Publisher's Synopsis
God and the State is a collection of essays written by the Russian anarchist philosopher, Mikhail Bakunin. The book explores the relationship between religion, politics, and individual freedom, arguing that the state and organized religion are oppressive institutions that must be abolished in order to achieve true human liberation. Bakunin critiques the idea of a divine authority and argues for the importance of individual autonomy and self-governance. He also discusses the role of violence in revolutionary movements and the need for a decentralized, non-hierarchical society. Originally published in French in 1882, God and the State remains a seminal work in anarchist theory and a powerful critique of authoritarianism in all its forms.Who are right, the idealists or the materialists? The question once stated in this way hesitation becomes impossible. Undoubtedly the idealists are wrong and the materialists right. Yes, facts are before ideas; yes, the ideal, as Proudhon said, is but a flower, whose root lies in the material conditions of existence. Yes, the whole history of humanity, intellectual and moral, political and social, is but a reflection of its economic history.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
