A Natural History of Anarchy
Location: Todd 211
4:00 - 5:20pm on Friday, April 4th
Critics claim that anarchism as a social theory is contrary human nature. Anthropologists, psychologists and biologists repeatedly assert that humans are condemned to be cruel and manipulative as the result of natural selection and that only the benefits of a strong society can keep that in check. However, the recent evidence from field research with human and non-human animals, and particularly primates, has led to a new understanding. This evidence shows that cooperation has been the defining principle of primate and human evolution and that the anarchist view of cooperation without restraint is the ultimate extension of human nature.
This workshop will detail the scientific evidence for our cooperative legacy from the perspective of a scientist and political activist. By working from existing knowledge of animal and indigenous social systems the workshop will propose strategies that activists can draw from. The reality is that human nature is not maladapted to the modern world; it is our social and economic system that is maladapted to human nature. By understanding our forgotten legacy we can reclaim a sustainable society as we dismantle the arcane structure of entrenched power. This workshop will illustrate the "deep history" behind anarchist thought and method, enriching our reason and informing our action.