Working Translations

Le Rétif (Victor Serge), “To Be and to Appear” (1909)

We do not live for ourselves—we live for others. We suffer, we struggle and we die for the gallery, to astonish others, to wrest from them a cry of admiration or praise. To appear is the great, the unique concern for the men of this century.

For the vain glory of appearing, they renounce really living. And this is true in all the domains of their activity. […]

Working Translations

Elisée Reclus, “The Anarchist” (1902)

By definition, the anarchist is the free man, [1] the one who has no master. The ideas that he professes are indeed his own through reasoning. His will, springing from the understanding of things, focuses on a clearly defined aim; his acts are the direct realization of his individual intent. Alongside those who devoutly repeat the words of others or the traditional saying, who make their being bend and conform to the caprice of a powerful individual, or, what is still more grave, to the oscillations of the crowd, he alone is a man, he alone is conscious of his value in the face of all these spineless and inconsistent things that dare not live their own lives. […]

Working Translations

What is the Anarchist Entente? (1928)

Each tendency makes its own propaganda, each association functioning as it sees fit, each paper expounding its specific claims. No polemics between persons or tendencies. Neither shop competition nor struggles to monopolize. Neither absorption, nor fusion, nor confusion. To each its place its place in the sun, its tactics, its path and its pace, its achievements and its experiences, provided that it does not entail recourse to the State or to governmental sanctions. Peace among us and war to the archists. […]

Working Translations

Benjamin R. Tucker on (both of) the French anarchists (1904)

— I have recently had the pleasure of paying a visit to the camarade Benj. R. Tucker, whose ideas have been made known to you through our study of the work of Mr. Paul Ghio. Benj. R. Tucker is a great admirer of Max Stirner and of Proudhon, no one will doubt it, and of Mr. Henry Maret. He does not give of himself lightly, so we can only congratulate ourselves on his cordiality, as well as the graciousness of Mme. Tucker. Benj. R. Tucker is not very affectionate toward the libertarians of this country and it was not without  a smile that he frankly declared to us that “there are not three anarchists in France.” […]