The Anarchistic Method. 305 



enable them by political methods or force of arms to secure 

 control of the government, little or nothing would be 

 gained and much might be lost. So that the life of even 

 so hateful a ruler as the Czar is safe from attack by an 

 Anarchist, because it is not the Czar but Czarism that must 

 die before the people can be free ; and no Anarchist would 

 think of destroying the property or life of a monopolist, 

 for it is monopolism that is aimed at, and this can be 

 destroyed only by education. Anarchists do not iight with 

 bombs, but with books ; nor with pistols, bvit with pens. 

 They are not thugs ; they are thinkers. Not powder, but 

 persuasion, is their weapon. Not by cannon, but by con- 

 victions, do they hope to win. 



Among non- Anarchists who are sufficiently well informed 

 to understand all this, the objection is urged that Anarchism 

 is a beautiful but utterly impracticable dream. The 

 realization of Anarchism, it is said, would introduce the 

 millennium ; and, strange to say, this is a reason why 

 multitudes of Christians who profess to be looking forward 

 toward the millennium with all the fervor of religious hope 

 regard Anarchists with aversion or contempt. It is quite 

 true that to reach an ideally Anarchistic social state would 

 necessitate ideally perfect individuals. But Anarchists are 

 not idealists. They are the reverse of idealists. Every 

 theory has its ideal of perfect consummation. But An- 

 archists do not expect perfection. Perfection is not 

 necessary to the happy and relatively satisfactory working 

 of Anarchism. 



Anarchists are not dreamers, however much they may be 

 so regarded by those who do not understand their beliefs 

 and aims. They regard themselves as very rational, very 

 practical persons. They believe their theories may, in 

 many particulars, be put in practice at once ; that some of 

 them are in operation ; and that wherever they are em- 

 ployed the results are more satisfactory than where opposite 

 methods are pursued. For example : Fashions are followed 

 by the Anarchistic method. Men, without governmental 

 interference, wear narrow or wide trousers, and women 

 short or long skirts. And this is a distinct advance toward 

 Anarchism, as everyone familiar with the governmental 

 regulations of clothing in the past knows. Men are not 

 governmentally compelled to lift their hats to women or 

 keep to the right on the sidewalk, but they usually do both. 



