Mikhail Bakunin: the philosophical basis of his anarchism - Paul McLaughlin

Mikhail Bakunin
Mikhail Bakunin

Part of the series of biographies of Mikhail Bakunin.
The first English-language philosophical study of Mikhail Bakunin, this book examines the philosophical foundations of Bakunin's social thought.

Submitted by Ross Arctor on April 14, 2014

It is concerned not so much with the explication of his anarchist position, as such, with the basic philosophy which underpins it, and focuses on two central components: a negative dialectic or revolutionary logic; and a naturalist ontology, a naturalistic account of the structure of being or reality. But a preliminary question is begged, relating to the very significance of this apparent philosophical "non-entity" (Karl Marx's judgement). Is Bakunin worthy of philosophical consideration?

McLaughlin offers an interpretation of Bakunin's philosophy and, in part, a defense of it against Marxist and liberal scholarship to date. Indeed, he argues that there has yet been no satisfactory philosophical treatment of Bakunin in the English Language.

Comments

SRQ

9 years 2 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by SRQ on January 24, 2015

From first page:
his philosophy has, as fa
r as I can determine, two central com-
ponents: a negative dialectic.
It can be called negativiteetti, translation would be negotiations, negativitation (?). Enlightenment was based on positiviteetille, positivitation(?), positivism. Negativism, is counter philosophy then against objectivity ? Just meditating this ...