HISTORY OF THE THEORY. Greek philosophy, while in its main currents rather socialistic, and certainly constructive, was not without its repre sentatives of extreme individualistic theory (Zeno, and among the early Christian philoso phers, the Gnostics). A mystical theory of the rights of the individual, which resembles ideal istic anarchy. was held by some of the Christian writers of the Middle Ages (Joachim, 1200; Amalric of Bene; the Adamites, 1421 ; Chel eicky, 1420; and others). The first modern writer of scientific repute is Godwin, who, in his Political Justice (1703), proceeds on the doc trine of natural rights, and regards all govern ment as a sort of necessary tyranny, to be re duced to its lowest terms. This doctrine can he traced through a large number of writings, down to Herbert Spencer's ideas of liberty and the sphere of the State. Ideal anarchy, of the Proud him type, is sometimes called scientific anarchy. Prondhon thought he saw in it the only way to free the laborer from the encroachments of the capitalist and to guarantee to every man the right to development. To Proudhon's mind an archy was a step similar in motive but opposite in principle to the present efforts of State Social ists in the interests of labor and in opposition to monopoly. He was blind to all practical diffi
culties, and when he attempted to secure freedom of exchange, through a proposition to establish exchange banks in Paris, he failed utterly in practical plans. Proudhon's ideas found disci ples in Germany in Moses Hess, who published Philosophic do- That and So-jatismus (1843), and Karl Grfin, both of whom developed the bet ter side of Proudhon's teaching, and proposed needed radical reforms. In the United States, Proudhon's doctrine was taken up by B. II. Tuck er, of Boston, who published a translation of Proudhon's What is Property? (1876), and Economic Contradictions (ISSS), and also a translation of Bakunin's God and the State (1883). Tucker edited a periodical entitled Liberty, which began publication in Boston in 1881, but was afterward removed to New York City. Individualistic Anarchism has always been the strongest in the United States. As pure egoism it became an immoral doctrine in the hands of a German school-teacher, Max Stir ner, whose real name was Kaspar Schmidt (horn at Bayreuth, Germany. 1S06; died, 1857). Stir ner had a large temporary following, hut was soon forgotten.