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    Fabian Tract No. 45.

    THE IMPOSSIBILITIES OF
    ANARCHISM.

    BY
    BERNARD SHAW

    PUBLISHED BY
    THE FABIAN SOCIETY

    PRICE TWOPENCE

    LONDON
    TO BE OBTAINED OF THE FABIAN SOCIETY, 276 STRAND, W.C.
    REPRINTED NOVEMBER 1895




THE IMPOSSIBILITIES OF ANARCHISM.[1]

Anarchists and Socialists.


Some years ago, as the practical policy of the Socialist party in
England began to shape itself more and more definitely into the
program of Social-Democracy, it became apparent that we could not
progress without the gravest violations of principles of all sorts.
In particular, the democratic side of the program was found to
be incompatible with the sacred principle of the Autonomy of the
Individual. It also involved a recognition of the State, an institution
altogether repugnant to the principle of Freedom. Worse than that,
it involved compromise at every step; and principles, as Mr. John
Morley once eloquently showed, must not be compromised. The