Rudolf RockerRecensioner

"The pamphlet is in fact a chapter from the much larger work 'Anarcho-Syndicalism' written in 1938 ... "

This book has the first chapter of Rocker's 'London Years' attached as an appendix.

I found this to be an interesting and worthwhile book even though I don't believe anarcho-syndicalism would have much of a chance of succeeding as an alternative to our present type of society. The goal of this doctrine is the eventual complete elimination of central government and the institution of groups of economic producers who would form cooperatives to provide the basic needs of all members of society. While this may be a worthy ideal, it seems to me to be based on a too idealistic and rational view of the capacity of humanity for mutual cooperation.

The most valuable things to me about the book were the summary of the labor movement and the intolerable working conditions which motivated it; and the author's assessment of all forms of central government as being tools of the ruling class to manipulate and exploit the masses.

While I would not endorse his solutions, I believe he has identified problems which need a counterbalance. A thought-provoking book.½

Autobiography of an anarcharist who identified with Jews

German radical who led Yiddish-speaking Jewish anarchists in London 19th-20c

„Rudolf Rockers Buch Nationalismus und Kultur ist ein wichtiger Beitrag zur politischen Philosophie … Ich hoffe, es wird in den Ländern, in denen unvoreingenommenes Denken noch nicht illegal ist, viele Leser finden.“ Bertrand Russel

„Es freut mich aufrichtig, dieses bedeutende, tief fundierte und geistig reiche Buch zu besitzen, und ich möchte wünschen, dass es in viele Hände all über die Welt hin gelangt.“ Thomas Mann

„Ich finde das Buch außerordentlich originell und aufklärend. Es werden in demselben viele Tatsachen und Zusammenhänge in neuartiger Weise überzeugend beleuchtet.“ Albert Einstein

Rudolf Rocker (1873 Mainz – 1958 New York), der „letzte ernsthafte politische Denker.“ Noam Chomsky

German radical who led Yiddish-speaking Jewish anarchists in London 19th-20c