The Sex Question

Lilian Freeman Clarke, “The Story of an Invisible Institution” (1906)

ABOUT the middle of the last century a little girl was growing up in North Carolina among slaves and slaveholders. Her mother was a Southerner, but her father came from New England. He had there had a position as master of a high school, and afterward taught a school for young men in North Carolina. Susan Dimock was accustomed to say in later life, “I am slow to take an idea; I was always slow: I was eight years old before I perceived the sin of slavery.” […]

Working Translations

Paraf-Javal, “Authority” (1907)

To date, all societies have been established according the principle of authority. Even what we mistakenly call socialism is as form of this principle. The delegation of its powers to a minority charged with distributing everything in the best interests of the collectivity (collectivism), amounts to an abandonment of its rights. The comrades who distribute will be privileged, governors and oppressors, while the others will be exploited, governed and oppressed. […]

From the Archives

Paraf-Javal, “The Sect of Non-Sectarians” (1903)

Labels are useful to distinguish men from each other when considered from a certain point of view. From the point. of view of labor, a man who does carpentry deserves to be labeled carpenter; from the general point of view, a man who is opposed to labeling deserves to be labeled non-labelist. It would be easy to show that the sect of non-sectarians and the sect of non-labelists may be considered as comprising all those who have not arrived at a clear conception of their doctrine. […]

From the Archives

William Bailie in “Liberty” (1891–1906)

The series of articles from the pen of William Bailie, begun in this number under the general title of “Problems of Anarchism,” will probably continue for many months and will deal with most of the sociological questions with which the Anarchistic movement is concerned. I have seen but a small part of the manuscript as yet, but, knowing Comrade Bailie as I do and the excellent articles that he has previously written for Liberty, I feel justified in beginning its publication, regardless of any deviations from Liberty’s chosen path that future chapters may show. I do not expect that his views will differ materially from Liberty’s, but in any case Comrade Bailie’s earnestness and ability furnish a perfect guarantee that the differences which may develop will be worth considering. […]