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Anarcho-Communism, or Libertarian Communism, is a political ideology related to Libertarian
socialism. However, the terms Anarcho-Communism and Libertarian Communism should not be considered
synonyms for libertarian socialism. Anarcho-Communism is a particular branch of libertarian socialism.
Anarcho-Communism was first formulated in the Italian section of the First International, by Carlo Cafiero, Errico Malatesta, Andrea
Costa and other ex-Mazzinian Republicans. Out of respect for
Mikhail Bakunin, they did not make their differences from standard
Anarchism explicit until after the latter's death. In 1876, at the Florence Conference of the Italian Federation of the International (which was actually held in a forest
outside Florence, due to police
activity), they declared the principles of Anarcho-Communism, beginning with:
- "The Italian Federation considers the collective property of the products of labour as the necessary complement to the
collectivist programme, the aid of all for the satisfaction of the needs of each being the only rule of production and
consumption which corresponds to the principle of solidarity. The federal congress at Florence has eloquently demonstrated the
opinion of the Italian International on this point..."
The above report was actually made in an article by Malatesta and Cafiero in the (Swiss) Jura Federation's bulletin later that
year.
Anarcho-communism stresses the abolition of money and the introduction of the gift economy to facilitate the exchange of goods.
In anarcho-communism, profit no longer exists. Not only that, but goods are given away as gifts in the certainty that others
will also give products back (in an industrial setting, this would occur between worker syndicates as well as between
individuals). If one syndicate does not share their products, they will not receive resources from other syndicates, making it in
their best interest to share.
Anarcho-communism also advocates the abolition of work in the sense of wage
slavery, and recommends worker self management to improve working conditions, increase efficiency, and make working
enjoyable.
People
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