The Conquest of Bread _By_ PETER KROPOTKIN _Author of "Fields, Factories, and Workshops" "The Memoirs of a Revolutionist," Etc._ [Illustration] NEW YORK VANGUARD PRESS MCMXXVI PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THE MAN (1842-1921): _Prince Peter Alexeivitch Kropotkin_, revolutionary and scientist, was descended from the old Russian nobility, but decided, at the age of thirty, to throw in his lot with the social rebels not only of his own country, but of the entire world. He became the intellectual leader of Anarchist-Communism; took part in the labor movement; wrote many books and pamphlets; established _Le Révolté_ in Geneva and _Freedom_ in London; contributed to the _Encyclopedia Britannica_; was twice imprisoned because of his radical activities; and twice visited America. After the Bolshevist revolution he returned to Russia, kept himself apart from Soviet activities, and died true to his ideals. THE BOOK: _The Conquest of Bread_ is a revolutionary idyl, a beautiful outline sketch of a future society based on liberty, equality and fraternity. It is, in Kropotkin's own words, "a study of the needs of humanity, and of the economic means to satisfy them." Read in conjunction with the same author's "Fields, Factories and Workshops," it meets all the difficulties of the social inquirer who says: "The Anarchist ideal is alluring, but how could you work it out?" CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. OUR RICHES 1 II. WELL-BEING FOR ALL 12 III. ANARCHIST COMMUNISM 23 IV. EXPROPRIATION 34 V. FOOD 47 VI. DWELLINGS 73 VII. CLOTHING 84 VIII. WAYS AND MEANS 87 IX. THE NEED FOR LUXURY 95 X. AGREEABLE WORK 110 XI. FREE AGREEMENT 119 XII. OBJECTIONS 134 XIII. THE COLLECTIVIST WAGES SYSTEM 152 XIV. CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION 168 XV. THE DIVISION OF LABOUR 176 XVI. THE DECENTRALIZATION OF INDUSTRY 180 XVII. AGRICULTURE 191 NOTES 213 PREFACE