Mutual AidOscar Wilde deemed his life "perfect," and described him as a man with "a soul of that beautiful white Christ which seems coming out of Russia." He is PETER ALEXEYEVICH KROPOTKIN (1842-1921), communist advocate and "anarchist prince." Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution, first published in 1902, is his best known book. Written as a series of essays for a British literary journal, this intriguing work filters concepts of evolution through Kropotkin's appreciation for altruism and anarchy, positing cooperation not merely as a beneficial political concept but as an approach that has been-and will continue to be-vital to the long-term survival of humanity. Kropotkin explores "mutual aid" among "animals," "savages," "barbarians," and in the medieval and modern world, and also discusses nesting associations, checks to overmultiplication, adaptations to avoid competition, the origin of the family, the origin of the guilds, and other related issues. Anyone interested in the science of evolution and its influence on the shape of human societies will find this a fascinated read. |
Contents
| 1 | |
CHAPTER II | 32 |
CHAPTER III | 76 |
CHAPTER IV | 115 |
CHAPTER V | 153 |
Likeness and diversity among the medieval cities The craft | 187 |
CHAPTER VII | 223 |
MUTUAL AID AMONGST OURSELVES continued | 262 |
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Common terms and phrases
aid and support Aleoute Animal Intelligence animal world ants artels associations bands barbarians belonging birds birds of prey Brehm Buryates Bushmen cattle century civilization clan communal lands competition comrades continually craft customs Dargun Darwin Dayaks djemmâa enemies Europe European evidently evolution existence extermination fact fallow deer favour feelings fight folkmote forests France Germany Geschichte guilds habits horses human hundred hunting idea illustrations immense individual inhabitants institutions intelligence Kabyles Kovalevsky labour larvæ live London lord Lubbock maintained mankind medieval medieval city merchants migrations modern mutual aid mutual support natural neighbours nests never numberless organization origin Paris peasants period possession prey primitive principle protection Pskov quarrel remarks rodents Roman rule Russian savage separate Siberia social societies species struggle taken territory tion took towns trade tribal tribe union village community W. H. Hudson whole workers