Mikhail Bakunin

Mikhail Bakunin was a 19th-century Russian revolutionary and a key figure in anarchism, advocating for a society without government or hierarchical authority. He believed that freedom requires the abolition of the state and capitalism, promoting a decentralized system of self-managed communities. Bakunin emphasized the importance of direct action and collective organization, opposing authoritarian socialism, which he felt betrayed the principles of freedom. His ideas intersect with historical materialism, highlighting how social structures and economies influence human behavior, and he argued that social change must arise from the masses rather than through elite leadership.