About Anarchism

Today the word “anarchism” inspires both fear and fascination. But few people understand what anarchists believe, what anarchists want, and what anarchists do. This incisive book puts forward the case for anarchism as a pragmatic philosophy. Originally written in 1969 and updated for the 21st century, About Anarchism is an uncluttered, precise, and urgently necessary expression of practical anarchism. Crafted in deliberately simple prose and without constant reference to other writers or past events, it can be understood without difficulty and without any prior knowledge of political ideology. As one of the finest short introductions to the basic concepts, theories, and applications of anarchism, About Anarchism has been translated into many languages, including French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Polish, and Russian. This new edition includes an updated introduction from Natasha Walter and an expanded biographical sketch of the author, Nicolas Walter, who was a respected writer, journalist, and an active protester against the powers of both the church and the state.

Nicolas Walter (1934–2000) was one of the best-known anarchist writers of the last half century, producing an immense amount of journalism for the libertarian press. An edited collection of his writings was published by PM Press in 2011 as Damned Fools in Utopia. Natasha Walter is the author of The New Feminism and Living Dolls, and her debut novel, A Quiet Life, was published in 2016. She has worked as a journalist, columnist, and reviewer for the Guardian, the Observer, and the Independent, and is the founder of the charity Women for Refugee Women.