"There are even moments when the authority of the socialists and communists is worse than the bourgeois, for they tear down their own ideas and trample on them."
View 21 more quotes by Nestor Makhno
Share this anarchist quote with your comrades!
Nestor Ivanovich Makhno was born on October 27, 1888, in Gulyai-Polye, a small village in the Russian Empire that is now part of Ukraine. He became one of the leading figures in the anarchist movement, leading an independent anarchist army in Ukraine during the Russian Revolution and the subsequent Civil War. His insurgency against both the Bolsheviks and the White Army is notable for practicing a form of free communism, based on the principles of local self-governance, direct democracy, and a staunch anti-Bolshevik stance.
Makhno wrote extensively about his political ideas and life experiences, his most notable work being 'The Struggle Against the State and Other Essays.' His writings and his role in leading the Revolutionary Insurrectionary Army of Ukraine exemplify his contribution to the anarchist movement. Makhno's approach to anarchism, marked by an emphasis on the autonomy of local communities, direct democracy, and militancy, left a significant impact on the anarchist movement and is still studied and referenced in discussions on anarchism, revolutionary strategy, and alternative modes of societal organization. He died on July 6, 1934, in Paris, France, but his ideas and the legacy of his actions continue to influence anarchist thought till today.
Date of Birth: October 27, 1888
Date of Death: July 6, 1934
Country of Birth: Russian Empire 
Political Ideas: Anarchism, Direct Democracy, Anti-Bolshevism
Quotes Available: 21
