The Anarchists in France

From Libertarian Labyrinth

Vol. 01	September 20, 1895 — pdf.	No. 01

In an article, in time "Free Review" for August, entitled "The March of Socialism in France", the well known French scientist, A. Hamon, says:

"This party (the Allemanistes) is numbering not far from 200,000 adherents.... The ideas of the Allemanistes are very revolutionary, for though they take part in parliamentary elections it is rather for the purposes of agitation and propaganda than as a direct means to their ends. Between the extreme party of the Allemanistes and the Anarchist Communists and Collectivists there is no great difference except that the Anarchists advocate abstention from voting altogether.... The Anarchists divide into groups which differ in their ideals. The "Individualists" cannot be classed among time Socialists, and are a very small number. The others are "Communists", and consequently Socialists.... Time philosophers of the party, Elisee Reclus, Jean Grave, and others do not want organization so called. They believe that general diffusion of their ideas will so operate on the masses that the proper development of Society will arise, so to speak, spontaneously. Others again, like Emile Pouget, C. Malato, Sebastien Faure, and Sanlaville represent, or, to speak more in accordance with their ideas, are "comrades" of the party of "revolt".... The number of Anarchists in France may be set down at not less than 6o,ooo, spread fairly in the diverse quarters of France, but mainly in the large towns. The influence of their agitation has been extraordinary, and its general effect upon the Socialists has been to strengthen their organisations at the same time that it had broken down the rigid line of demarcation, and given all the associations a marked tendency towards extreme ideas, though not extreme methods. Amongst the Anarchists, also, it is quite singular to find the names of some of the most brilliant of the younger generation of authors and artists in France: Bernard Lazare, Maurice Pujo, Feneon, Maximilien Luce, Paul Adam, D. Saurin, Octave Mirbeau, and a host of others."

Setting down the number of Anarchist Communists at present in France at 60,000, we stand to the Socialists "en masse", who polled at the last election 600,000 votes, like 1 to 10. But taking into consider-ation "the extraordinary influence of our agitation" upon the Socialists and further the fact mentioned by Hamon that "Between the extreme party of the Allemanistes and the Anarchist Communists and Collectivists there is no great difference" even now, we may be justified in predicting that on the final day of the liquidation of bourgeois Society, the number of Socialists in France desirous of retaining some sort of a skeleton "State", will have dwindled down to such insignificance that the best for them to do will be—to 'jump' with the rest into Anarchy. What a poor future for state socialism this!

Source.

, . "The Anarchists in France." The Rebel. 01, 01 (September 20, 1895). 6-7.