1. In part they recognize as the supreme law of human procedure merely
a natural law, which, as such, does not tell us what ought to take place
but what really will take place; these teachings may be called
_genetic_. The other part of them regard as the supreme law of human
procedure a norm, which, as such, tells us what ought to take place,
even if it never really will take place; these teachings may be
characterized as _critical_. Genetic are the teachings of Bakunin and
Kropotkin: the supreme law of human procedure is for Bakunin the
evolutionary law of mankind's progress from a less perfect existence to
an existence as perfect as possible, and for Kropotkin that of mankind's
progress from a less happy existence to an existence as happy as
possible. Critical are the teachings of Godwin, Proudhon, Stirner,
Tucker, and Tolstoi.
2. The critical teachings, again, are partly such as set up a duty as
the supreme law of human procedure, the duty being itself the ultimate
purpose,--these teachings may be characterized as _idealistic_,--and
partly such as set up happiness as the supreme law of human procedure,
all duty being only a means to happiness,--these may take the name of
_eudemonistic_. Idealistic are the teachings of Proudhon and Tolstoi:
Proudhon sets up as the supreme law of human procedure the duty of
justice, Tolstoi the duty of love. Eudemonistic are the teachings of
Godwin, Stirner, and Tucker.
3. The eudemonistic teachings, finally, regard as the supreme law of
human procedure either the happiness of mankind as a whole, which the
individual is accordingly to further without regard to his own
happiness,--these teachings may be characterized as _altruistic_,--or
the happiness of the individual, which he is accordingly to further
without regard to the welfare of mankind as a whole,--these teachings
may be called _egoistic_. Altruistic is Godwin's teaching, egoistic
Stirner's and Tucker's.
II. With regard to what they have in common in their basis, the seven
recognized Anarchistic teachings here presented may be taken as
equivalent to the entire body of recognized Anarchistic teachings. They
have in their basis nothing in common with each other; all the more is
it impossible, therefore, that the entire body of recognized Anarchistic
teachings should have in their basis anything in common.
Furthermore, as regards the specialties that they exhibit in respect to
their basis the teachings here presented may be taken as equivalent to
the entire body of Anarchistic teachings without limitation. For the
specialties represented among them can be arranged as a system that has
no room left for any more co-ordinate specialties, but only for
subordinate. No Anarchistic teaching, therefore, can have any specialty
that will not be subordinate to these specialties.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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