Anarchism and animal rights

Part of the Politics series on Anarchism

Schools of thought Buddhist • Capitalist • Christian Collectivist • Communist • Crypto Feminist • Green • Individualist Info • Insurrectionary • Left Mutualist • Philosophical Platformism • Post-left • Primitivist Social • Syndicalist Without adjectives Theory and practice Anarchy • Black bloc Co-operatives • Counter-economics Direct action • Direct democracy Economics • Especifismo Illegalism • Law • Mutual aid Propaganda of the deed Self-ownership • Social ecology Spontaneous order Squatting • Theorists Workers' self-management Issues Anarcho-capitalism • Animal rights Capitalism • Criticisms • Islam Marxism • Nationalism Orthodox Judaism • Religion Violence History Amakasu Incident Anarchy in Somalia Australian Centenary Celebrations Barcelona May Days Escuela Moderna • Hague Congress Haymarket Riot High Treason Incident Insurrectionary Army of Ukraine International Congress of Amsterdam Kate Sharpley Library Kronstadt rebellion Labadie Collection • LIP • May 1968 May Day • Paris Commune Spanish Revolution • Tragic Week Culture Anarcho-punk • Arts Black anarchism • Culture jamming DIY culture • Freeganism Free school • Free store • Indymedia Infoshop • Jewish anarchism Popular education • Symbolism By region Africa • Austria • Brazil • China England • France • Greece Ireland • Israel • Italy • Mexico Russia • Spain • Sweden Ukraine • USA Lists Books • Communities • Concepts Fictional characters • Musicians Movements by region Organizations • Periodicals Poets • Anarcho-punk bands Related Anti-capitalism • Anti-communism Anti-consumerism • Anti-corporatism Anti-globalization • Antimilitarism Anti-statism • Antiwar Labour movement • Situationism Anarchism Portal Politics Portal ·

The initials of the Animal Liberation Front with an anarchist circle-A incorporated into the design

The anarchist philosophical and political movement has some connections to elements of the animal liberation movement. Many anarchists are vegetarian or vegan and have played a role in combating perceived injustices against animals. They usually describe the struggle for the liberation of non-human animals as a natural outgrowth of the struggle for human freedom. [1] [2]

Early history

Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) was a vegetarian, pacifist and Christian anarchist. In On Civil Disobedience he wrote: "A man can live and be healthy without killing animals for food; therefore, if he eats meat, he participates in taking animal life merely for the sake of his appetite. And to act so is immoral."

Direct action

Direct action, an important philosophical component of anarchism, is also common within the animal rights movement. Groups like Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC), Animal Liberation Front (ALF), Animal Rights Militia (ARM), and Justice Department use direct action techniques, including animal liberation and property destruction, and occasionally — in the case of ARM and the Justice Department — violence against people.

The decentralized and leaderless structure of the Animal Liberation Front could be seen as an example of anarchistic organizing.

Major figures and events

Rod Coronado is an eco-anarchist and is an unofficial spokesperson for the Animal Liberation Front and Earth Liberation Front. On February 28, 1992, Coronado carried out an arson attack on research facilities at Michigan State University (MSU), and released mink from a nearby research farm on campus, an action claimed by the ALF, and for which Coronado was subsequently convicted.

In 1997, the editors of Green Anarchist magazine and two British supporters of the Animal Liberation Front were tried in connection with conspiracy to incite violence, in what came to be known as the GANDALF trial.

See also

• Animal liberation movement
• Green anarchism
• Eco-anarchism
• Eco-terrorism
• Green Scare
• Food Not Bombs

External links

• Animal Liberation and Anarchism
• Anarchist Ethics: A Utilitarian Approach An anarchist perspective on the ethics of animal liberation
• The Domestication of Animals . . . . . . and of Man (an essay by CrimethInc.)
• Veganism (another essay by CrimethInc.)
• Animal Liberation Through Trade Unions?, a Wobbly perspective

Donate to Wikimedia