The conquest of bread.

by Peter Kropotkin

No cover — The conquest of bread. (1968, Blom)

298 pages

English language

Published Oct. 29, 1968 by Blom.

(3 reviews)

"Le titre du livre : La Conquête du Pain doit être pris dans le sens le plus large, car « l’homme ne vit pas de pain seulement. » À une époque où les généreux et les vaillants essaient de transformer leur idéal de justice sociale en réalité vivante, ce n’est point à conquérir le pain, même avec le vin et le sel, que se borne notre ambition. Il faut conquérir aussi tout ce qui est nécessaire ou même simplement utile au confort de la vie ; il faut que nous puissions assurer à tous la pleine satisfaction des besoins et des jouissances. Tant que nous n’aurons pas fait cette première « conquête », tant qu’il « y aura des pauvres avec nous », c’est une moquerie amère de donner le nom de « société » à cet ensemble d’êtres humains qui se haïssent et qui s’entre-détruisent, comme des animaux féroces …

Élisée Reclus, Préface

50 editions

jarizleifr reviewed The conquest of bread by Peter Kropotkin

Review of 'The conquest of bread' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Required reading for anyone exchanging labor for wages.

I found the book quite sharp and still thought-provoking for something written a century ago. Its message is relevant as ever, as we're plunged into the dystopia of corporatism and decay by those at the top exploiting the labor force. It is radical and revolutionary and I would heartily recommend it for anyone interested in the actual meaning and nature of work and its dynamics and how societies organize and form around both labor and culture.

harbinger@books.solarpunk.moe reviewed The Conquest of Bread by Peter Kropotkin

Review of 'The Conquest of Bread' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

A classic, of course. Clear-eyed and practical, yet visionary; a a re-envisioning of a post-revolutionary society serving the needs of people from the bottom (of Maslow’s) up: first food, then shelter, then clothing, then everything else. Without the twin coercive expropriators of the capitalist and the state, there will be more than enough to create a pleasant society for all with minimal work and maximal leisure and pleasure. As a bonus, the lure of the above expropriators will be castrated because you can’t coerce and subjugate a populace whose needs are met.

Cook@bookwyrm.social reviewed The Conquest Of Bread by Peter Kropotkin

Cook's review of "The Conquest of Bread"

4 stars

Basically the introduction to anarcho-communism. A relatively short and digestible read that presents many interesting ideas but be prepared to struggle your way through pages of calculations that aim to show you that an anarchist society is possible in the late 19th century.