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Single Idea 24437

[catalogued under 24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 1. A People / b. The natural life]

Full Idea

The anarchists believe …that man may not be naturally good, but he is naturally social.

Gist of Idea

For anarchists people may not be naturally good, but they are social

Source

George Woodcock (Anarchism: A Historical Introduction [1977], 1)

A Reaction

A nice point, and a good response to the objection that anarchism is contradictory - believing men can live well together because they are good, but bad because power corrupts them. Virtually all people are social.

Book Reference

'The Anarchist Reader', ed/tr. Woodcock,George [Fontana 1978], p.18