Graham R (Ed.) - Anarchism - A Documentary History of Libertarian Ideas Volume One - From Anarchy to Anarchism (300 CE to 1939)

The I nterwar Years /395
ample. Nothing, nothing in the world has such irresistible power of conquest as
goodness does. We were politically retarded, were the most arrogant and provoking
lackeys; the harm that resulted for us with the inevitability of destiny has incensed us
against ollr masters, moved us to revolution. So at one stroke, namely the blow that
struck us, we assumed leadership. We are to lead the way to socialism; how else
could we lead than through our example Chaos is here. New activities and turmoil
are on the horizon. Minds are awakening, souls rising to responsibility, hands taking
action. May the revolution bring rebirth. May, since we need nothing so much as
new, uncorrupted men rising up out of the unknown darkness and depths, may these
renewers, purifiers, saviours not be lacking to our nation. Long live the revolution,
and may it grow and rise to new levels in hard, wonderful years. May the nations be
imbued with the new, creative spirit out of their task, Ollt ofthe new conditions, out
of the primeval, eternal and unconditional depths, the new spirit that really does create
new conditions. May the revolution produce religion, a religion of action, life,
love, that makes men happy, redeems them and overcomes impossible situations.
What does life matter We will die soon, we all die, we do not live at all. Nothing lives
but what we make of ourselves, what we do with ourselves. Creation lives; not the
creature, only the creator. Nothing lives but the action of honest hands and the governance
of a pure, genuine spirit.
112. Errico Malatesta: An Anarchist Program (1920)
Malatesta returned to Italy in late 1919, where he campaigned ceaselessly for an anarchist
social revolution amid tIle post-war turmoil that engulfed Italy as with the rest of Europe. He
edited the daily anarchist paper, Umanita Nova, which had a circulation of about 50,000,
and drafted the following program which was adopted by the Unione Anarchica Italiano at
its Congress in Bologna in July 1920. It sets forth a concise statement of Malatesta's mature
anarchist position, which remained communist and insurrectionary. The translation by
Vernon Ric/lOrds is taken from Errico Malatesta: His Life and Ideas (London: Freedom
Press, 1965).
I. Aims And Objectives
WE BELIEVE THAT MOST OF THE ILLS THAT afflict mankind stem from a bad social organization;
and that man could destroy them ifhe wished and knew how.
Present society is the result of age-long struggles of man against man. Not understanding
the advantages that could accrue fo r all by cooperation and solidarity;
seeing in every other man (with the possible exception of those closest to them by