The General Idea of the Revolution in the Nineteenth Century

Pierre-Joseph Proudhon's work, The General Idea of the Revolution in the Nineteenth Century, outlines his vision for a society free from governmental authority. He argued that true social order arises from the inherent nature of society itself, not from imposed laws or rulers. Proudhon advocated for a system of Mutualism, where workers' associations would manage factories and utilities, and a credit system based on mutual exchange would operate through people's banks.12

He distinguished between exploitative property and the right of workers to possess the tools and land they use, which he considered essential for liberty. Proudhon envisioned a decentralized, federal society composed of autonomous communities and industrial associations, bound by contracts rather than laws, with arbitration replacing courts and workers' management replacing bureaucracy. This vision aimed to create a natural social unity, moving away from the tyranny of centralized states.21