Civ, and Green Anarchism. Not all of these currents are compatible with each other.

Social Ecology and Communalism. Murray Bookchin

A short book introducing Bookchin’s theories.

Ecology of Freedom: The Emergence and Dissolution of Hierarchy. Murray Bookchin.

A long book on how hierarchy developed and how it can be overcome.

Remaking Society: Pathways to a Green Future. Murray Bookchin.

A book on Bookchin’s theories on ecology, hierarchy, freedom, and revolution. Shorter than Ecology of Freedom while dealing with similar themes.

The Next Revolution. Murray Bookchin.

A book introducing Bookchin’s theories on social ecology, communalism, and confederalism.

Make Rojava Green Again. Internationalist Commune of Rojava.

A pamphlet on social ecological praxis in Rojava, Northern Syria.

What Is Green Anarchy? Anonymous.

An Anti-Civilization anarchist primer.

A Critique, Not a Program: For a Non-Primitivist Anti-Civilization Critique. Wolfi Landstreicher.

A critique of civilization from a non-Primitivist revolutionary anarchist perspective.

Post-Scarcity Anarchism. Murray Bookchin.

A compilation of essays that outline the possible form anarchism might take after capitalism, and the liberatory potential of technology. It also contains a discussion of how an ecological and post-scarcity society would operate. It also contains a critique of Marxism.

An Anarchist Solution to Global Warming. Peter Gelderloos.

An anarchist analysis of green capitalism and an anarchist sketch on how an anarchist ecological society could look like.

Desert. Anonymous.

Post-Left Anarchist and Anti-civilization piece on the despair due to the impossibility of the goals of anarchy, and how it should not alter one’s anarchist nature.

Green Syndicalism Bridging the Gap Between Environmentalism and Revolutionary Syndicalism. Jeff Shantz.

An article bridging the gap between environmentalism and revolutionary syndicalism.

Communalism

Communalism is a post-anarchist idea that retains the anarchist opposition to the state and hierarchies but critically engages with the question of organization and the role of governance. It was primarly developed by Murray Bookchin after his dramatic break with anarchism. It is intimately connected to Social Ecology and Libertarian Municipalism. Social Ecology is the idea that our ecological problems are also social and political problems. Libertarian Muncipalism is the praxis of creating free assemblies as the means of creating a liberated society.

Communalism: A Liberatory Alternative. Marcus & Stephanie Amargi.

A pamphlet introducing communalism and social ecology.

Ecology of Freedom: The Emergence and Dissolution of Hierarchy. Murray Bookchin.

A long book on how hierarchy developed and how it can be overcome.

Intelligentsia and the New Intellectuals. Murray Bookchin.

An article looking into the role of intellectuals in social movements.

Radical Municipalism: The Future We Deserve. Debbie Bookchin.

An article on radical municipalism and the confederation of rebel cities.

The Politics of Social Ecology: Libertarian Municipalism. Janet Biehl.

A book on social ecology and libertarian municipalism.

Libertarian Municipalism: An Overview. Murray Bookchin.

An article on Bookchin’s praxis of Libertarian Municipalism.

Urbanization Without Cities: The Rise and Decline of Citizenship. Murray Bookchin.

A book on urban politics in history and in the future.

Democratic Confederalism and Rojava

Democratic Confederalism is the application of communalism and Bookchin’s theories to the Middle East as theorized by Abdullah Öcalan. It is the governing ideology behind the revolution at Rojava. It is at times called Apoism by its supporters, with Apo being the paternalistic title given to Öcalan.

Democratic Confederalism. Abdullah Öcalan.

A short book introducing democratic confederalism.

Democratic Nation. Abdullah Öcalan.

A book discussing how democracy can operate in an antistatist framework.

The Main Principles of Democratic Confederalism. Komun Academy.

An article on the main principles of Democratic Confederalism.

Make Rojava Green Again. Internationalist Commune of Rojava.

A pamphlet on social ecological praxis in Rojava, Northern Syria.

From Capitalist Modernity to Democratic Modernity. Rok Brossa

An article about the apoist concept of Capitalist Modernity and Democratic Modernity. From the Internationalist Commune of Rojava.

Stalinist caterpillar into libertarian butterfly? The evolving ideology of the PKK. Alex de Jong.

An article critically investigating Abdullah Öcalan.

A Commune in Rojava? Öcalan, PKK ideology & PYD policies. Alex de Jong.

An article critically examining the project in Rojava.

How society could be organized

What do anarchists think about how our society ought be organized? While anarchists believe there are no blueprints for a liberated societies, that doesn’t stop us from imagining possible futures.

Inhabit: Instructions for AutonomyInhabit

There are two paths: Path A: The End of the World or Path B: The Beginning of the Next.

Fields, Factories and Workshops. Pëtr Kropotkin.

A book on how work and industry could be organized under anarchism.

Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution. Pëtr Kropotkin.

A book arguing that mutual aid was a decisive factor in evolution and that society and organize itself under this principle.

Post-Scarcity Anarchism. Murray Bookchin.

A compilation of essays that outline the possible form anarchism might take after capitalism, and the liberatory potential of technology. It also contains a discussion of how an ecological and post-scarcity society would operate. It also contains a critique of Marxism.

First Revolutionary Measures. Eric Hazan, Kamo

A short book on what actions can be done in a libertarian revolution.

Government in the future. Noam Chomsky.

A pamphlet on what libertarian governance could look like.

Neither State Nor Market: An Anarchist Perspective on Social Welfare. Steve Millett.

An article rejecting state welfare and market profit-oriented services in favor of mutual aid-based social welfare.

Anarchist Sociology and Anthropology

This reading list comprises of sociological and anthropological texts of interests to anarchists. Most of these are written by anarchists, others not.

Nationalism and Culture. Rudolf Rocker

An exploration on the mythological and ideological sphere of Nationalism

The Promise of an Anarchist Sociological Imagination. Erwin F. Rafael.

A pamphlet using sociology as a tool for imagining a liberated future.

The Anthropology of Anarchy. Charles J-H Macdonald.

A pamphlet discussing the intersection of anthropology and anarchy.

Fragments of an Anarchist Anthropology. David Graeber.

A pamphlet discussing how anarchism can be applied to anthropology.

Worshiping Power: An Anarchist View of Early State Formation. Peter Gelderloos.

A book analyzing early state formation.

Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed. James C. Scott.

A long book on political science on how states see the world through concepts like legibility and the ideology of High Modernism.

Two Cheers for Anarchism: Six Easy Pieces on Autonomy, Dignity, and Meaningful Work and Play. James C. Scott.

A book with similar themes with Seeing Like a State but with specific focus on anarchism.

Formulating an Anarchist Sociology: Peter Kropotkin’s Reading of Herbert Spencer. Matthew S. Adams

An article on anarchist sociology .

Debt: The First 5,000 Years. David Graeber.

A book on an anthropological account of the institution of debt.

Bullshit Jobs: A Theory. David Graeber.

A book on an anthropological account of useless work.

Anarchy Works. Peter Gelderloos.

A book that contains several real-world examples of libertarian organizing and of various peoples who have organized themselves anarchistically.

People without Government: An Anthropology of Anarchy. Harold Barclay.

A book about various contemporary peoples who lived without states.