Religion
Mikhail Bakunin was one of the strongest anarchist critics of religion. Internal- God and the state (1882), Bakunin claimed that the idea of God represented the denial of man’s freedom:
“If God is, man is a slave; now man can and must be free, therefore God does not exist.”
For Bakunin, the problem was not only theological but political. Religious institutions require the ideological reason of the divine authority for the monarchy, the control of the class and the political tyranny. The church, especially with the federal state, came from what he saw as a column of oppression.
Likewise Emma Goldman, in his essay The failure of Christianity (1913), claimed that the emphasis on obedience, humility and sacrifice of Christianity served the interests of dominant classes by encouraging surrender and not resistance. For Goldman, religion, such as the state and capitalism, was a barrier to human liberation.
Therefore, from an anarchist point of view, institutional religion is inseparable from the structures of authority. In a libertarian communist society – equity and freedom – and institutions must lose their political and economic power.
Religion as a personal belief and in practice
Although anarchists like Bakunin and Goldman criticized religion as an institution, they also recognized individuals’ right to keep personal beliefs. Anarchism defends the freedom of the idea as a basic principle. For example, Errico Malate claimed that anarchists have to oppose all the obsessions, whether it be a church or a state, but “everyone should be free to think and believe what they want.”
In a libertarian communist society, this would mean the elimination of state religions, religious privileges and office authority – but not the persecution of personal faith. Communities and individuals would still be free to meet for religious or spiritual purposes if there was no compulsion or control.
The writings of Kropotkin emphasize this difference. Internal- Ethics (1924), he traced moral development to divine authority, but to the principle of evolution of mutual assistance. Still, he acknowledged that many religious traditions were historically bodily bodily ethics. For Kropotkin, the purpose was not to deny the moral impulse of religion, but rather than the solidarity of the people and the divine command.
Morality, solidarity and anarchist criticism
The question of morality is central to the anarchist criticism of religion. Although religions often claim to offer a universal moral framework, anarchists claim that morality is due to human social relationships. Kropotkin Mutual help (1902) showed that cooperation, not competition or obedience, was the basis of both human survival and ethical development.
In this sense, a libertarian communist society does not need religion to ensure moral order. Solidarity, reciprocity and free association provide a more stable basis for ethical life than divine authority. However, anarchists also recognize that religious communities that have been removed from the hierarchy and privilege may occur in parallel in the worldly form of earthly life, as long as they promote and prevent freedom and equal value.
Toward a libertarian communist society
Anarchist vision of libertarian communist society is one where political, economic and religious hierarchies bite. Religion, to the extent that it has historically served as an administrative tool, loses its institutional authority. However, religion can continue the issue of personal belief or cultural tradition – moved from the tool of power to voluntary expression.
In such a society:
- No church would use political authority.
- No religion enjoyed state support or privilege.
- Education would be free of dogs, emphasizing critical thinking.
- Individuals could freely believe, believe or practice spirituality without obsessive.
Thus, the position of anarchism is not from the top raw atheism, but the radical defense of the freedom of conscience combined with rejection of religion as an authoritarian institution.
Conclusion
The idea of anarchists has consistently emphasized that religion, when religion is institutionalized, from the divine authority rejected by Bakunin, as the basis for the ethics of mutual assistance in Kropotkin’s material. However, anarchism also requires respect for the freedom of the individual’s belief. In a libertarian communist society, religion would no longer act as a means of state or class of power, but will diminish a personal or communal choice.
In this way, anarchism adapts to a broader commitment to religion to man’s freedom: the dismantling of religion into a hierarchy, defending freedom of thought as a truly free society.
References
- Bakunin, Mikhail. God and the state. 1882.
- Goldman, Emma. The failure of Christianity. 1913.
- Kropotkin, Peter. Mutual assistance: Author of evolution. 1902.
- Kropotkin, Peter. Ethics: origin and development. 1924.
- Malate, Errico. Anarchy. 1891.
Original link: https://basfbd25.wordpress.com/2025/09/27/religion-and- Libertarian-compty-society-an-anarchist-perspeep/