ABSTRACT
The sphere of behaviour classified as ‘the economic’ is, in pre-industrial societies, embedded in all the other aspects of human lives–family, politics, farming, religion and so on. As Matthew Wilson puts it, anarchism tries to experiment with ‘rules without rulers’. It is, quite simply, the most radical way of thinking about how human beings could arrange their affairs to maximize personal freedom and collective flourishing. That is why anyone interested in management should take anarchism seriously and not dismiss it as idealistic, impractical or just historical. Anarchism leaves organizing open, rather than assuming that there is one best way to manage in all circumstances. Because organization is then left open questions of ethics and politics can be given full consideration. The sorts of values which motivate anarchists are those that are hard for anyone to disagree with as ideals–personal freedom, the encouragement of the same freedoms for others, collective and democratic decision making and responsibility to others and the planet.
