Anarchism | Edexcel A-Level Politics (9PL0)
Anarchism
- 88 questions
- 7 subtopics
- Component 2: one non-core ideology of five
- Component 2
Covers the ideology that rejects the state outright: the moral case against political authority, the claim that order arises without it, the split between collectivist and individualist traditions, and the thinkers from Stirner to Goldman..
It covers anarchism: core ideas and the rejection of the state, liberty, order and the anarchist economy, collectivist and individualist anarchism compared, types of collectivist anarchism, types of individualist anarchism, stirner and Proudhon and bakunin, Kropotkin and Goldman.
Sample questions from Anarchism
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Anarchism: core ideas and the rejection of the state
What is altruism in anarchist thought, and under what conditions do anarchists believe it flourishes?
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Altruism is the natural human capacity for selfless concern for others. Anarchists believe it flourishes in the absence of state coercion. -
Anarchism: core ideas and the rejection of the state
How do anarchists believe state structures affect human nature?
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Anarchists argue that state structures have a corrupting impact, distorting natural human goodness and cooperation. -
Liberty, order and the anarchist economy
According to anarchists, what is the source of spontaneous social order?
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Spontaneous social order emerges from human nature itself, as humans naturally tend toward cooperation and mutual aid. -
Liberty, order and the anarchist economy
In what sense does anarchism contain a utopian dimension?
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Anarchism envisions an idealised society that serves as a critique of existing social arrangements. -
Collectivist and individualist anarchism compared
According to collectivist anarchism, what is human nature like when freed from oppressive structures?
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Collectivist anarchism assumes human nature is fundamentally rational, altruistic and cooperative when freed from oppressive structures. -
Collectivist and individualist anarchism compared
How do collectivist and individualist anarchists differ in their view of human nature?
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Collectivists see humans as naturally cooperative and altruistic, while individualists see humans as naturally competitive and self-interested. -
Types of collectivist anarchism
How does mutualism differ from anarcho-communism in its approach to economic organisation?
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Mutualism retains market exchange and individual possession of the means of production, while anarcho-communism abolishes markets entirely in favour of common ownership and distribution according to need. -
Types of collectivist anarchism
Define mutualism as a form of anarchism.
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Mutualism is a form of collectivist anarchism based on reciprocal exchange between producers without profit or exploitation.
The 7 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Anarchism: core ideas and the rejection of the state | Recall questions on anti-statism, autonomy, altruism and direct action, and on why anarchists hold the state to be immoral and corrupting. | 13 |
| Liberty, order and the anarchist economy | Recall questions on why anarchists hold liberty to be essential to human nature, how the strands differ on liberty and human nature, the claim that anarchy is order, anarchist views of the economy, and the utopian dimension and the criticism it draws. | 13 |
| Collectivist and individualist anarchism compared | Recall questions on how the two traditions read human nature differently and what each concludes about ownership and exchange. | 8 |
| Types of collectivist anarchism | Recall questions on anarcho-communism, mutualism and anarcho-syndicalism, and on what distinguishes each from the others. | 15 |
| Types of individualist anarchism | Recall questions on anarcho-capitalism and egoism, what would replace the state under each, and why they are classed as individualist. | 11 |
| Stirner and Proudhon | Recall questions on Stirner's egoism, the Union of Egoists and insurrection, and on Proudhon's mutualism and rejection of both property and collectivism. | 12 |
| Bakunin, Kropotkin and Goldman | Recall questions on Bakunin on the state and collectivisation, Kropotkin on mutual aid, and Goldman on why reform and political participation are futile. | 16 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
Edexcel A-Level Politics Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 2,101 questions with their answers.