Mikhail Bakunin
Russian revolutionary anarchist and political philosopher.
Mikhail Alexandrovich Bakunin lived from 30 May 1814 to 1 July 1876. A Russian revolutionary anarchist and political thinker, he ranks among the most important figures in anarchism and played a key role in revolutionary socialism, social anarchism, and collectivist anarchism. His reputation as a revolutionary made him a well-known ideologue across Europe, and he held great sway with radicals in both Russia and the wider continent.
Born into a noble family at the Pryamukhino estate in Tver Governorate, Bakunin began studying in Moscow in 1840 before moving to Berlin, where he aimed for an academic career. While in Paris, he met Karl Marx and Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, both of whom left a deep mark on his thinking. His growing radicalism closed off any chance of becoming a professor. France expelled him for opposing the Russian Empire’s occupation of Poland. After taking part in the 1848 Prague uprising and the 1849 Dresden uprising, Bakunin was imprisoned, tried, sentenced to death, and handed over to authorities multiple times. Eventually exiled to Siberia in 1857, he escaped through Japan to the United States and then to London, where he collaborated with Alexander Herzen on the journal *Kolokol* (The Bell). In 1863, he set out to join the Polish insurrection but never made it; instead, he spent time in Switzerland and Italy.
Bakunin joined the International Workingmen’s Association in 1868, and the anarchist faction within it grew quickly under his leadership. The 1872 Hague Congress saw a bitter clash between Bakunin and Marx, a key figure in the International’s General Council who advocated using the state to achieve socialism. Bakunin and the anarchists, by contrast, wanted to replace the state with federations of self-governing workplaces and communes. Unable to reach the Netherlands, Bakunin was absent when the anarchist side lost the debate. Marx’s faction expelled him, claiming he had maintained a secret organization inside the International. In response, Bakunin founded the Anti-Authoritarian International in 1872. From 1870 until his death in 1876, he wrote longer works such as *Statism and Anarchy* and *God and the State*, while also staying active in European worker and peasant movements. In 1870, he took part in an insurrection in Lyon, France. He later tried to join an anarchist uprising in Bologna, Italy, but his failing health forced him to return to Switzerland in disguise.
Bakunin is remembered as a central figure in anarchist history and as a critic of Marxism, especially the idea of the dictatorship of the proletariat. He argued that Marxist states would become one-party dictatorships ruling over the proletariat, not governed by it. His book *God and the State* has been translated widely and is still in print. His influence extends to thinkers like Peter Kropotkin, Errico Malatesta, Herbert Marcuse, E. P. Thompson, Neil Postman, and A. S. Neill, as well as syndicalist groups such as the IWW, the anarchists in the Spanish Civil War, and contemporary anarchists involved in the modern anti-globalization movement.
- born
- 30 May [O.S. 18 May] 1814
- died
- 1 July 1876
- field
- Revolutionary anarchism, political philosophy
- nationality
- Russian
- known_for
- Leading anarchist faction in the International Workingmen's Association; opposin
Lore & Background
Bakunin grew up in Pryamukhino, a family estate in the Tver Governorate. From 1840, he studied in Moscow, then in Berlin, hoping to enter academia. Later in Paris, he met Karl Marx and Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, who deeply influenced him. Bakunin's increasing radicalism ended hopes of a professorial career. He was expelled from France for opposing the Russian Empire's occupation of Poland. After participating in the 1848 Prague and 1849 Dresden uprisings, Bakunin was imprisoned, tried, sentenced to death, and extradited multiple times. Finally, exiled to Siberia in 1857, he escaped via Japan to the United States and then to London, where he worked with Alexander Herzen on the journal Kolokol (The Bell). In 1863, Bakunin left to join the insurrection in Poland, but he failed to reach it and instead spent time in Switzerland and Italy. In 1868, Bakunin joined the International Workingmen's Association, leading the anarchist faction to rapidly grow in influence. The 1872 Hague Congress was dominated by a struggle between Bakunin and Marx, who argued for the use of the state to bring about socialism. In contrast, Bakunin and the anarchist faction argued for the replacement of the state by federations of self-governing workplaces and communes. Bakunin could not reach the Netherlands, and the anarchist faction lost the debate in his absence. Bakunin was expelled from the International for maintaining, in Marx's view, a secret organisation within the International, and founded the Anti-Authoritarian International in 1872. From 1870 until his death in 1876, Bakunin wrote his longer works such as Statism and Anarchy and God and the State, but he continued to directly participate in European worker and peasant movements. In 1870, he was involved in an insurrection in Lyon, France. Bakunin sought to take part in an anarchist insurrection in Bologna, Italy, but his declining health forced him to return to Switzerland in disguise.
Reader's Guide
Bakunin is remembered as a major figure in the history of anarchism and as an opponent of Marxism, especially of the dictatorship of the proletariat, arguing that Marxist states would be one-party dictatorships ruling over the proletariat, not ruled by the proletariat. His book God and the State has been widely translated and remains in print. Bakunin has had a significant influence on thinkers such as Peter Kropotkin, Errico Malatesta, Herbert Marcuse, E. P. Thompson, Neil Postman and A. S. Neill as well as syndicalist organizations such as the IWW, the anarchists in the Spanish Civil War and contemporary anarchists involved in the modern-day anti-globalization movement.
Did You Know?
- Bakunin produced the first Russian translation of Hegel and was the foremost Russian expert on Hegel by 1837.
- He was sentenced in absentia to penal labor in Siberia after defying Russian orders to return from Zürich in 1843.
- In 1861, Bakunin escaped from Siberian exile via Japan to San Francisco, then to New York and Boston, arriving in London by year's end.
- Famous photographer Nadar took four photographs of Bakunin in Paris on August 7, 1862.
- Bakunin wrote a controversial autobiographical Confession to the Russian emperor while imprisoned, which was discovered some 70 years later.
Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Mikhail Bakunin?
Mikhail Alexandrovich Bakunin (1814–1876) was a Russian-born revolutionary anarchist and political philosopher who became one of the most prominent radical voices in 19th-century Europe. He is widely regarded as a foundational figure in anarchist thought, especially within the collectivist and social anarchist traditions.
What are Mikhail Bakunin's most famous works?
His best-known writings include *God and the State* and *Statism and Anarchy*, both of which mount sweeping critiques of religious authority and centralized state power. These texts remain core readings in anarchist political theory and are still studied by scholars of radical philosophy.
What was Bakunin's role in the International Workingmen's Association?
Bakunin headed the anarchist faction inside the First International, advocating for decentralized, federated workers' organizations rather than a centralized political party. His leadership of that faction put him in direct ideological confrontation with Marx and his allies throughout the 1870s.
Why did Bakunin oppose Marx and the dictatorship of the proletariat?
Bakunin argued that handing temporary state power to a revolutionary party would simply create a new ruling class of bureaucrats. He insisted that genuine liberation demanded the immediate abolition of the state, not its capture by a vanguard.
How did Mikhail Bakunin's life end?
Bakunin died on 1 July 1876 in Bern, Switzerland, where he had spent much of his adult life in political exile. He was 62 years old at the time of his death.
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