Our reading list:

Here are some of the texts we think are key to understanding the theory and practice of anarchist communism in both history and the present. 

​
General anarchist texts/classics: 

• Reformism – Malatesta + Whoever You Vote For The Government Wins – Derry Anarchist Collective - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/errico-malatesta-reformism
• Voting Is Not Harm Reduction: An Indigenous Perspective – Indigenous Action - https://www.indigenousaction.org/voting-is-not-harm-reduction-an-indigenous-perspective/
• Signals of Disorder: Sowing Anarchy in the Metropolis – A. G. Schwarz - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/a-g-schwarz-signals-of-disorder-sowing-anarchy-in-the-metropolis
• Against the Logic of the Guillotine – Crimethinc - https://crimethinc.com/2019/04/08/against-the-logic-of-the-guillotine-why-the-paris-commune-burned-the-guillotine-and-we-should-too
• Some notes on Insurrectionary Anarchism – Sasha K - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/sasha-k-some-notes-on-insurrectionary-anarchism
• The Mythology of Work – Crimethinc - https://crimethinc.com/2018/09/03/the-mythology-of-work-eight-myths-that-keep-your-eyes-on-the-clock-and-your-nose-to-the-grindstone
• An Appeal to the Young – Petr Kropotkin - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/petr-kropotkin-an-appeal-to-the-young
• Man, Society, and Freedom – Mikhail Bakunin - https://archive.org/details/al_Michail_Bakunin_Man_Society_and_Freedom_a4
• Why I Am an Anarchist – Voltairine de Cleyre - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/voltairine-de-cleyre-why-i-am-an-anarchist
• 3 Positions Against Prison – August O’Clairre - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/august-o-clairre-3-positions-against-prison
• Revolutionary Self-Theory – Larry Law - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/larry-law-revolutionary-self-theory
• Anarchism: From Theory to Practice – Daniel Guerin - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/daniel-guerin-anarchism-from-theory-to-practice
• Anarchy in Action – Colin Ward - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/colin-ward-anarchy-in-action
• Anarchism: Its Philosophy and Ideal – Petr Kropotkin - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/petr-kropotkin-anarchism-its-philosophy-and-ideal
• Two Cheers for Anarchism – James C. Scott - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/james-c-scott-two-cheers-for-anarchism
• The Joy of Revolution – Ken Knabb - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/ken-knabb-the-joy-of-revolution
• The Right To Be Greedy –For Ourselves - https://www.scribd.com/document/684085195/The-Right-to-Be-Greedy
• Every Flag Is Black in a Fire – Crimethinc - https://crimethinc.com/2021/06/14/every-flag-is-black-in-a-fire-featuring-louise-michel-andre-breton-and-jean-genet
• The Dragon and the Hydra – Russell Maroon Shoatz - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/russell-maroon-shoats-the-dragon-and-the-hydra
• Demanding the Impossible: A History of Anarchism – Peter H. Marshall - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/peter-h-marshall-demanding-the-impossible
• Facing the Enemy – Alexandre Skirda - https://libcom.org/article/facing-enemy-history-anarchist-organisation-alexandre-skirda

• What is Communist Anarchism? By Alexander Berkman (1929) -  https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/alexander-berkman-what-is-communist-anarchism 
• Michael Bakunin selected writings by Aruthur Lehning (1973) - https://libcom.org/article/michael-bakunin-selected-writings 
• Statism and Anarchy by Michael Bakunin (1873) - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/mikhail-bakunin-statism-and-anarchy (Note - Bakunin was a massive anti-Semite and this is reflected in his work, antisemitism is evil and should be condemned at every opportunity) 
• The Conquest of Bread by Peter Kropotkin (1892) - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/petr-kropotkin-the-conquest-of-bread 
• Mutual Aid a factor in human revolution by Peter Kropotkin (1902) - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/petr-kropotkin-mutual-aid-a-factor-of-evolution
• Malatesta life and ideas by Vernon Richards (2015) - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/errico-malatesta-malatesta-life-and-ideas
• The method of freedom by Errico Malatesta (Unknown) - https://libcom.org/article/method-freedoman-errico-malatesta-reader-errico-malatesta (Selected writings of Malateta, life and ideas is effectively the same)
• An Anarchist FAQ by Multiple Authors (2020) - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/the-anarchist-faq-editorial-collective-an-anarchist-faq-full 
• The Organisational Platform of the General Union of Anarchists (1926) - https://www.nestormakhno.info/english/newplatform/org_plat.htm 
• An Anarchist FAQ by several authors - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/the-anarchist-faq-editorial-collective-an-anarchist-faq-full

On Russia and the Russian Revolution:

• The Bolshevik Myth by Alexander Berkman (1925) - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/alexander-berkman-the-bolshevik-myth-diary-1920-22#toc44 
• The Russian Tragedy by Alexander Berkman (1922) - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/alexander-berkman-the-russian-tragedy-a-review-and-an-outlook
• The Bolsheviks and Workers Control by Maurice Brinton (2017?) - https://libcom.org/article/bolsheviks-and-workers-control-state-and-counter-revolution-maurice-brinton 
• My Two Years in Russia - Emma Goldman (1923) - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/emma-goldman-my-disillusionment-in-russia and https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/emma-goldman-my-further-disillusionment-in-russia 
• The State and Revolution - Ian Mckay (2018) - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/iain-mckay-anarcho-the-state-and-revolution-theory-and-practice
• The Russian Anarchists by Paul Avrich (1967) - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/paul-avrich-the-russian-anarchists-en 
• Nestor Makho by Paul Avrich (2016) - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/paul-avrich-nestor-makhno 
• Kronstadt 1921: The end of the Bolshevik Myth by Anarcho (2008)  - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/anarcho-kronstadt-1921-the-end-of-the-bolshevik-myth
• The Kronstadt Commune – Ida Mett - https://archive.org/details/ida-mett-kronstadt
• The Russian Revolution in Ukraine – Nestor Makhno - https://libcom.org/article/russian-revolution-ukraine-march-1917-april-1918-nestor-makhno
• The Kronstadt Rebellion – Alexander Berkman - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/alexander-berkman-the-kronstadt-rebellion

Anarchist (and non anarchist) syndicalism:

• Fighting for Ourselves: Anarcho Sydnicalism and the Class Struggle by the Solidarity Federation (2012) - https://libcom.org/article/fighting-ourselves-anarcho-syndicalism-and-class-struggle-solidarity-federation 
• Anarcho-Syndicalism: Theory and Practice by Rudolf Rocker (1938) - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/rudolf-rocker-anarchosyndicalism
• We the Anarchists: A study of the FAI by Stuart Christie (2013) - https://libcom.org/article/we-anarchists-study-iberian-anarchist-federation-fai-1927-1937-stuart-christie-0​
• Swedish Syndicalism its ideology and practice - https://libcom.org/article/swedish-syndicalism-outline-its-ideology-and-practice
• Anarcho Syndicalism Theory and Practice - Rudolf Rocker - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/rudolf-rocker-anarchosyndicalism
• Anarchism and Anarcho Syndicalism - Rudolf Rocker - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/rudolf-rocker-anarchism-and-anarcho-syndicalism
• Anarchism and Syndicalism in the Colonial and Postcolonial Period - Steven Hirsch and Lucien Van Der Walt - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/steven-j-hirsch-lucien-van-der-walt-anarchism-and-syndicalism-in-the-colonial-and-postcolonial
• Anarchism and the General Strike - Anarcho - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/anarcho-anarchism-and-the-general-strike

The Spanish Revolution and Civil War:

• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The International Brigades by Giles Tremlett (2021) - No link. 
• Anarchists in the Spanish Revolution by Jose Peirats (1998) - https://libcom.org/article/anarchists-spanish-revolution 
• Lessons of the Spanish revolution by Vernon Richards (1953) - https://libcom.org/article/lessons-spanish-revolution-vernon-richards
• Collectives in the Spanish Revolutions by Gaston Leval (1975) - https://libcom.org/article/collectives-spanish-revolution-gaston-leval
• Free Women of Spain by Martha Ackelsburg (2012) - https://libcom.org/article/free-women-spain-martha-ackelsberg
• The Anarchists in Government in Spain by Camillo Berneri (1937) - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/camillo-berneri-the-anarchists-in-government-in-spain 
• The tragedy of Spain - Rudolf Rocker - https://libcom.org/article/tragedy-spain-rudolf-rocker
• The Friend of Durruti Group (1937-1939) - Agustin Guilamon - https://libcom.org/article/friends-durruti-group-1937-39-agustin-guilamon
• The anarchist collectives: workers self management in the Spanish Revolution 1936-1939 - Sam Dolgoff - https://libcom.org/article/anarchist-collectives-workers-self-management-spanish-revolution-1936-1939-sam-dolgoff

Asian/African/North American Anarchists:

• Post Scracity Anarchism by Murray Bookchin (1986) - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/murray-bookchin-post-scarcity-anarchism-book
• Are you an Anarchist? By David Graeber (2000) - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/david-graeber-are-you-an-anarchist-the-answer-may-surprise-you
• Monster of the Twentieth Century by Robert Thomas Tierney (2018) - https://libcom.org/article/monster-twentieth-century-kotoku-shusui-and-japans-first-anti-imperialist-movement
• The Left in China – Ralf Ruckus - https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745342955/the-left-in-china/
• The Cuban Revolution: A Critical Perspective – Sam Dolgoff - https://files.libcom.org/files/Dolgoff,%20Sam%20-%20The%20Cuban%20revolution,%20A%20critical%20perspective.pdf
• Anarchism in the Chinese Revolution – Arif Dirlik - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/arif-dirlik-anarchism-in-the-chinese-revolution
• The Chinese Anarchist Movement – George T Yu & Robert Scalapino - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/robert-scalapino-and-george-t-yu-the-chinese-anarchist-movement
• African Anarchism: The History of a Movement – Sam Mbah - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/sam-mbah-i-e-igariwey-african-anarchism-the-history-of-a-movement
• Cuban Anarchism: The History of a Movement – Frank Fernandez - https://archive.org/details/cuban_anarchism
• Hatta Shuzo and Pure Anarchism in Interwar Japan – John Crump - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/john-crump-hatta-shuzo-and-pure-anarchism-in-interwar-japan
• IWW Historical Archives - https://archive.iww.org/history/
• The I.W.W., its first seventy years, 1905-1975 : the history of an effort to organize the working class : a corrected facsimile of the 1955 volume, the I.W.W., its first fifty years - Fred Thompson - https://archive.org/details/iwwitsfirstseven0000thom 
• Bullshit Jobs - David Graeber - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/david-graeber-bullshit-jobs

Marxism:

• Marxism Dictatorship of the Proletariat and State Socialism – Camillo Berneri - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/camillo-berneri-dictatorship-of-the-proletariat-and-state-socialism
• Authoritarian Demonization of Anarchists – Rafael Uzcategui - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/rafael-uzcategui-authoritarian-demonization-of-anarchists
• Compendium of Karl Marx’s Capital – Carlo Cafiero - https://www.marxists.org/archive/cafiero/1879/summary-of-capital.htm
• Marx’s Economics for Anarchists – Wayne Price - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/wayne-price-marx-s-economics-for-anarchists
• State Capitalism & World Revolution – CLR James - https://archive.org/details/State_Capitalism_and_World_Revolution_9781604868913
• Lenin as Philosopher - Anton Pannekoek - https://www.marxists.org/archive/pannekoe/1938/lenin/
• Worker's Councils - Anton Pannekoek - https://www.marxists.org/archive/pannekoe/1947/workers-councils.htm
• The Situationist Anthology - Ken Knabb - https://files.libcom.org/files/Situationist%20International%20Anthology.pdf
• The revolution is not a party affair - Otto Ruhle - https://libcom.org/article/revolution-not-party-affair-otto-ruhle
• The struggle against fascism begins with the struggle against bolshevism - Otto Ruhle - https://libcom.org/article/struggle-against-fascism-begins-struggle-against-bolshevism-otto-ruhle
• Anti bolshevik communism - Paul Mattick - https://libcom.org/article/anti-bolshevik-communism-paul-mattick

Nihilism:

• Nihilism A Love Letter From the End of the World – Saint - No link available online. 
• I Want To Kill Cops Until I’m Dead – Narcissa Black - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/narcissa-black-kcbg-and-annonymous-others-i-want-to-kill-cops-until-i-m-dead
• Decomposing the Masses: Towards Armed Individuality – Flower Bomb - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/flower-bomb-decomposing-the-masses-towards-armed-individuality
• Nihilism, Anarchy, and the 21st Century – Aragorn! - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/aragorn-nihilism-anarchy-and-the-21st-century
• Willful Disobedience – Wolfi Landsreicher - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/willful-disobedience-wolfi-landstreicher

Internationalism

• Anarchism and the National Liberation Struggle – Alfredo Bonanno - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/alfredo-bonanno-anarchism-and-the-national-liberation-struggle
• Come O Lions! Let Us Cause a Mutiny – Tariq Khan - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/tariq-khan-come-o-lions-let-us-cause-a-mutiny
• Imperialism: Monster of the Twentieth Century – Shusui Kotoku - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/shusui-kotoku-imperialism
• Post Colonial Anarchism – Roger White - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/roger-white-post-colonial-anarchism
• The Open Veins of Latin America – Eduardo Galeano - https://library.uniteddiversity.coop/More_Books_and_Reports/Open_Veins_of_Latin_America.pdf
• The National Question – Rosa Luxemburg - https://www.marxists.org/archive/luxemburg/1909/national-question/index.htm

Podcasts:

• Audible Anarchist on Spotify (They do audio versions of many of the texts listed here)
• The Women's War by Iheart Radio by Robert Evans and Jake Hanrahan 

Italian Anarchism: 

• Anarchism in Italy by Vittorio Sergei -https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/vittorio-sergi-anarchism-in-italy 
• Capitalism in Italy by Freedom Press - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/freedom-press-london-capitalism-in-italy 
• Marxism and the extinction of the state by Camillo Berneri - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/camillo-berneri-marxism-and-the-extinction-of-the-state
• Class War Reaction and the Italian Anarchists by Adriana Dada - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/adriana-dada-class-war-reaction-the-italian-anarchists 
• Italian Anarchism... get back to where you once belonged by R. Totale - https://libcom.org/article/italian-anarchismget-back-where-you-once-belonged 
• Anarchy and Science - Errico Malatesta - https://libcom.org/article/anarchy-and-science-errico-malatesta-very-short-pamphlet
  

Rojava: 

• Make Rojava Green Again by Internationalist Commune of Rojava (2018) - https://libcom.org/article/make-rojava-green-again 
• Democratic Confederalism in Kurdistan by Tom Anderson (2016) - https://libcom.org/article/democratic-confederalism-kurdistan 
• Jineologi by Marcel Cartier (2016) - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/marcel-cartier-jineoloji 
• Democratic Confederalism - Abdullah Ocalan - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/abdullah-ocalan-democratic-confederalism
• Social Ecology and Democratic Confederalism - Abdullah Ocalan - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/make-rojava-green-again-social-ecology-and-democratic-confederalism
• Revolution in Rojava - Michael Knapp, Anja Flach, and Ercan Ayboğa - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/michael-knapp-anja-flach-and-ercan-ayboga-revolution-in-rojava
• Stalinist caterpiller into libertarian butterfly - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/alex-de-jong-stalinist-caterpillar-into-libertarian-butterfly
• One year since the Turkish invasion of Rojava (Interview with Syrian Anarchists) - CrimethInc - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/crimethinc-one-year-since-the-turkish-invasion-of-rojava-an-interview-with-tekosina-anarsist

UK Anarchism: 

• Anarchism in Action by Colin Ward (1996) - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/colin-ward-anarchy-in-action 
• The British General Strike: 1926 by Tom Brown (1943) - https://libcom.org/article/british-general-strike-1926-tom-brown
• 1926 British General Strike by Libcom (2006) - https://libcom.org/article/1926-british-general-strike
• Trotwatch Issue 1 (Summer 1992) https://libcom.org/article/trotwatch-1-summer-1992 
• Trotskyism on the edge - On the SWP crisis (2013) - https://libcom.org/blog/trotskyism-edge-swp-crisis-10072013 
• An open letter to members and Ex members of the SWP by Billy .P (2010) - https://libcom.org/article/open-letter-members-and-ex-members-swp
• The pitfalls of radical electoralism by Phil (2015) - https://libcom.org/article/pitfalls-radical-electoralism 
• Articles by British anarchist Nick Heath - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/category/author/nick-heath
• The Slow Burning Fuse - John Quail - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/john-quail-the-slow-burning-fuse 
• Anarchism and the British Welfare State - Carissa Honeywell - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/carissa-honeywell-anarchism-and-the-british-warfare-state
• Articles and books by anarchist academic - Ruth Kinna - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/category/author/ruth-kinna

Identity:

• Identity Fuck Identity, We Need Solidarity – Pittsburgh Radical - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/pittsburgh-radical-perspectives-fuck-identity-we-need-solidarity
• Perspectives An Obituary for Identity Politics – Flower Bomb - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/flower-bomb-an-obituary-for-identity-politics
• Identity and Power – Here and Now - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/here-and-now-zines-identity-and-power
• From Identity to Individualist: A Nihilist's Personal History in Leftism – Baba Yaga - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/baba-yaba-from-identity-to-individualist-a-nihilist-s-personal-history-in-leftism
• Gifts to the State Against the Fire of Revolt – It’s Going Down -https://itsgoingdown.org/identity-reductionism-weaponization/
• Black Anarchism – Ashanti Alston - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/ashanti-omowali-alston-black-anarchism
• Identity Politics and Class Struggle – Robin Kelley - https://libcom.org/article/identity-politics-and-class-struggle

Youtube:

• Zoe Baker - https://www.youtube.com/@anarchozoe 
• Anark -  https://www.youtube.com/@Anark 
• Audible Anarchist -  https://www.youtube.com/@AudibleAnarchist1 
• Chomsky's Philosophy - https://www.youtube.com/@chomskysphilosophy 
• Andrewism - https://www.youtube.com/c/Andrewism

Websites and archives:

• The Anarchist Library - https://theanarchistlibrary.org/special/index 
• Libcom - https://libcom.org/
• Marxist Internet Archive - https://www.marxists.org/
• Kate Sharpley Library - https://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/
• International Institute of Social History - https://iisg.amsterdam/en 

Last updated - 18/03/2025 6:25pm.