The many stories, past and present, that demonstrate how anarchy works have been suppressed and distorted because of the revolutionary conclusions we might draw from them.
The examples in this book have been selected from a wide range of times and places – about ninety altogether. Thirty are explicitly anarchist; the rest are all stateless, autonomous, or consciously anti-authoritarian.
As climate change, food and water shortages, market instability, and other global crises intensify, hierarchical models are not proving to be particularly sustainable. The histories in this book show that an anarchist society can do much better at enabling all its members to meet their needs and desires.
Peter Gelderloos uses a wide range of historical examples to argue the case for anarchism as a practical and realistic political philosophy. Obviously, we’re already convinced… but it’s always handy to be able to make the argument and this collection of histories is divided up into thematic chapters (Decisions; Human Nature; Environment; Crime among others) which give a good clear delivery of the history.
