A Short History of Anarchism

Max Nettlau, “the Herodotus of Anarchy,” had a career that spanned nearly six decades, during which he produced an immense body of historical and theoretical works on anarchy and anarchism, published in numerous languages and nations. The collection of anarchist and radical materials that he collected during his lifetime, now housed at the International Institute for Social Research, remains one of the finest in existence. But very little of that work has been available to readers of English, so Ida Pilat Isca’s translation of A Short History of Anarchism—a comprehensive, one-volume introduction to the origins of anarchy and the emergence of the modern anarchist movement—is a particular treasure. Written to indicate the breadth and diversity of anarchist ideas and practices, in a style that largely allows the historical facts to speak for themselves, still remaining remarkably useful and current. Nettlau’s historical account is supplemented by biographical and bibliographical resources—some new to this edition—which aid both readers and researchers interested in navigating the broad river of anarchy.

Max Nettlau (1865–1944) was active in the European anarchist movement for six decades. Best known as a historian of anarchism and biographer of Mikhail Bakunin, Nettlau was also a sharp internal critic of anarchist strategy and tactics. Shawn P. Wilbur is a historian, translator, and curator of the Libertarian Labyrinth digital archive. His published translations and edited books include works by Emma Goldman, Charles Fourier, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, and Joseph Déjacque.