Anarchist Quotes
Anarchist Quotes

Authors List
Authors List


Max Nettlau

Max Nettlau, pioneer of anarchist history

Max Nettlau was born on April 30, 1865, in Neuwaldegg, a suburb of Vienna, Austria. He was a historian and theorist of anarchism. Nettlau spent his life in the compilation of an encyclopedic, international, and multilingual bibliography of the anarchist movements and authored several books on the history of anarchism, contributing significantly to the anarchist literature.

Even though his work focused primarily on the history and theory, his writings also had practical implications. He was an advocate of anarcho-communism and anarcho-syndicalism, which he believed were the best forms of anarchism. He died on July 23, 1944, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. His massive collection of anarchist publications and papers are now housed in the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam, representing an invaluable resource for anarchist studies.


Date of Birth: 1865-04-30

Date of Death: 1944-07-23

Country of Birth: Austria

Political Ideas: Anarcho-communism, Anarcho-syndicalism

Quotes Available: 5



Quotes by Max Nettlau

Do I want to propose my own system? Not at all! I am an advocate of all systems.
Freedom must be so extensive that it includes the right not to be free.
While governments are subjected to the principle of free experimentation, to free competition, they will improve and perfect themselves on their own. No more aloofness, up in the clouds, which only hides their emptiness. Success for them will entirely depend upon them doing it better and cheaper than the others do.
For a long time I have been fascinated by the thought how wonderful it would be if at last, in public opinion on the succession of political and social institutions, the fateful term "one after another" would be replaced through the very simple and self-evident "simultaneously."
Indeed, in many cases, maliciousness and stupidity will put many obstacles in the road of the new idea. That is the reason why hard struggles must be fought for unconditional mutual tolerance, until it is finally achieved. Only from then on will everything proceed automatically, science will bloom and advance, because the necessary foundation for every progress, namely experimental freedom and free research have been achieved.


Non-Profit Anarchist Clothing Coop ★ Free Worldwide Shipping On ALL Orders!