Bakunin

Mikhail Ivanovich Bakunin (1814–1876) was a Russian revolutionary and one of the founders of modern anarchist theory. Born in Saint Petersburg, he was the son of an Orthodox priest and was educated at a technical institute before turning towards political activism in the 1830s. Bakunin became involved in the Decembrist movement, a group of army officers who attempted to overthrow Tsar Nicholas I. Following his prison sentence after the Decembrists’ failed uprising, he was exiled to Siberia but managed to escape and fled to Western Europe in 1836.

In exile, Bakunin joined the Young Europe circles in Paris and later became a key figure in the Frankfurt Revolution of 1848. He co-founded the First International (International Workingmen's Association) and served on its executive committee. In 1851, he clashed with Karl Marx over the role of state power in the transition to socialism, arguing that a state, even a temporary one, inevitably becomes oppressive. Bakunin’s critique of Marx’s strategy established the fundamental split between anarchist and Marxist strands of socialist thought.

Bakunin’s writings, such as “God and the State” (1871) and “The State and the Revolution” (1874), articulated his vision of a stateless, cooperative society based on voluntary associations. He criticized hierarchical structures, including the church and the state, and promoted direct action, workers’ councils, and the decentralization of economic and political power. Bakunin also influenced revolutionary movements in Europe, including the Antichrist organization and the 1871 Paris Commune. While his influence waned after his death, his ideas continue to shape contemporary anarchist theory and practice.