Since it's been a while since I sang the praises of my favorite book 'Anarchy Works' by Peter Gelderloos: here's a reminder that there is an easy to read anarchism book out there organized around frequently asked questions and it's online for free with the authors consent. I'll copy-paste them all just to showcase how great it is:
Introduction
Anarchy Would Never Work
What exactly is anarchism?
A note on inspiration
The tricky topic of representation
Recommended Reading
1. Human Nature
Aren’t people naturally selfish?
Aren’t people naturally competitive?
Haven’t humans always been patriarchal?
Aren’t people naturally warlike?
Aren’t domination and authority natural?
A broader sense of self
Recommended Reading
2. Decisions
How will decisions be made?
How will decisions be enforced?
Who will settle disputes?
Meeting in the streets
Recommended Reading
3. Economy
Without wages, what is the incentive to work?
Don’t people need bosses and experts?
Who will take out the trash?
Who will take care of the elderly and disabled?
How will people get healthcare?
What about education?
What about technology?
How will exchange work?
What about people who don’t want to give up a consumerist lifestyle?
What about building and organizing large, spread-out infrastructure?
How will cities work?
What about drought, famine, or other catastrophes?
Meeting our needs without keeping count
Recommended Reading
4. Environment
What’s to stop someone from destroying the environment?
What about global environmental problems, like climate change?
The only way to save the planet
Recommended Reading
5. Crime
Who will protect us without police?
What about gangs and bullies?
What’s to stop someone from killing people?
What about rape, domestic violence, and other forms of harm?
Beyond individual justice
Recommended Reading
6. Revolution
How could people organized horizontally possibly overcome the state?
How do we know revolutionaries won’t become new authorities?
How will communities decide to organize themselves at first?
How will reparations for past oppressions be worked out?
How will a common, anti-authoritarian, ecological ethos come about?
A revolution that is many revolutions
Recommended Reading
7. Neighboring Societies
Could an anarchist society defend itself from an authoritarian neighbor?
What will we do about societies that remain patriarchal or racist?
What will prevent constant warfare and feuding?
Networks not borders
Recommended Reading
8. The Future
Won’t the state just reemerge over time?
What about other problems we can’t foresee?
Making Anarchy Work
Recommended Reading
It Works When We Make It Work
There, all you gotta do is click the question and read! Or start at the beginning and read the whole book if you want the best reading experience. It’s one of my favorite books. It doesn’t cover everything but it’s a great place to start.
for people who prefer audio, AudioAnarchist also has an audio version available on youtube [link to playlist here]. it's also available, along with other recordings from Audible Anarchism, in their podcast feed.
