Anarchist Quotes
Anarchist Quotes

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Authors List


James Guillaume

James Guillaume, Pioneer of Anarchism

James Guillaume, born in London on February 16, 1844, was a Swiss anarcho-communist and historian. Guillaume's interest in anarchism and the labor movement began during his schooling in Switzerland, where he was influenced by the events of the Paris Commune. He was a prominent member of the Jura Federation and played a key role in its establishment in 1871. The Jura Federation, a section of the International Workingmen's Association, was one of the first organizations to advocate for anarcho-communist principles.

Throughout his life, Guillaume made significant contributions to the anarchist movement. His writings were central to the promotion of anarcho-communism and his works - including l'Internationale: Documents et Souvenirs and Ideals and Realities in Russian Literature - helped shape the movement's intellectual thought. He also played an instrumental role in theorizing the structure of an anarcho-communist society. He emphasized the importance of free association and mutual aid, arguing that the downfall of capitalism would result from the establishment of a cooperative society based on these principles. Guillaume passed away on November 20, 1916.


Date of Birth: 1844-02-16

Date of Death: 1916-11-20

Country of Birth: Switzerland

Political Ideas: Anarcho-communism

Quotes Available: 6



Quotes by James Guillaume

At the basis of Proudhon's economic theory we find two essential ideas, that of value and that of exchange. These two ideas are only of interest in the regime of individual property.
It is important not to confuse federalism as it is understood by the Paris Commune with the so-called federalism which exists in Switzerland and in the United States of America.
Federalism is above all the negation of the nation and the state.
Proudhon was an anti-authoritarian, anti-statist communist, a federalist communist. Was he a communist without knowing it? No, he suspected it, and he said it, at least once.
No serious-minded man would venture to predict exactly how the Revolution, the indispensable condition for social renovation, will come about.
Federalism is socialist, and for it solidarity is inseparable from liberty.


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