Errico Malatesta quotes

Errico Malatesta was an Italian anarchist, revolutionary, and writer, recognized as one of the leading figures in the anarchist movement. His activism and writings contributed significantly to the spread of anarchist ideas in Europe and beyond. He dedicated his life to fighting for social justice, freedom, and equality. Here are 33 of his quotes:

Anarchists generally make use of the word "State" to mean all the collection of institutions, political, legislative, judicial, military, financial, etc., by means of which management of their own affairs, the guidance of their personal conduct, and the care of ensuring their own safety are taken from the people and confided to certain individuals, and these, whether by usurpation or delegation, are invested with the right to make laws over and for all, and to constrain the public to respect them, making use of the collective force of the community to this end.

Errico Malatesta

We follow ideas and not men, and rebel against this habit of embodying a principle in a man.

Errico Malatesta

If you say that you reject violence when it exceeds the limits imposed by the needs of defense, they accuse you of pacifism, without understanding that violence is the whole essence of authoritarianism, just as the repudiation of violence is the whole essence of anarchism.

Errico Malatesta

By anarchist spirit I mean that deeply human sentiment, which aims at the good of all, freedom and justice for all, solidarity and love among the people; which is not an exclusive characteristic only of self-declared anarchists, but inspires all people who have a generous heart and an open mind...

Errico Malatesta

We must make people aware of the misfortunes they suffer and of their chances to destroy them. We must awaken sympathy in everybody for the misfortunes of others and a warm desire for the good of all people.

Errico Malatesta

Our first task therefore must be to persuade people.

Errico Malatesta

It is therefore necessary to state what are the means which in our opinion lead to our desired ends, and which we propose to adopt.

Errico Malatesta

We have outlined under a number of headings our objectives and the ideal for which we struggle.

Errico Malatesta

What matters most is that people, all men, lose their sheepish instincts and habits that the millennial slavery inspired them, and they learn to think and act freely.

Errico Malatesta

We are neither for a majority nor for a minority government; neither for democracy not for dictatorship. We are for the abolition of the gendarme. We are for the freedom of all and for free agreement, which will be there for all when no one has the means to force others, and all are involved in the good running of society. We are for anarchy.

Errico Malatesta

The only limit to the oppression of government is the power with which the people show themselves capable of opposing it.

Errico Malatesta

Not whether we accomplish anarchism today, tomorrow, or within ten centuries, but that we walk towards anarchism today, tomorrow, and always.

Errico Malatesta

Impossibility never prevented anything from happening.

Errico Malatesta

Hate does not produce love, and by hate one cannot remake the world.

Errico Malatesta

While preaching against every kind of government, and demanding complete freedom, we must support all struggles for partial freedom, because we are convinced that one learns through struggle.

Errico Malatesta

For anarchy to succeed or simply to advance towards its success it must be conceived not only as a lighthouse which illuminates and attracts, but as something possible and attainable, not in centuries to come, but in a relatively short time and without relying on miracles.

Errico Malatesta

Government means the right to make the law and to impose it on everyone by force: without a police force there is no government.

Errico Malatesta

Theoretically "democracy" means popular government; government by all for everybody by the efforts of all.

Errico Malatesta

The "government of all the people", if we have to have government, can at best be only the government of the majority.

Errico Malatesta

However, I deny that that kind of individualists can be included among anarchists, despite their liking for calling themselves so.

Errico Malatesta

To conquer power one needs qualities that are not exactly those that are needed to ensure that justice and well-being will triumph in the world.

Errico Malatesta

Others invent more or less complicated system of mutuality. But in the long run it is always the searching for a more secure guarantee of freedom which is the common factor among anarchists, and which divides them into different schools.

Errico Malatesta