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Anarchism, cluster of doctrines and attitudes centered on the belief that government is both harmful and unnecessary. The term is derived from the Greek anarchos, meaning ‘without authority.’. Anarchist thought developed in the West and spread throughout the world, principally in the early 20th century.

Anarchism is primarily understood as a skeptical theory of political legitimation. The term anarchism is derived from the negation of the Greek term arché, which means first principle, foundation, or ruling power. Anarchy is thus rule by no one or non-rule.

Synonyms of anarchism. 1. : a political theory holding all forms of governmental authority to be unnecessary and undesirable and advocating a society based on voluntary cooperation and free association of individuals and groups. 2. : the advocacy or practice of anarchistic principles.

History of anarchism. The history of anarchism is ambiguous, primarily due to the ambiguity of anarchism itself. Scholars find it hard to define or agree on what anarchism means, which makes outlining its history difficult. There is a range of views on anarchism and its history.

Anarchism History Outline Schools of thought Theory Practice People Issues History Culture Economics By region Lists Related topics Anti-corporatism Anti-consumerism Anti-fascism Anti-globalization Anti-statism Anti-war movement Autarchism Autonomism Communism Counter-economics Definition of anarchism and libertarianism Labour movement