WI: Christian anarchism rather than communism?

What if, and how could, Christian anarchism (have) replaced communism (and fascism) as the main anti-capitalist ideology in the late 19th Century and 20th Century? I'm planning a timeline on this, so, er, do help.
 
It's unlikely. The whole conception of a father-god imply an idea of rule, of coercition to rules.

While christian-communism can be viewed as "we're the same, under the same rules that God wanted us to follow", the lack of these rules or coercition in anarchism appears rather unlikely to me.

Of course, it's considering you're talking of OTL Anarchism (or what it became in the XIX) and not of a more aristocratic anarchism, free-thinker and liberal.
 
Of course, it's considering you're talking of OTL Anarchism (or what it became in the XIX) and not of a more aristocratic anarchism, free-thinker and liberal.

I'm focusing more on earlier anarchism; Tolstoyism and such. Would that work with a Christianity? See, I'm trying to find something that would also appeal to the religious and keep them from becoming alienated by the atheist nature of the ideology.
 
I'm focusing more on earlier anarchism; Tolstoyism and such. Would that work with a Christianity? See, I'm trying to find something that would also appeal to the religious and keep them from becoming alienated by the atheist nature of the ideology.

Well, it could work, but it wouldn't be popular and form a movment even at the half importence of the christian communism that is already tiny.

You see, if "Tolsoyism and such" didn't marked the masses, it was because it was intended to stay an "aristocratic" ideology and way of life.
 
It's unlikely. The whole conception of a father-god imply an idea of rule, of coercition to rules.

While christian-communism can be viewed as "we're the same, under the same rules that God wanted us to follow", the lack of these rules or coercition in anarchism appears rather unlikely to me.

Of course, it's considering you're talking of OTL Anarchism (or what it became in the XIX) and not of a more aristocratic anarchism, free-thinker and liberal.

Christianism and Anarchism can work well.

Peoples have to think of God not as some YHVH cold father figure, but like the Brahman (and Atman), in a way.

Tolstoi have made a text on it - it IS a very well made defence of the idea that religion can be progressive, non cohercitive.

Aristocratic? have you read it? it is no more than peoples like Quakers and Shakers in USA.
 
Well, it could work, but it wouldn't be popular and form a movment even at the half importence of the christian communism that is already tiny.

You see, if "Tolsoyism and such" didn't marked the masses, it was because it was intended to stay an "aristocratic" ideology and way of life.

Well, Christian anarchism was actually quite popular in the rural areas (i.e. most) of Russia and remained so until the Revolution. So it looks like they did "marked the masses". It just needs to get out of Russia, really.
 
I'm focusing more on earlier anarchism; Tolstoyism and such. Would that work with a Christianity? See, I'm trying to find something that would also appeal to the religious and keep them from becoming alienated by the atheist nature of the ideology.

I can see anarchism, especially anarcho-syndicalism working with Christianity, especially with Protestantism. The concept of self-interpretation of God's law and the fundamental equality of all Christians would work very well with anarchism's belief in non-coercion and equality. I could see Christian anarchist communes forming in rural areas of Europe and North America, and even some groups going into self-imposed exile in the colonies, trying to peacefully convert natives to the Gospel.
 
It is actually very possible, have the "Freeman on the Land" Movement or the "Sovereign Citizen" Movement become christian, the Sovereign Citizens are already right-wing so making it christian, especially fundamentalist would be simple (no offence to right-wingers, conservatives, fundamentalists, liberal christians, or other groups).
 
keep them from becoming alienated by the atheist nature of the ideology.
I do not believe it is at all atheist, anarchism has no religion. Although you would have trouble with the catholics getting on board (after all they have the oldest surviving institution in the world). I think you should trying appealing to the nondenominationals and the "god's law trumps the law of man" types
 
I do not believe it is at all atheist, anarchism has no religion. Although you would have trouble with the catholics getting on board (after all they have the oldest surviving institution in the world). I think you should trying appealing to the nondenominationals and the "god's law trumps the law of man" types

I was referring more to the atheism of Marxism-Leninism as being repellent to Christians.
 

MSZ

Banned
"Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's...."

Anarchy implies the lack of state and order; Christianity is strongly implies the necessity of a state structure to exist. So the two are quite opposite to each other, for basically the same reasons its opposed to communism.
 
"Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's...."

Anarchy implies the lack of state and order; Christianity is strongly implies the necessity of a state structure to exist. So the two are quite opposite to each other, for basically the same reasons its opposed to communism.

Well, Christians have no trouble ignoring other parts of the Bible, like "Turn the other cheek" and such. I think that a clever theologian could define "Caeser" as the community standards and rules. Anarchists don't believe in no authority, they just don't believe in authority that you have to follow. Anarchists believe that if you don't want to follow the rules, you can cede from society. Christian groups have done that already, I could see a sect do it explicitly as anarchists.
 
Well, Christians have no trouble ignoring other parts of the Bible, like "Turn the other cheek" and such. I think that a clever theologian could define "Caeser" as the community standards and rules. Anarchists don't believe in no authority, they just don't believe in authority that you have to follow. Anarchists believe that if you don't want to follow the rules, you can cede from society. Christian groups have done that already, I could see a sect do it explicitly as anarchists.

Perhaps an initial POD being Tolstoy, Thoreau, or William B. Greene writing a new tract including such an idea? Tolstoy is probably the worst choice, being rather stranded in Russia. Thoreau might also be a bad idea, seeing as how he's more of a environmental-individualist anarchist than anything else. Greene or Charles Scott Wood might be better.
 
It's unlikely going to get much broader traction, because there is a strong current of anti-clericalism in both European and American workers in the 19th and early 20th centuries, coupled with a distaste with for ideological thinking. Working movements that embraced anarcho-syndicalism, Marxism or social democracy IOTL did so because such movements were highly pragmatic, no-nonsense types that focused on concrete issues of standard of living and human dignity, not esoteric concepts.

It was the intellectuals who had a taste for ideology, and largely did the most damage to these movements on the whole. Christian anarchism really doesn't have much of a practical program on its own, so it will probably remain an ideology of the educated Christian utopian.

Unless it can provide a program by which workers can obtain bread and basic control over their own lives in the context of industrial society, it isn't going anywhere.
 
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