Proudhon: Introduction to Mutualism and Anarchism

I look at the thought of Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, his anarchism, his mutualism, and his theory of politics.

Proudhon was the first self-declared anarchist. He wrote What is Property in 1840. He was not a wide-ranging and difficult writer, he wasn’t a system builder, he was critical of utopianisms, and was fascinated with contradictions.

For Proudhon, The ideal society was a contractual one – where individuals are free to arrange their relationships under conditions of justice. But for justice to flourish, its laws had to be known to all.

The tension between liberty and order is always at the heart of Proudhon’s politics.
He intended his mutualist philosophy to be an approach to political life that could be a ‘synthesis of the notions of private property and collective ownership,’ a synthesis of liberty and order.

Both private property and collective ownership had major flaws; so what could the solution be?

As we saw in What is Property? Justice is at the heart of the solution.
fairness, right, morality, should be the premise of economic, social and political arrangements.

But at the same time, Proudhon argued that the only law people should follow is the law they choose for themselves. Why would people voluntarily follow any law? And where would it come from?

I look at his views on anarchism, communism, the labor theory of value, and contracts to find out.

I find some answers in his work 'General Idea of Revolution in the Nineteenth Century' and 'What is Property?'

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Sources:

G.D.H. Cole, A History of Socialist Thought, vol. 1.

George Woodcock, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon: A Biography

David Golemboski, Proudhon on the Social Dimensions of Labor

Proudhon, What is Property?

Peter Marshall, Demanding the Impossible

Proudhon, General Idea of the Revolution in the Nineteenth Century

George Crowder, Classical Anarchism: The Political Thought of Godwin, Proudhon, Bakunin and Kropotkin

[wcropp]

Proudhon is the man. Many anarchists like to act as if mutualism was simply a crude first attempt at theorizing what a post-capitalist society may be like. The theories "evolved" into "real anarchism, " i.e. anarcho-communism. I have nothing against communist anarchists, and perhaps it is an improvement in some ways, but there's nothing to say that mutualism wouldn't be better for certain sectors of the economy, certain historical periods, or simply just preferred by some. It certainly seems more palatable to the more individualistic anarchists, who did indeed exist despite them being largely ignored today. Mutualists and individualists are not anarcho-capitalists. If you want to see change, you've got to be flexible with your tactics. Why not have an economy with a multitude of post-capitalist arrangements and see what works best? Long story short, it's good to see mutualism getting some love. Great video, my friend!

[Andi_andI]

Seriously underrated channel. Refreshing to see Anarchism being discussed on its own merit, and not merely as an extension of the left or the right.

[msmelanie.]

The beginning of this video really caught my attention. And this has left me wanting to read all of Proudhon. Well done Lewis, fascinating!

[bobbycutts]

THIS is what my high school teachers were afraid of??

[asurrealistworld]

It's a shame Proudhon's ideas aren't as well known as Marx's when he had so much influence on Marx. But Proudhon actually goes even further than Marx in showing the relation government has to economic exploitation.

[godwinyo]

Since you did Proudhon, do one on Max Stiner's egoism, I recommend reading All Things are Nothing to Me the Unique Philosophy of Max Stirner by Jacob Blumenfield.

[lukacule]

I'm so happy to hear you can do this full time! You have single-handedly reignited my love for philosophy. I enjoy your videos very much and I look forward to seeing this channel grow in the future :)

[ResGestae]

Returning to an utopian thinking reminds me of Mark Fisher and his writings on lost futures. Maybe through utopian thinking we are able to overcome this nihilism of lost futures.

[Itri_Vega]

I think we need fresh ideas (or even good, but previously ignored old ideas) more than ever. This year has shown the limitations and flaws of our current systems with alarming intensity.

[KentWoodsMusic]

Great video. Thank you for compiling this info and making it so palatable for those of us that hadn't read any of Proudhon's work.

[Cybernaut]

I appreciate Mutualism, I previously didn't understand it until now. Thank you!

[johnarbuckle]

Hope you get bigger and bigger over time, you deserve it.

[matecoolman]

Would be marvelous if you did a video on the Ukrainian Revolutionary anarchist Nestor Makhno who established the only successful anarchist state to date ! would be interesting to explore his thought and action in relation to intellectual history and the combination between anarchism and nationalism !

[viacheslavkyrylov]

One of those videos i saw 4 times in the row
Thank You so much

[willschnack]

This was a great introductory video for Proudhon.

[Sazi_de_Afrikan]

Next, Stirner. Then, Bakunin (including Feuerbach's and Hegel's influence)

[Yablochka]

Excellent breakdown! It is exactly this kind of deep dive into anarchist thought we need these days.

[maddog.mcewan]

EXTREMELY well delivered !!! Wish I could explain as clearly as you did here ... WELL DONE

[skeletontoes]

So glad someone is mentioning Mutualism. Even if I am super late.

[timquigley]

Congrats on going full time. You've put in the work and it shows