Mikhail Bakunin

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Russian revolutionary anarchist (1814–1876)

Mikhail Alexandrovich Bakunin (

30 May 1814 – 1 July 1876) was a Russian revolutionary anarchist and founder of collectivist anarchism. He is considered one of the most influential figures in the history of anarchism and a major founder of the social anarchist tradition.

Early Life

Bakunin was born into a noble family in the village of Prjamuchino, in the Tver Governorate of the Russian Empire. He was the eldest of eleven children. His father was a diplomat who had spent time in Italy and France, and his mother was a member of the prominent Muravyov family. Bakunin was initially educated for a military career and attended the Artillery School in Saint Petersburg, but he left the military in 1835 to study philosophy.

Revolutionary Activities

Bakunin became involved in revolutionary activities in the 1840s. He was influenced by the works of Hegel and other German idealists. In 1842, he moved to Dresden, where he became acquainted with Arnold Ruge and other radical thinkers. He participated in the 1848 Revolutions and was involved in the Dresden uprising of 1849, for which he was arrested and sentenced to death. His sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, and he was eventually extradited to Russia, where he was imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress in Saint Petersburg.

Exile and Later Life

After several years of imprisonment, Bakunin was exiled to Siberia. He escaped in 1861 and made his way to Western Europe, where he continued his revolutionary activities. He became a prominent member of the International Workingmen's Association (IWA), also known as the First International, but he clashed with Karl Marx and his followers, leading to a split in the organization.

Bakunin's most famous work, God and the State, was published posthumously in 1882. In this work, he argued against the concept of God and the state, advocating for a society based on federalism and collectivism.

Death

Mikhail Bakunin died on 1 July 1876 in Bern, Switzerland. He left a significant legacy in the anarchist movement and is remembered as one of the most important figures in the history of anarchism.

Related Pages

• Anarchism
• Collectivist anarchism
• International Workingmen's Association
• Karl Marx
• Peter and Paul Fortress
• God and the State
• Dresden uprising

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