Anarchists have been in the news of late, but anarchists are not new, they have a long history. Sergei Nechayev was a friend and close collaborator with leading anarchist Mikhail Bakunin. In 1869 Nechayev wrote a pamphlet known as Revolutionary Catechism. There are some suggestions that Bakunin himself was involved with the writing of Nechayev’s Revolutionary Catechism and other suggestions that Bakunin simply approved the pamphlet. If anyone wishes to be part of black bloc, or “blac block” as Martin Bright amusingly ponders an alternate spelling, it might be useful to be able to sign up to the 26 paragraphs in the second chapter of Revolutionary Catechism. Below I enclose an extract for the merely curious. Dedicated anarchists should of course read the full 26 paragraphs. If they cannot read and write they should try and get someone to read it to them.
The revolutionary…. is wholly absorbed in the single thought and the single passion for revolution….
The revolutionary…. knows only one science: the science of destruction….
The revolutionary despises public opinion. He despises and hates the existing social morality in all its manifestations….
The revolutionary….must accustom himself to torture.
Tyrannical toward himself, he must be tyrannical toward others….For him, there exists only one pleasure, on consolation, one reward, one satisfaction – the success of the revolution. Night and day he must have but one thought, one aim – merciless destruction. Striving cold-bloodedly and indefatigably toward this end, he must be prepared to destroy himself and to destroy with his own hands everything that stands in the path of the revolution….
The degree of friendship, devotion and obligation toward … a comrade is determined solely by the degree of his usefulness to the cause of total revolutionary destruction.
It is superfluous to speak of solidarity among revolutionaries. The whole strength of revolutionary work lies in this….
When a comrade is in danger and the question arises whether he should be saved or not saved, the decision must not be arrived at on the basis of sentiment, but solely in the interests of the revolutionary cause. Therefore, it is necessary to weigh carefully the usefulness of the comrade against the expenditure of revolutionary forces necessary to save him, and the decision must be made accordingly….
The revolutionary… lives in this world only for the purpose of bringing about its speedy and total destruction. He is not a revolutionary if he has any sympathy for this world. He should not hesitate to destroy any position, any place, or any man in this world. He must hate everyone and everything in it with an equal hatred. All the worse for him if he has any relations with parents, friends, or lovers; he is no longer a revolutionary if he is swayed by these relationships….
[The] filthy social order can be split up into several categories. The first category comprises those who must be condemned to death without delay. Comrades should compile a list of those to be condemned according to the relative gravity of their crimes; and the executions should be carried out according to the prepared order….
The only form of revolution beneficial to the people is one which destroys the entire State to the roots and exterminated all the state traditions, institutions, and classes….
Our task is terrible, total, universal, and merciless destruction.
Hat Tip: Paul Bogdanor
