Anarchism and Socialism

Plekhanov examines anarchist ideas from a socialist standpoint, asking how rival theories of freedom, property and collective organization relate to the working class movement. The book moves from utopian and scientific socialism to the development of anarchist thought, with chapters devoted to Proudhon and Bakounine. Its tone is argumentative, presenting anarchism as a political position to be challenged rather than offering a neutral survey of competing doctrines.

Disputes within the International Working Men's Association give these ideas a concrete setting. The discussion follows mutualists toward collective property and considers Bakounine's case for free association and the abolition of state authority. Eleanor Marx Aveling's translation includes a preface explaining the work's purpose for English readers. For readers interested in political philosophy, the text offers a close view of disagreements over individual liberty, common ownership and the means of social change.