Pierre-Joseph Proudhon: Philosophy

Proudhon was, in many senses, the first true socialist. As utopian as he was, he introduced some of the most influential work of his time, greatly affecting anarchist philosophers like Mikhail Bakunin and Peter Kropotkin, as well as later socialists, beginning with Karl Marx. Many of his philosophies would pit him against what is today dubbed under the collective and often judgmentally misassociated heading of "socialist," "communist," or "anarchist". Unlike communists, Proudhon was essentially "a man of the people" of France, speaking out on behalf of individualism for the small farmer. He incessantly argued for an end to privilege, abolition of slavery and colonial bondage, and the equality of rights for all (including European colonies) under the auspices of socially determined law. To achieve this end, Proudhon believed in peaceful societal change without the downfall of tradition or family solidarity. He also vehemently attacked finance capitalism, associating it with the end of true freedom and autonomy. In its place, Proudhon wanted credit unions, popular banks, and farm and cottage industry cooperatives which would run the economy, ending the political and economic suppression of people through the growth of capitalism. However, he argued against trade unions and collective bargaining schemes, saying this only perpetuated the selfish and oppressive spirit of capitalism, only to encourage its growth and existence.

Most people would consider Proudhon to be the first libertarian (advocate of absolute minimal government involved in private life), and the utopian socialism he followed was fairly close to modern libertarianism in many aspects. Proudhon believed in the advent of a free, locally controlled society which he dubbed "the social republic." It would be governed on a very local, community-type basis with no presence of any large government above that level, with cooperative and locally-controlled decision making. Economic power and production would be placed in the hands of farm cooperatives and cottage industries, placing the economic process under local and labor-intensive control. He vehemently attacked the centralization of government and industry, calling them perils to future freedom. Proudhon proposed that regionalism and mutuality should replace the role of strong central authorities. Power would be derived from working units and natural groups, ensuring the most freedom and prosperity. Although his ideas were absolute (meaning inconsiderate of human nature), vague, and utopian, Proudhon would greatly affect liberal thinking in the future.