Toward an Evolutionary Synthesis of Individualist and Communist Anarchism: The Evolutionary Bases of Cooperation

Abstract

Purpose – This chapter uses evolutionary theory to determine if certain aspects of political thinkers’ societal visions might comport with human nature.

Design/methodology/approach – This chapter summarizes the political views of two thinkers and then applies our evolutionary understanding of altruism/cooperation to determine if their views can in any way be considered consistent with human nature.

Findings – The chapter explores the underlying commonality between individualist anarchism and anarcho-communism. There is a subtle but credible relationship between these two libertarian perspectives through the evolution of cooperation in its several manifestations. It can be said that the key tenets of Max Stirner and Peter Kropotkin are underlain by evolutionary impulses, thus rendering their claims of cooperation and sociality plausible.

Citation

Peterson, S.A. (2013), "Toward an Evolutionary Synthesis of Individualist and Communist Anarchism: The Evolutionary Bases of Cooperation", The world of biology and politics: Organization and research areas (Research in Biopolitics, Vol. 11), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 185-198. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2042-9940(2013)0000011012