from : The ABC of Anarchism by Alexander Berkman


It is very likely, of course, that if you should then see people gorge
themselves while you go hungry, you would demand a chance to eat, and you 
would be perfectly right in that. And so would every one else, which means
that people would not stand for any one hogging all the good things in life;
they would want to share in them. It means further that the poor would refuse 
to stay poor while others wallow in luxury. It means that the worker will
decline to give up his product to the boss who claims to "own" the factory
and everything that is made there. It means that the farmer will not permit 
thousands of acres to lie idle while he has not enough soil to support
himself and family. It means that no one will monopolise the land or the
machinery of production. It means that the private ownership of the SOURCES
OF LIFE will not be tolerated any more. It will be considered the greatest
crime for some to own more than they can use in a dozen lifetimes, while
their neighbours have not enough bread for their children. It means that
all men will share in the social wealth, and that all will help to produce
that wealth.
It means, in short, that for the first time in history right, justice and
equality would triumph instead of law.
You see therefore that doing away with government also signifies the 
abolition of monopoly and of personal ownership of the means of 
production and distribution.
It follows that when government is abolished, wage slavery and capitalism
must also go with it, because they cannot exist without the support and
protection of government.....Such a condition of things where there was
liberty instead of government would be Anarchy. And where equality of use
would take the place of private ownership, would be Communism.....Anarchist
communism...means voluntary communism, communism from free choice.

Page 11


"But will not life under anarchy, in economic and social equality, mean
general levelling?" you ask.
No, my dear friend, quite the contrary. Because equality does not mean an
equal amount but equal OPPORTUNITY. It does not mean, for instance, that
if Smith needs five meals a day, Johnson also must have as many. If Johnson
wants only five meals while Smith requires five, the quantity each consumes
may be unequal, but both men are perfectly equal in the opportunity each has
to consume as much as he needs, as much as his particular nature demands.
Do not make the mistake of identifying equality in liberty with the forced
equality of the convict camp. True anarchist equality implies freedom, not
quantity. It does not mean that every one must eat, drink, or wear the same
things, do the same work, or live in the same manner. Far from it: the very
reverse, in fact.
Individual needs and tastes differ, as appetities differ. It is EQUAL
opportunity to satisfy them that constitues true equality.
Far from levelling, such equality opens the door for the greatest possible
variety of activity and development. For human character is diverse, and only the repression of this free diversity results in levelling, in uniformity 
and sameness. Free opportunity and acting out your individuality means 
development of natural dissimilarities and variations......Life in freedom,
in anarchy will do more than liberate man merely from his present political
and economic bondage. That will be only the first step, the preliminary to
a truly human existence.

page 25

The revolution abolishes private ownership of the means of production and
distribution, and with it goes capitalistic business. Personal possession
remains only in the things you use, Thus, your watch is your own, but the 
watch factory belongs to the people, land, machinery, and all other public
utilities will be collective property, neither to be bought nor sold. Actual
use will be considered the only title - not to ownership but to possession.
The organisation of the coal miners, for example, will be in charge of the
coal mines, not as owners but as the operating agency. Similarly will the
railroad brotherhood run the railroads, and so on. Collective possession,
co-operatively managed in the interests of the community, will take the
place of personal ownership privately, conducted for profit....To make
bigger profits the coal owners artifically limit the output, and the same
throughout the capitalistic system. With the abolition of capitalism no
one would be interested in raising the price of coal or limiting its supply.
As much coal will be mined as will be necessary to satisfy the need. Similarly
will as much food will be raised as the country needs. It will be the
REQUIREMENTS of the community and the supply obtaining which will deterime the amount it is to receive. This applies to coal and food as to all other needs
of the people.

page 68-69

