no wing anarchy

Mutualism — The Wolf in Anarchist Clothing

Mutualism — The Wolf in Anarchist Clothing

From No Wing Anarchy

Mutualism describes itself using words like “voluntary”, “reciprocal”, and (most contestedly) “anarchist”. Perhaps there is some claim to be made here, as the coiner of the term “mutualism” is the same man that brought the word “anarchism” into the Western world, Proudhon. Perhaps, though, despite having some claim of familial lineage in relation to anarchism, mutualism is yet another ideology that stifles individuality. Just like any other prescriptive “-ism”, there is an inherent danger in adhering to blueprints. The individual who adheres to an ideology stagnates in devotion to that ideology. The groups of individuals who form around ideologies have a tendency to calcify, and form rigid social systems. While an anarchism based in the idea of “no rulers” opposes these tendencies, as it is always vigilant towards potential coercive situations, mutualism does not contain this same defense mechanisms. Just like communism, socialism, and the many hyphenated anarchisms, mutualism betrays anarchism by attempting to prescribe a particular action or process, rather than anarchism’s simple prescription of freedom.

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