Kropotkin, Peter (1842–1921)

Peter (Pytor) Alekeyevich Kropotkin, born in Moscow into the Russian aristocracy, was a geographer, revolutionary anarchist, libertarian communist, zoologist, anthropologist, economist, philosopher, and sociologist. His writings were published in several languages and widely discussed, exerting considerable influence, especially among political thinkers and activists of the period preceding the Russian Revolution of 1918.

In the course of his geographic work Kropotkin demonstrated that eastern Siberia was affected by post-Pliocene continental glaciations. As a result of his animal life studies, Kropotkin theorized that mutual aid was the key to understanding human evolution, contrary to the notion of the natural world as shaped entirely by ruthless competition. He suggested that science and morality must be united in the “revolutionary project.” Education should be global and humanistic and should empower everyone equally. Children should learn not only in the classroom, but also in nature and in living communities. To him, education and science should be based upon mutual aid and serve as a revolutionary activism with which to transform the entire world. This was not only morally correct, but the only life worth living.

Evolution is influenced and shaped by adaptation to a changing environment and adverse circumstances. Among many animal societies, competition between individuals, though important, is secondary to intraspecies cooperation in the survival of the species. Adaptation to the environment and the struggle against adverse conditions lead to an evolutionary theme, resulting in individuals working in partnership to protect their offspring.

In the animal world, most animals live in societies. Kropotkin felt that the survival strategy of safety was a concept that needed closer examination. This was not just a struggle for existence but a protection from all natural conditions that any species may face. Each individual increases its chances by being a member of a group. Mutual protection allows certain individuals to attain old age and experience. Among humans, these collective groups allowed for the evolution of culture. In the earliest band societies, social institutions were highly developed. In later evolution of clans and tribes, these institutions were expanded to include larger groups. Chiefdoms and state societies shared mutual identities in groups so large that an individual did not know all members. The idea of common defense of a territory and the shared character of nationalism appeared in the growth of the group sharing a collective distinctiveness.

Solidarity gives the species as a whole a better opportunity to survive. Thus, supportive attention for the well-being of relationships of the group is selected for. The manipulative and sly individuals are cleansed from the pool of ancestors, and those most supportive of mutual social life are selected to survive. Along with this, safety in numbers allows for increased chances of survival. Cooperation increases chances of an intelligent response to a threat to the group or the offspring by a coordinated effort. Be it hunters in a pack or herbivores cooperating, these efforts develop social skills and an awareness of comrades. The needs of the progeny and for continued existence bring together groups for reproduction and protection of the young. Because of this, security of all individuals is enhanced through mutual aid.

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