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From the Archives

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

January 9, 2019 Shawn P. Wilbur
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.

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From the Archives

William Bailie in “Liberty” (1891–1906)

January 9, 2019 Shawn P. Wilbur
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.

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From the Archives

Charles T. Fowler, “Corporations” (1886)

January 3, 2019 Shawn P. Wilbur
A corporation is an association of individuals, acting as one body by force of law. Co-operation is an association of individuals acting together in their separate capacities by private contract. Corporation is a legal word, co-operation is a natural one. The members of one are legal, artificial, constructive persons, those of the other are natural ones; one acts under a charter, the other acts under an article of agreement or association.

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From the Archives

Charles T. Fowler, “The Reorganization of Business” (1885)

January 2, 2019 Shawn P. Wilbur
IN a previous issue, we ascertained that the first principles of Co-operation were Liberty and Equity, We showed what they were and their mutual relations. We found that majority rule, in government, must give way to equal sovereignty, and profit, in commerce, give place to cost;—one the rule for properly minding one’s business, the other the basis of common honesty.

Now, these invisible laws, if such, are just as operative when disobeyed as when obeyed. The only part which we are asked to perform is to adapt ourselves to them in our organization. In examining the working, of the present profit-making system we shall see wherein they are violated, and how to apply the remedy.

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Contr'un

Anarchist History: A Mutualist’s-Eye-View

January 1, 2019 Shawn P. Wilbur
My understanding of anarchist history is clearly—and quite consciously—the product of certain trajectories through the field of anarchist studies and through the sectarian landscape of the anarchist milieus. It is perhaps important to underline this fact, particular as it is such a central point of my analysis that the dominant narratives regarding anarchist history have a similar character—and that “anarchist history” might, through relatively small changes in the times and places where it was told, have looked very different and perhaps gone by different names.

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From the Archives

Charles T. Fowler, “Prohibition” (1885)

December 31, 2018 Shawn P. Wilbur
Now no one disputes the evil of intemperance, suppose we call it the greatest of evils. If government can or ought to suppress the greatest, then it should try its hand at the next in importance. If two pigs are tearing up the sward in your yard is there any reason why, while driving out the one that weighs one hundred pounds, you should leave the other, which counts ninety and nine? That would be a discrimination only against one pound of rooting!

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