Elèuthera: 40 Years of Libertarian Publishing Against Market Logic

Founded in 1986 after the decade-long experience of Edizioni Antistato (1975-1985), elèuthera is an independent Italian publishing cooperative that has maintained a libertarian editorial line for nearly forty years. Unlike its predecessor, which focused on anarchist authors and audiences, elèuthera broadened its scope to include all critical voices offering alternative perspectives on society, targeting a wider readership beyond anarchist circles. The cooperative operates horizontally, with all members sharing editorial decisions and office tasks, emphasizing craftsmanship and quality in editing, graphics, and author relations. Despite Italy's low reading rates, elèuthera sustains a loyal readership by resisting market pressures to publish high-turnover titles; instead, it prioritizes books with long-term relevance. Key titles include Murray Bookchin's 'The Ecology of Freedom' (their first publication in 1986), Colin Ward's 'Anarchy as Organization', and Marc Augé's 'Non-Places' (their bestseller/longseller). Upcoming releases include Goffredo Fofi's 'Breve storia del cinema militante', their first graphic novel 'Under the Banner of King Death' by Marcus Rediker and David Lester, and Paolo Pasi's docufiction on Sacco and Vanzetti. The collective refuses to name a single must-read book, advocating for an open mosaic of knowledge. The interview is part of Artribune's series on independent publishing in Italy, conducted by Dario Moalli.