Moore’s linear ‘two-stage’ conception of anarchist history is equally simplistic and Seems oblivious to the fact that the ‘hermit of Sils-Maria’ (as Nietzsche described himself)įeared, hated, resented and repudiated all forms of insurrection, especially on the part of the lowerĬlasses – or the ‘rabble’, as he contemptuously described ordinary working people. Instead he advocated ‘insurrection’ by cultural aesthetes. Order and the creative development of other forms of social life based on mutual aid and voluntary co-operation. Apparently Moore did not advocate the revolutionary transformation of the capitalist Moore also repudiated the Enlightenment – unlike his guru Nietzsche – and arrogantlyĭescribed Kropotkin as “obsolete”, ignorant of the fact that Kropotkin had critiqued ‘modernity’ evenīefore Nietzsche. Though Moore joyfully embraced every intellectual fad around, from primitivism and spiritualism to NietzscheanĪristocratic individualism, and never lost an opportunity to denigrate reason, socialism and class-struggleĪnarchism. The collection is edited by the late John Moore, who is described in the introduction as an eccentric ‘iconoclastic’ thinker – even By contrast, those awful nineteenth century anarchists such as BakuninĪnd Kropotkin, in criticizing and challenging state power, economic exploitation under capitalism andĪll forms of social oppression, were not real anarchists, for they were motivated only by envy, weaknessĪnd ressentiment and were lacking in any creative impulse. To convince us that the reactionary philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche was actually a true anarchist – pure,Ĭreative, life affirming, elitist. This interesting collection of essays, mostly by male academic philosophers, is largely an attempt SUBSCRIBE NOW Books I am Not a Man I am Dynamite: Friedrich Nietzsche and the Anarchist Tradition Brian Morris deplores John Moore and friends’ views on Nietzsche and anarchism.