description Mikhail Bakunin Overview
Mikhail Bakunin was a prominent Russian revolutionary theorist and one of the foundational figures of collectivist anarchism. Active in radical political movements across Europe, he famously engaged in an intense ideological rivalry with Karl Marx over the direction of the socialist movement. Their conflict culminated in Bakunin's expulsion from the First International in 1872. His philosophical writings, including the posthumously published "God and the State," heavily influenced the development of modern anarchist theory.
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Why did Bakunin break with Karl Marx?
Bakunin opposed Marx's support for organized political action and a transitional workers' state, fearing that centralized power would create a new ruling class. Their conflict helped split the International Working Men's Association in the early 1870s.
What did Bakunin mean by collectivist anarchism?
Bakunin advocated collective ownership of land and productive property while rejecting both capitalism and the state. Unlike later anarchist communists such as Peter Kropotkin, collectivists often proposed compensating labor according to work performed.
Did Bakunin participate in actual revolutions?
Yes. He took part in the revolutionary upheavals of 1848 and 1849, including the Dresden uprising, after which he was captured and imprisoned. He was later exiled to Siberia before escaping through Japan and the United States in 1861.
How did Bakunin differ from Pierre-Joseph Proudhon?
Bakunin shared Proudhon's hostility to centralized government but placed greater emphasis on collective ownership and revolutionary insurrection. Proudhon's mutualism instead centered more strongly on possession, exchange, and cooperative credit.
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