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AnarchismandMarxism,orKarlMarxwasaTotalitarian CrispinSartwell Inthemidandlatenineteenthcentury,radicalleftiststhatis,criticsofrapaciouscapitalismand advocatesoftheliberationoftheindustrialworkerweredividedintotwomainfactions:theMarxistsand theanarchists.Roughly(andthisatremendouslycomplexstory),theMarxistswon,andallthesuccessful leftistrevolutionsofthetwentiethcenturyRussian,Chinese,andCuban,forexampleprofessedtheir adherencetoMarxistprinciples. ThebattlebetweenMarxistsandanarchistsisatthispointmoreanhistoricalcuriositythanagoing concern.TheonlyreallyunrepentantoruncriticalMarxistsleftareKimJongIlandafewintellectualsand professorshereandthere.Andanarchismasaviablesocialmovementhadutterlypeteredoutbythe SecondWorldWar,thoughithashadsomethingofarevivalintheantiglobalizationmovementandother radicalismsofourtime. AndyetinitstimethisbattlewasforMarxamongothersamatteroflifeanddeath,andMarxism wasprobablyasdefinedbyitsoppositiontoanarchismasbyitsoppositiontocapitalism.Indeed,Marx's authorshipwastoanalmostabsurdextentdrivenbyhisattacksonanarchism.MuchofMarx'sbookThe GermanIdeologyhundredsofpagesisanattackontheegoist/anarchistMaxStirner.ThePovertyof PhilosophyisavastpolemicagainstProudhon.Marxspentanenormousamountoftimeandenergy attackingBakunin:"theass!""amonster,ahugemassoffleshandfat,""sexuallyperverse"etc.:these phrasesaretypicalofMarxagainsthisrivals:hisauthorshipishalfscientifictreatise,halfverbalabuse. PerhapslessamusingtoBakuninhimselfwasMarx'sconstantaccusationoverdecades,inhisownvoice orusingvariousmouthpieces,thatBakuninwasapoliceinformant,andMarx'ssuccessfulattemptsto haveBakuninpurgedfromtheInternationalWorkingmen'sThingummy. Perhapsit'salreadyobviousfrommyreferencetoKimJongIl,butmysympathiesarewiththe anarchistsinthisbattle.Butletmesaythat,firstofall,KarlMarxwasavastlybetterthinkerthananyof hisanarchistopponents.Marx'sphilosophyandeconomicsareentirelyindispensableinthehistoryof ideas.Hishistoricalmaterialism,forexampletheideathatintellectualoraestheticorreligiousproductsof asocietyreflectitsmaterialarrangementsandconditionsofproduction,isnotanideawecandowithout, evenifitisalsoanoversimplification.Marxmademanycontributionswithoutwhichthecontemporary intellectualandpoliticallandscapesareincomprehensible.Hewasintenselyandastonishinglysystematic, learned,original,andradicalasathinker. Theanarchists,ontheotherhand,areabigoldmess.Proudhon'sphilosophyisanenormousslagheap: somebitsaresharpanduseful,somejustcontradictoryorbizarre.It'snotevenclearwhetherProudhon wasareactionaryoraprogressive(ifwewanttothinkintheseterms,whichIdon't,actually),andreading himonthetopicofgender,forexample,isenoughtomakeanyradicalhurl.Bakunin'sphilosophyisat leastasbadamess.Firstofall,andasheacknowledged,hisbasichistoricalandeconomicanalysis derivesdirectlyfromMarx,andhispoliticsultimatelyisapasticheofMarxandProudhon. Sothatwasoneproblem:ifyouwerearadicalin1870lookingforanexplanationorasensible intellectualstructureintowhichtofitaliberatorypoliticalmovement,Marxwastheobviouslysuperior article,andthescope,consistency,andoriginalityofMarx'ssystemwereincomparable.Theanarchists wereaphilosophicalmediocrityatleastuntilKropotkin'smoreusefulversion,buteventhen.Maybewe

shouldexpectnobetterfromanarchists,whosetheoryisapparentlyaschaoticastheirproposedfuture. ButIthinkthishastodomorewiththefactthatintellectualsofMarx'scaliberareextremelyrarefew socialmovementshaveone. Indeed,thecommunistanarchismofBakunin,Kropotkin,andEmmaGoldman,owedavastdebtto Marx,whichwasacknowledged.Forallthesefigures,historywasthehistoryofclassstruggle.The enemywascapitalism.Therevolutionaryclasswastheindustrialproletariat.Allofthemgladlyaligned themselveswithMarxistsinordertopushforwardtherevolution. Buthere'stheproblem:Marxwasatotalitarian.Thisevening,Iamthemostrecentinalonglineof anarchistswhohavebeensayingthatsincethe1840s.ButIsayitflatly.Marxwasatotalitarian.Marx wasatotalitarian.Marxwasatotalitarian.MyviewisthatsuchadministrationsasStalin'sorMao's whichamongotherthingsweremurderousonthescaleoftensofmillionswereastrueastheycouldbe, giventheirconditions,toMarx'sideology.TheywereperfectlysincereexpressionsofMarxism,andpretty accurateexpressionstoboot. NowifJoeMcCarthyorJohnD.RockefellerorRonaldReagansaidMarxwasatotalitarian,you'dbe suspicious:they'reonlyservingtheirownintereststheyarereactionarycapitalistpigs,etc.Butwhen BakuninorKropotkinorEmmaGoldmansaysMarxisatotalitarian...thatisadifferentmatter.Theyare anticapitalistrevolutionaries.Eachoneofthemcalledhim/herselfacommunist.Thatispreciselywhy Marxandhisfollowershadtotaketheobjectionseriously.SoonaftertheRussianrevolution,Emma GoldmanconfrontedLenininpersonwithhistotalitarianism.SodidthegreatanarchistNestorMakhno. OnethingtheyfoundirritatingwasthatLeninwasimprisoningandexecutinganarchistsalloverRussiaat thatmoment.Buttheseencounters,likethosebetweenMarxandBakunin,confrontedMarxismwiththe awfultruthaboutitself,andsetupananticapitalistandliberatoryalternativebasedonfreedomratherthan subordination. I'mgoingjusttogiveacoupleexamplesofthingsMarxsaidtosupportmyclaim,whichIrealizeis widelyrejected.Inthe"CommunistManifesto"MarxandEngelsproposetheimmediateimpositionofa dictatorshipoftheproletariat.LikeBakunin,Ihavenoideawhatthatactuallymeans,butIknowitgives methewillies.Atanyrate,thedictatorship'sprogramincludessuchitemsasthefollowing: Theproletariatwilluseitspoliticalsupremacytowrestallcapitalfromthebourgeoisie,to centraliseallinstrumentsofproductioninthehandsoftheState,i.e.oftheproletariatorganisedas therulingclassandtoincreasethetotalofproductiveforcesasrapidlyaspossible... [Wepropose]centralisationofcreditinthehandsoftheState,bymeansofanationalbankwith Statecapitalandanexclusivemonopoly.... CentralisationofthemeansofcommunicationandtransportinthehandsoftheState.... Equalliabilityofalltolabor.Establishmentofindustrialarmies,particularlyforagriculture. Nowtheselittleitems,whichhavethatniceKhmerRougetang,arealternatedwithsomereformsthat havecometopass,suchasuniversalfreepubliceducationandaprogressiveincometax.WellImoreor lessregardthoseasdespoticproposalstoo.Butatanyrate,onceyouhavegiventhestateacomplete monopolyoncommunication,transport,andcapital,youshouldanticipatebeingitsvictim.Andonlya quibblercouldpossiblyholdthatsuchproposalsarenottotalitarian.Nodalongtoforcedlaborforclass enemies,givethestatecompletecontrolofallproductionandallcommunication,throwingin transportation,banking,andeducation,andyouhavetheveryparadigmofatotalitarianstate.theexplicit

guidelinesoftheMarxistnightmaresthatdevouredthetwentiethcentury. Itisrevealingthat,inresponsetoBakuninandmanyotheranarchists'assertionthatMarxwasan "authoritariansocialist,"Marxhimselfrespondednotthatthatwasfalse,butthatauthoritywasnecessary. Youcan'thavelargescaleindustrialproductionwithoutauthority,saidMarx,andMarxlovedlargescale industrialproduction.Youcan'thavearevolutionwithoutauthority.Youcan'thaveapoliticalsituation withoutauthority.Indeed,youcan'thavesuccessfulhumanlifewithoutauthority.Inotherwords,in responsetothechargethathewasanenthusiastaboutauthority,Marxenthusedaboutauthority."A revolutioniscertainlythemostauthoritarianthingthereisitistheactwherebyonepartofthepopulation imposesitswillupontheotherpartbymeansofrifles,bayonetsandcannonauthoritarianmeans,issuch therebeatallandifthevictoriouspartydoesnotwanttohavefoughtinvain,itmustmaintainthisruleby meansoftheterrorwhichitsarmsinspireinreactionaries"(Reader733). AccordingtoMarx,thepurposeofthestateinhistoryistobetheforciblemechanismofclass repression.Monarchyisthestateforminwhichthearistocracyrepressesthefeudalpeasantandtriesto preventtheemergenceofthebourgeoisie.Republicanformsofgovernment,suchastheAmerican,are themechanismbywhichthebourgeoisiethecapitalistownershipclassrepressestheproletariat.The dictatorshipoftheproletariatwillbethemechanismbywhichtheproletariatrepressesor"liquidates"the bourgeoisie,aswellaswhateverotherstrayclassesmaystillbeboppingabout:youknow,small landholdersor"professionals,"andsoon.Thatwillputanendtotheclassstrugglesthathavedriven historythenthestatewillnolongerbenecessary,orevenpossible,anditwill"witheraway." Bakuninwasamongthefirstandsharpestcriticsofthis,um,absurdposition.Hepointedoutthata classcannotfunctionasadictator:youneedanindividualorperhapsasmallcommittee.Andthenthe statethusconstituteditselfbecomesacenterofpowerandthenexusofaclassdistinctionbetweenrulers andruled.Thosewhoeffectivelycontrolstatepowerwilluseit,amongotherthings,toenrichthemselves. BecauseMarxreallywasinakindoftheoreticalthralltohisparticulareconomicdeterminism,hecould barelyevenacknowledgethatpeopledesirepowerforitsownsake,andthatanypower,onceitis constituted,tendstobeabused.ForMarx,bydefinitiontherecouldbenostateaftercapitalism.Bakunin thoughtthatwasasillyposition,andifthehistoryofthetwentiethcenturyshowsanythingatall,itshows that:thecommunistpartiesintheMarxistdictatorshipsconstitutedasocialclassandruleddespoticallyfor theirownbenefit.Onceyouhaveasufficientlytyrannicalpowertoeliminatesocialclass,youhavea powersufficientfortotalwar,genocide,thedegradationanddehumanizationofentirecaptivepopulations. Marxdemandedpreciselythatpower.BakuninwroteaboutMarx:"ifthereisastate,thennecessarily thereisdominationandconsequentlyslavery"(Leier286).OnMarx'sview,accordingtoBakunin,"forthe massestobeliberatedtheymustfirstbeenslaved"(287).Itisimpossible,Bakuninsaid,"foranegalitarian societytoemergeoutofanauthoritarianorganization"(264),bywhichhemeanttheMarxiststate,butalso Marx'swayofdirectingtheradicallabormovement. Bakunin'sdiagnosisofMarxwentdeeper,however.ReallyhethoughtthetotalitarianismofMarxhad itsorigininMarx'sHegelianism:thenotionthathistoryhasacertaindiscernibleprogressiveand deterministicdirection,andthatI(HegelorMarx)havedetectedtheshapeofthefuture.Thusifyou're standinginmyway,you'restandinginthewayoftheinevitableprogressiveunfoldingofhistory,andso history,orperhapswhatevermeansIhaveatmydisposal,willremoveyoufromthepathoftheglorious marchtoecstasy.LikeHegel,Marxwasamillennialthinker:hepreachedthepermanentorgasmatthe endofhistory,andclaimedtoknowthewaythere.Heclaimedtospeakfornature,fortheworld,or,we mightsay,asGod.Themonstroushubrisofthiskindofviewisaninvitationtodestroyyouropponentsand

toestablishacultofpersonality.Oneofthebestthingswecansayaboutanarchismisthatitrefusesto pretendtodeterminethefutureitwantstoletpeoplegoandseewhathappens. OnequestionthatoccurstomeiswhyitissoimportanttofolksforMarxnottoturnouttobea totalitarian.Whynotjustsay:well,there'ssomuchgoodstuffthere,butthedictatorshipoftheproletariat etcisjustobviouslywrongandhastogo.Here'swhereI'mgoingtogetabitnasty.It'sbecauseMarxism, aswellbeingasaphilosophy,ispreciselyacultofpersonality:ironicgiventhatindividualpersonalities havenorealroleinhistoryaccordingtoMarx'sphilosophy.ButtheprimarycommitmentofMarxistsisn't tothetruthortheworld,buttotheman.Hejustcannotturnouttobewrong.Sosincetotalitarianismis wrong,Marxwasnotatotalitarian.QED.Andwhenyou'vegottentothatpoint,Ipropose,you'reno longerathinkerorwhateveryoumightclaimtobe:you'remerelyadisciple.Andthat,wemightsay,is itselfoftheessenceoftotalitarianism. Letmedrawaparallel.TheRepublicofPlatoisthefoundingdocumentofWesternpoliticaltheory.It isofoverwhelmingimportanceandcontainsahundredfundamentalinsightsandfoundationalthoughts.But itisadirectlytotalitariantext.Itendorsesanintenselyhierarchicalorcastesociety.Itsaysthat philosophersshouldrule,andwithabsolutepower.Oneoftherecurringthemesisthattherulerswillhave tolietothepeoplecontinuouslyinordertocontrolthem,anditsaystheyoughtto.Itproposesthatthe rulersmatchpeopleupformatinginagiganticeugenicsprogramdesignedtoentrenchtheclassstructure moreineachgeneration:mateshoemakerswithshoemakers,malesoldierswithfemalesoldiers, philosopherkingswithphilosopherqueens.Itsaysunauthorizedinfantsshouldbekilled.Andsoon. AristotlewasthefirsttosystematicallyattacktheRepubliconsuchgrounds,andinademocraticera,we mustfindthebasicideasrepugnant. However,Platoisagreatandadmirablefigureinmanyways.Peoplelovehim,devotetheirlivesto elucidatinghisideas.Nowforsuchpeople,hejustcan'tturnouttobewrong,especiallyascompletelyand dangerouslyanddisgustinglywrongasthebasicassertionsoftheRepublicmakeitobviousthathewas. Sotheygothroughconniptionstryingtomakeitallcomeoutalright.Forexample:thewholeauthorshipis entirelyironiceveryassertionmeanstheoppositeofwhatitsays.Surelythat'sthecounselofdesperation. Or:therearetwoteachingsinPlato,theexotericandtheesoteric.Whathewantstheaverageignorant persontobelieveandwhathesecretlybelieveshimselfaretwoentirelydifferentthings. Tobehonest,IjustdonotunderstandtheapologistsforPlatoortheapologistsforMarx.Theproject ofmakingPlatoorMarxcomeoutasrightaspossibleisasillyproject,andoneentirelyunworthyofan actualthinker.Takewhat'srightrejecttherest.Whynot?Whynotjustsayhe'swrongabout"industrial armies"etc.,butrightaboutx,y,andz?Why?becauseyou'reafollowernotaphilosopher.Inwhichcase, Idon'tactuallyneedtoreadwhatyouwriteorthinkaboutwhatyousay.Iusedtoknowsome philosophersforwhomthequestionofwhatistrueandthequestionofwhatWittgensteinreallymeant wereequivalentquestions.Well,firstofall,evenifWittgensteinwasn'taninsanelyoverratedobscurantist, thatwouldbeaslavishposition,inimicaltohumanthought.Andsecond,thenofcourseletmeread Wittgensteininsteadofyoupinheadcultists. YoushouldreadMarxexactlylikeyoureadanyarguments,accounts,assertions:critically.Youshould takewhatyoucanuseorwhatyoucanarguefororwhatworksandleavealltherestwithoutamoment's hesitation.NowoneofmyproblemswithMarxisthatIsensethathewantedtobefollowed,not respondedtowithanycriticaldistance,whichisdeeplyironicgiventheclaimstoscience.ButevenMarx's scientismisinpartanattempttoshutyouup:youcan'targuewithscience,bitch!asMarxsaidto

ProudhonandBakuninandeveryoneelsewhomheconsideredanopponentorarivaleveryfewhours fordecades. Indeed,oneofthemanydrawbacksofMarx'sauthorshipisitsextremescientism,whichistypicalofits period.Onemightcompareinthisregard,forexample,thewritingsofAugusteComte.ButMarx's lifetimecoincideswithaperiodinwhichscienceistheonlyengineofepistemologicallegitimacy,inwhich almosteverythinkermakesaclaimtoscienceorrisksbeingdismissedentirely.Butscienceitselfisa structureofepistemologicalauthority.WhenMarxsneersateveryopponentasunscientific,he'ssaying: thisisnotmyopinion.Myexpressionofmyvalues,myvisionofafutureforhumanityarenotthevalues andvisionofanyparticularperson.Theyarethevoiceofobjectivereality.Thisisabasictensionatthe heartofMarx.Thecommunistfutureheenvisionsistheinevitableoutcomeoftheimpersonalmaterial forcesofhistory.ItisakindofcoincidencethatthisfutureisalsoobviouslywhatMarxwants.Sothen whyishecreatingorganizationstotrytodriveitforward?Andwhyisheconstantlytryingtoridiculeand deletealternativeaccountsandthepeoplewhoputthemforward?Allhehadtodowaswait.Marxismis avastsystemofmoralandpoliticalideals.Callingthatascienceisprofoundlyselfdeluded,andit functionsprimarilyasaclaimtoauthority. Marxismisavastpanoplyofstuff,butthere'swaytoomuchofthatinit.It'sanauthoritarianstructure onbothsides,butwhatmakesiteffectiveisanenthusiasmforbeingdominated,anexpressionof totalitarianpersonalitynotinthesenseofacrazeddictatorbutofpeoplewhofinallywantonlytobe intellectuallysubordinated.Don'tdefendMarxatallcosts,oratanycostatall:takewhat'srightandleave what'snot:itdoesn'tmatter.Marxisdeadhe'snotgoingtobeimpressedthatyouagreewithhim.The damnthingissupposedtobesomekindofphilosophy,science,history:notareligionthatdemandsyou're unquestioningcapitulationtoitsmyriadabsurdities.AgreementwithMarx'stextsisnomoresensiblethan obediencenowthattheirpowerisovertoStalinorPolPotorDickCheney. Thevictoryofauthoritarian/state/Marxistsocialismoveranarchism,whichwasmoreorlesstotalinthe twentiethcentury,wasanutterdisasterfortheleftandforthehumanspecies.Indeed,Iwouldsaythat statesocialisminfectedtheentirelefthandsideofthepoliticalspectrum.Thereisalmostnothing,Ipropose toyou,inAmericanliberalismexceptenthusiasmforstatepower.Thereisnosolutiontoanyproblemthat doesnotconsistofanewbureaucracyandincreasedcoercion.ThatiswhatAmericanliberalismis:love ofthestateasoursavior,athemewemightcallHegelian,benttotheleftbyMarx.Thearchitectureof thehugehousingprojectsoftheGreatSocietywasStalinistarchitecture,andthehugehousingprojectwas atopdowndisaster,ascanbeseenbythefactthatthesebuildingsarebeingimplodedalloverthe country.Andonethingtheyaccomplishedwastheutterdestructionofpreviouslyexistingactual communities. Theideaoflibertyhasbeenabandonedtotheright,andthenridiculedasreactionaryandridiculous. TheonlypeoplewhoworryatallaboutlibertyinAmericatodayareteapartiers.Thatisreallytoobad, andifAmericanleftismisdrivenbyadesiretohelppeople,andparticularlytheleastfortunateamongus etc.,thenIwouldstronglyrecommendthatthefirststepwouldbetoemphasizetheautonomyand creativityofthosepeoplethemselves,tolistentotheirownaccountofwhat'swrongandwhatthey actuallywant.Thereneeds,inotherwords,tobearevivalofalibertarianleft. AndasweemergefromourcenturyofMarxistholocausts,Iwouldthinktheleftcouldlooktothe historyofanarchismforabitofinspiration.Anarchisminitsbestmomentscallsoneachofustoliberate

ourselves.Itmakeseachofusresponsibleforourownfreedom,ratherthancallingonanintellectual vanguardtodrivetheproletariatfromitsfalseconsciousnessintoacollectivemillennium.Itdoesnot purporttoknowtheshapeofthefuture,ortoimposeashapeonthefuture:thetotalitarianheartofall statistpoliticalphilosophies.Itimaginesanopenfuturewhichwecreatetogether,animprovisational collaborativeworkofart.Itdoesn'tpurporttounderstandeverything:anarchismisnotascience.Itisa release. That,Iproposetoyouistheonlyliberationworthhaving:nottheliberationinwhichwefreeyou forciblywhetheryouwanttobefreeornot,butaliberationinwhichweallowyoutoliveasyoulike. Rousseau,whoreallyistheoriginofEuropeanleftism,saidthatpeoplemustbe"forcedtobefree":the formulaofthetotalitarianlefteversince.It'sexactlyascontradictoryasitsounds,andallityieldsisforce, notfreedom. Hereisoursituation:wehavebeenabandoneddownhereonthisplanet.Wehavebeenreleasedto createourownlives,apartandtogether.Wehavenoideawhereweareheaded:theworldmassively exceedsourcontrolandourunderstanding.Indeed,wemassivelyexceedourowncontroland understanding.Itisafearsomelyriskysituation.Wecanreacttoitinterriblefeartrytopretendwecan knowthefuturebydivinationorby"science,"trytoforecloseonitbyviolenceandcoercion.Orwecan trytoopenourselvestoitorinvolveourselvesinitsspontaneousselfcreation.Thatistheanarchist alternative.