Prominent Anarchists Of All Time

Anarchism is an ideology which emphasizes on the creation of a state which isn’t ruled by a government, but the masses themselves. Although Anarchism aims at eradicating hierarchy in a society, it has often been criticized and has been seldom followed. The prime reason is the widespread belief that anarchy leads to a state of disorder and chaos. Many activists, over the past few decades, have earned the title of ‘prominent anarchists’. The hero of the Cuban revolutionary movement - Ernesto ‘Che Guevara’, Nelson Mandela, writers Leo Tolstoy and Oscar Wilde are considered one of the most famous anarchists of all time. Che Guevara, along with Cuban communist icon Fidel Castro, staged a political coup to overthrow Fulgencio Batista, the dictator responsible for the sorry state of affairs in the Latin American nation for a long time. Many eminent writers like Oscar Wilde too opposed capitalistic governance and felt that anarchy is ideal for a society.
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 1 
Noam Chomsky
(A Major Figure in Analytic Philosophy Who is Also Known as 'The Father of Modern Linguistics')
Noam Chomsky
72
Birthdate: December 7, 1928
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Regarded by many as the father of modern linguistics, Noam Chomsky has authored over 100 books on varied topics, such as politics, linguistics, and war. A multi-talented personality, Noam Chomsky is considered a popular figure in analytic philosophy. Apart from influencing a wide array of academic fields, he has also contributed to the development of cognitivism.

 2 
Bhagat Singh
(Revolutionary Hero of the Indian Independence Movement)
Bhagat Singh
64
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: September 28, 1907
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Banga, Punjab, British India
Died: March 23, 1931

Bhagat Singh is one of the most revered freedom fighters of Indian Independence movement. His execution by the British rulers at a young age of 23 inspired many young people to join the freedom struggle. His life’s mission was to free India from colonial rule and his legacy as a symbol of bravery and patriotism continues to live on.

 3 
Alan Moore
(Writer)
Alan Moore
11
Birthdate: November 18, 1953
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Northampton, England

Alan Moore is an English writer best known for his contributions to popular comic books, such as Batman: The Killing Joke, Watchmen, and The Ballad of Halo Jones. Some consider him to be the best comic book writer in the English language. His works have influenced several literary and television figures, such as Damon Lindelof, Joss Whedon, and Neil Gaiman.

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 4 
Woody Harrelson
(Actor and Playwright)
Woody Harrelson
56
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: July 23, 1961
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Midland, Texas, United States

Actor Woody Harrelson has been active in the entertainment world for over 40 years now. The son of a convicted hit-man, he had a difficult childhood and grew up in poverty. However, he was determined to build a good life for himself and earned a BFA in theater before venturing into acting. He is a vegan and an environmental activist.

 5 
Peter Kropotkin
(Anarchist, Socialist & Historian)
Peter Kropotkin
4
Birthdate: December 9, 1842
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Died: February 8, 1921

Russian philosopher Peter Kropotkin was a passionate advocate of anarcho-communism. He was also an activist, revolutionary, economist, and sociologist. He was arrested and imprisoned for his activism in 1874. However, he managed to escape and lived in exile for over 40 years in different countries across Europe. He returned to Russia after the Russian Revolution in 1917. 

 6 
Emma Goldman
(American Anarchist Political Activist and Writer)
Emma Goldman
17
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: June 27, 1869
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kaunas, Lithuania
Died: May 14, 1940

Emma Goldman was a writer and anarchist political activist. She played an important role in popularizing the anarchist political philosophy in Europe and North America in the early and mid-20th century. Her lectures and writing spanned a wide variety of subjects, such as atheism, militarism, freedom of speech, homosexuality, capitalism, and free love.

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 7 
William Godwin
(Journalist)
William Godwin
4
Birthdate: March 3, 1756
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Wisbech
Died: April 7, 1836
 8 
Murray Bookchin
(American Social Theorist, Author and Political Philosopher)
Murray Bookchin
5
Birthdate: January 14, 1921
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: New York, United States
Died: July 30, 2006

Murray Bookchin, also known by his pseudonyms M.S. Shiloh and Lewis Herber, was an anarchist, a political philosopher, and an academic, best known for his fight against capitalism. The son of Russian immigrants, he followed communism since age 9. He had also penned books such as The Ecology of Freedom.

 9 
Georges Brassens
(Singer)
Georges Brassens
2
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: October 22, 1921
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Sète, France
Died: October 29, 1981
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 10 
King Bach
(Canadian-American Actor and Internet Personality)
King Bach
23
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: June 26, 1988
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Canadian-American internet sensation King Bach soared too fame with his content on his YouTube channel BachelorsPadTv and had over 11 million followers on Vine before it went defunct. He has also appeared in The Mindy Project, Rim of the World, and To All the Boys I've Loved Before.
 11 
Alexander Berkman
3
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: November 21, 1870
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Vilnius
Died: June 28, 1936

Alexander Berkman was a Russian-American anarchist and author. He was famous for both his political activism and his writing and was a leading member of the anarchist movement in the early 20th century. He served as the editor of fellow anarchist Emma Goldman's anarchist journal, Mother Earth. He suffered from ill-health in his later years and died by suicide. 

 12 
Jacques Ellul
(French Philosopher Known for His Study on the Interaction Between Christianity and Politics)
Jacques Ellul
2
Birthdate: January 6, 1912
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Bordeaux, France
Died: May 19, 1994

French philosopher, Christian anarchist, and social scientist Jacques Ellul initially wished to be a naval officer but was pushed to study law. He is best remembered for his iconic volume La Technique, or The Technological Society. He taught social history and the history of law at various universities.

 13 
Buenaventura Durruti
(Anarcho-syndicalist, Anarchist, Trade unionist)
Buenaventura Durruti
2
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: July 14, 1896
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: León
Died: November 20, 1936
 14 
Benjamin Tucker
(Journalist, Philosopher, Economist, Translator, Anarchist)
Benjamin Tucker
3
Birthdate: April 17, 1854
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Dartmouth
Died: June 22, 1939
 15 
Elisee Reclus
(French Geographer, Writer and Anarchist.)
Elisee Reclus
1
Birthdate: March 15, 1830
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Sainte-Foy-la-Grande, France
Died: July 4, 1905

Elisee Reclus was a renowned French geographer, writer, and anarchist best known for his 19-volume masterwork, La Nouvelle Géographie universelle, la terre et les hommes ("Universal Geography"). He received the Gold Medal of the Paris Geographical Society for this work in 1892. He opposed cruelty to animals and advocated nature conservation. He was also a proponent of naturism. 

 16 
Bob Black
(American author)
Bob Black
2
Birthdate: January 4, 1951
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan
 17 
Ammon Hennacy
(Christian Anarchist, Social Activist)
Ammon Hennacy
0
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: July 24, 1893
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Negley, Ohio
Died: January 14, 1970