# Mikhail Bakunin

> Russian revolutionary anarchist and philosopher (1814–1876)

**Wikidata**: [Q27645](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q27645)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Bakunin)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/mikhail-bakunin

## Summary

Mikhail Bakunin was a Russian revolutionary anarchist and philosopher (1814–1876) who became one of the founding figures of collectivist anarchism and a major opponent of Karl Marx within the International Workingmen's Association. He is best known for his writings on anti-statism, including "God and the State" and "Statism and Anarchy," which profoundly influenced anarchist movements worldwide and inspired figures such as Peter Kropotkin, Emma Goldman, and Ba Jin.

## Biography

- **Born:** 1814 (exact date not specified in source)
- **Nationality:** Russian Empire
- **Education:** Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin; Mikhailovsky Artillery School (founded 1820)
- **Known for:** Founding collectivist anarchism, opposing Marxist socialism, writing influential anarchist philosophy
- **Employer(s):** International Workingmen's Association (First International, 1864–1876)
- **Field(s):** Philosophy; Political activism; Revolutionary anarchism

## Contributions

- **"God and the State"** — Major philosophical work arguing against religious authority and advocating for stateless society; remains a foundational anarchist text
- **"Statism and Anarchy"** (1873) — Essay critiquing the state and analyzing anarchist versus statist political frameworks
- **Founding of Collectivist Anarchism** — Developed a form of anarchism advocating collective ownership of the means of production while rejecting state socialism
- **International Workingmen's Association** — Active member (1864–1876) and key rival to Karl Marx, leading to the organization's split between anarchist and Marxist factions
- **Philosophical Influence** — Synthesized ideas from Hegel, Feuerbach, Proudhon, and Rousseau to create a distinct anarchist philosophy

## FAQs

**What was Mikhail Bakunin's main philosophical contribution?**
Bakunin developed collectivist anarchism, a political philosophy combining anarchist opposition to the state with advocacy for collective ownership of property, distinguishing it from individualist anarchist traditions.

**Where did Mikhail Bakunin study?**
He attended Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and the Mikhailovsky Artillery School in the Russian Empire, receiving education in both philosophical and military disciplines.

**What books did Mikhail Bakunin write?**
His major works include "God and the State" and "Statism and Anarchy," both published in the early 1870s and considered classics of anarchist political philosophy.

**Who were Mikhail Bakunin's major influences?**
He was influenced by the philosophical works of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Ludwig Feuerbach, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, as well as literary works by E.T.A. Hoffmann and political writings by Alexander Herzen and Nikolay Ogarev.

**Which organizations was Mikhail Bakunin affiliated with?**
He was a prominent member of the International Workingmen's Association (First International) from 1864 to 1876, where he clashed extensively with Karl Marx and socialist factions.

**Who did Mikhail Bakunin influence?**
His ideas significantly shaped anarchist movements through figures including Peter Kropotkin, Emma Goldman, Ba Jin, Gustav Landauer, Christapor Mikaelian, Miguel de Unamuno, and Giovanni Rossi, as well as groups like the Bonnot Gang.

## Why They Matter

Mikhail Bakunin remains one of the most influential figures in anarchist political thought, fundamentally shaping the movement's direction away from Marxist socialism and toward anti-statist collectivism. His vigorous opposition to Karl Marx within the International Workingmen's Association established the enduring divide between anarchist and socialist movements that persists in left-wing politics today. His philosophical writings, particularly "God and the State," provided intellectual foundations for generations of anarchist activists and writers across multiple continents—from Russian revolutionaries like Kropotkin to American activists like Goldman to Chinese novelist Ba Jin. Without Bakunin's intervention, the anarchist movement might have remained aligned with Marxist socialism, potentially altering the entire trajectory of revolutionary political thought in the 19th and 20th centuries.

## Notable For

- Founding collectivist anarchism as a distinct political philosophy
- Major philosophical rivalry with Karl Marx within the First International
- Author of "God and the State," considered a foundational anarchist text
- Writing "Statism and Anarchy" (1873), a seminal critique of state power
- Influencing anarchist movements across Russia, Europe, and beyond
- Membership in the International Workingmen's Association (1864–1876)
- Inspiring subsequent anarchist figures including Peter Kropotkin, Emma Goldman, and Ba Jin

## Body

### Early Life and Education

Mikhail Bakunin was born in 1814 in the Russian Empire. His educational background included attendance at the Mikhailovsky Artillery School, an institution founded in 1820 in Russia, providing him with military training. He also studied at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, one of Germany's premier research universities established in 1809, where he would have encountered the German philosophical tradition that profoundly influenced his thought, particularly the works of Hegel and Feuerbach.

### Philosophical Influences

Bakunin's intellectual development drew from multiple philosophical traditions. From Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, he absorbed dialectical thinking and historical philosophy. Ludwig Feuerbach's critique of religious alienation shaped his materialist approach and his famous argument against divine authority in "God and the State." Pierre-Joseph Proudhon's mutualist economics influenced his thinking on property and collective ownership. Jean-Jacques Rousseau's social contract theory and advocacy for popular sovereignty provided political philosophical foundations. Literary influences included E.T.A. Hoffmann's Romantic imagination, while Russian contemporaries Alexander Herzen and Nikolay Ogarev shaped his understanding of Russian social conditions and revolutionary possibilities.

### Political Philosophy and Anarchism

Bakunin developed collectivist anarchism as a distinct political philosophy that combined opposition to the state with advocacy for collective ownership of the means of production. This positioned him between individualist anarchists and Marxist socialists, creating a third path in revolutionary political thought. His philosophy rejected both capitalist private property and state-owned property, instead advocating for collective possession by working communities. He argued that the state inherently oppresses individuals and that true freedom requires the abolition of all hierarchical authority, whether political, economic, or religious.

### Major Works

**"God and the State"** stands as Bakunin's most famous philosophical work, presenting a comprehensive argument against religious authority and its relationship to political oppression. The text argues that belief in God justifies hierarchical authority and prevents human liberation, making it a foundational document of atheist anarchism. **"Statism and Anarchy"** (1873) directly addressed the relationship between state power and anarchist alternatives, analyzing the failures of statist political systems and articulating the case for anarchist organization. Both works remain widely read and cited in anarchist political theory.

### The International Workingmen's Association

Bakunin's involvement with the International Workingmen's Association (First International) from 1864 to 1876 represented the central arena of his political activity. Founded in 1864, this socialist political international brought together various strands of European radicalism. Bakunin became a leading figure within the organization, advocating for anarchist positions against the increasingly dominant Marxist faction. His conflict with Karl Marx over organizational strategy, political goals, and philosophical direction ultimately split the International, with Bakunin's followers forming separate anarchist organizations. This rivalry established the enduring division between anarchist and Marxist socialist movements.

### Influence on Later Anarchists

Bakunin's philosophical and political legacy profoundly shaped subsequent anarchist movements worldwide. **Peter Kropotkin**, the Russian revolutionary socialist and philosopher (1842–1921), built upon Bakunin's collectivist foundations to develop scientific anarchism. **Emma Goldman**, the Russian-born American anarchist (1869–1940), drew extensively on Bakunin's ideas in her activism and writings. **Ba Jin**, the Chinese novelist and anarchist activist (1904–2005), represented the transmission of Bakunin's ideas to Asian contexts. **Gustav Landauer**, the German anarchist (1870–1919), and **Christapor Mikaelian**, the Armenian revolutionary (1859–1905), further propagated his ideas across Europe. **Miguel de Unamuno**, the Spanish poet and philosopher (1864–1936), engaged with Bakunin's thought in his own work. **Giovanni Rossi**, the Italian agronomist and anarchist (1856–1943), implemented Bakuninist ideas in agricultural colonies. Even the **Bonnot Gang**, the French criminal anarchist group founded in 1911, traced ideological lineage to Bakunin's revolutionary anarchism.

### Legacy and Significance

Mikhail Bakunin's significance lies in his role as a foundational figure who established anarchism as a distinct political philosophy separate from socialism and liberalism. His writings provided intellectual ammunition for revolutionary movements across the globe, and his organizational efforts within the First International created lasting structures for anarchist activism. The philosophical tradition he founded—collectivist anarchism—continues to influence political thought and activism today. His critique of state power, his argument for the compatibility of collective ownership with individual freedom, and his opposition to authoritarian socialism remain relevant to contemporary political debates about decentralization, autonomy, and radical democracy. Without Bakunin's intervention in 19th-century political thought, the anarchist movement would lack much of its theoretical foundation and historical depth.

## References

1. Concise Literary Encyclopedia
2. Integrated Authority File
3. BnF authorities
4. datos.bne.es
5. Catalog of the German National Library
6. Bibliothèque nationale de France
7. Virtual International Authority File
8. CiNii Research
9. MusicBrainz
10. [Michail Aleksandrovič Bakunin Papers](http://hdl.handle.net/10622/ARCH00018)
11. [Bakunin Collected Works Collection](http://hdl.handle.net/10622/ARCH04384)
12. Russian Writers 1800-1917: Tome 1
13. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
14. International Standard Name Identifier
15. [Source](http://www.dadaweb.de/wiki/Bakunin,_Michail_Aleksandrovič)
16. BBC Things
17. Sächsische Biografie
18. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
19. Enciclopedia Treccani
20. LIBRIS. 2012
21. Dizionario di Storia
22. Bibliography of the History of the Czech Lands
23. Catalogo of the National Library of India