Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (15 January 1809-19 January 1865) was a French politician and member of parliament who is considered to be the "Father of Anarchism" after writing What is Property? in 1840.
Biography[]
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon came from a working-class family in Besancon, France, and he worked as a printer for years. He taught himself Latin so that he could print his own books, and he wrote What is Property? in 1840, claiming that "property is theft". He believed in workers' associations and co-operatives, and he favored individual possession rather than socialist nationalization or private ownership; he sought a peaceful revolution instead of a violent one. He is considered to be the "father of anarchism", and he considered himself a federalist while sitting in the French parliament. He was both friends and rivals with Karl Marx, as both were left-wing, but Proudhon opposed all forms of society. He died in 1865.