yah... so listing Ayn Rand as an anarchist is a little... insulting... and of course completely insane... she's like a demigod of capitalism for christ's sake.

Anarchism is a political (and social) philosophy that focuses on autonomy and self-sufficiency, as does libertarianism. However, add to that the important aspects of solidarity and mutual support.

A few books above probably don't belong on any anarchist fiction list, including anything by Ayn Rand.

I'm no fan of Rand's, but it's not entirely unjustified. Anarchism is ultimately, at it's core, about stateless society, no more, no less. It's only natural that this should encompass everything from anarcho-communism to anarcho-capitalism, and a swathe of -isms which don't even figure on that spectrum.

Daniel, I understand a literal reading of the word anarchism might lead one to conclude that "Anarchism is ultimately... about stateless society, no more, no less." Though most anarchists and anarchist scholars would disagree.

Nor is it true that democracy is no more than "rule by the people" though that is its literal meaning. There are both denotations and connotations.

Anarchy is against state rule, yes, but also about autonomy, self-reliance, cooperation and collaboration. At anarchism's core is the idea of organizing people without coercion.

This is all very different from capitalism and from objectivism, Ayn Rand's philosophy of rational self-interest.

Now all that said, I think reading Ayn Rand when I was starting to have an understanding of my political self in the world was part of my journey to understanding anarchism. But that might be a different list, one titled: Books to make a friend turn toward anarchism.

fuckin randroids. y'all ancaps only exist on the internet.

ayn rand ? really ?

Yeah, modern day libertarians imagine that buy cutting welfare they are being anarchic.

Atlas Shrugged??? Ayn Rand was the one that introduced Objectivism. Like fascism is the exact opposite of communism, Objectivism (and right-wing libertarianism and anarcho-capitalism, all the same tight political family) is the exact opposite of anarchism.

Thomas wrote: "Yeah, modern day libertarians imagine that buy cutting welfare they are being anarchic."

Yes, unfortunately. They were the ones who soiled the term libertarianism. When it was first introduced, anarchism was called "social libertarianism" and anarchists would call themselves libertarians. Right-wing anti-government extremists appropriating the term is like if people who support dumping toxic waste in the sea started calling themselves environmentalists. Oh, and I'm sure that some climate change deniers would do that.