Bakunin: The Anarchist Revolutionary Labeled a 'Devil'

Mikhail Bakunin (1814-1876), born in Prjamuchino, Russia, was a controversial anarchist philosopher whose ideas on absolute freedom and social justice earned him the epithet 'demon.' He advocated for the destruction of the state and the church as the only means to end exploitation of the proletariat by the ruling classes. His key work, 'State and Anarchy,' outlined a materialist and atheist philosophy. Bakunin criticized Karl Marx and Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, leading to a split between Marxists and Bakuninists at the Hague Congress in September 1872. He found a close ally in Errico Malatesta, who spread Bakunin's anarchist theories in Italy. Despite being marginalized, Bakunin's ideas persisted in economically weaker countries, appealing emotionally to many. The article, by Giammarco Rossi for MIfacciodiCultura, was published on Artspecialday.