Voltairine

The prophet is alien in his own land. Most alien is the American prophet. Ask any 100-percenter what he knows of the truly great men and women of his country, the superior souls that give life inspiration and beauty, the teachers of new values. He will not be able to name them...The 100-percenters feel more comfortable when there is no one to disturb their drabness... But the few who themselves are souls in pain, who long for breadth and vision--they need to know about Voltairine De Cleyre...

Emma Goldman, "Voltairine De Cleyre" (p. 44, Sharon Presley & Crispin Sartwell, Editors, Exquisite Rebel: The Essays Of Voltairine De Cleyre--Anarchist, Feminist, Genius, SUNY Press, 2005)


There is the particular message of Anarchism to the worker. It is not an economic system; it does not come to you with detailed plans of how you, the workers, are to conduct industry; nor systemized methods of exchange; nor careful paper organizations of "the administration of things". It simply calls upon the spirit of individuality to rise up from its abasement, and hold itself paramount in no matter what economic reorganization shall come about. Be men first of all, not held in slavery by the things you make; let your gospel be, "Things for men, not men for things"...

...That will be [the Anarchist's] test in choosing any such [economic] proposition--the measure in which individuality is secured. It is not enough for him that a comfortable ease, a pleasant and well-ordered routine, shall be secured; free play for the spirit of change--that is his first demand.

--Voltairine De Cleyre, "Anarchism" (p. 72, Sharon Presley & Crispin Sartwell, Editors, Exquisite Rebel: The Essays Of Voltairine De Cleyre--Anarchist, Feminist, Genius, SUNY Press, 2005)