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

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sense fo r an anarchist to let himself be led up a blind alley by one single little
truth, "his own" and for him thereby to fo rget life's real great truth: the perpetual
calling forth of new forms, fresh combinations and a constantly renewed
synthesis.
Life's synthesis is not stationary; it creates and is constantly modifYing its elements
and their mutual relations.
Anarchism means to partake, wheresoever it may, in life's creative activity. As a
result, it should-insofar as its outlook allows-be broad-minded, tolerant and synthetic,
while engaged in creative activity.
The anarchist should scrupulously and perspicaciously monitor all of the serious
elements of libertarian thought and movement. Far from retreating into some
singular element, he should be searching for some way to arrive at an equilibrium
and synthesis of all given elements. Furthermore, he should analyze and constantly
monitor his synthesis, comparing it against the elements of life itself, so that it may
always be in perfect harmony with the latter. Indeed, life does not stand still; it
changes. And as a result the role and mutual relations between the several elements
ofthe anarchist synthesis will not always be the same: in different instances, it is going
to be sometimes this or sometimes that element that is in need of underpinning,
support and implementation ...
We must discover and frame within the various strands of anarchism on the one
hand, everything that ought to be regarded as phony, at odds with life's reality and in
need of rejection: and, on the other, everything that ought to be registered as just,
wholesome, acceptable. Next, all of these just and valid elements should be COlllbined
and a synthetic whole created from them. (It is primarily in this initial groundwork
that a rapprochement between anarchists of differing persuasions and their
tolerance towards one another might achieve the great status of a crucial first step.)
And, finally, this assemblage would have to earn the acceptance of all of anarchism's
serious, active militants as fu rnishing the basis fo r the formation of a united libertarian
body, the members of which would thus be agreed upon a range offundamentals
acceptable to them all.