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| Mackay, John Henry, The Freedomseeker. The Psychology of a Development. Freiburg: Mackay-Gesellschaft, 1983. 198 pages. Paperback. |  |
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Drawing on his own experience, Mackay portrays Foerster's life as a search for meaning in a world suffering under the brutal and oppressive force wielded by those in authority, and embodied in the State. It is the story of an individual's struggle against - and triumph over - domination, hypocrisy and despair. And in the course of the narrative, the author's philosophy of individual sovereignty and equal freedom unfolds in fine details and in broad flowing strokes.
This is the first English language edition of Mackay's bold and beautiful classic which he originally published in Germany in 1920.
Summary of Chapter Contents
Chapter One THE CHILD
In the White Cradle 10 Name 11 Parents 11 Marriage and Separation 12 In the House by the Lake 12 First Steps 13 First Impressions 13 The Child Grows 13 The First No 13 Reading and Writing 14 The Friend of the House 15 The First Weapon 15 A Human Being in Name 16 Affirmation of Life 16 Still a Child 17
Chapter Two THE BOY
The First Great Loss 18 Dragged Away 18 Stranger among Strangers 19 Upbringing 20 Mistrust 20 First Discord 21 School 22 Teachers 22 Executioner 22 Parents 23 First Acquaintances 23 Young 23 . . . and Old 24 Double Life 24 God? 25 Class Differences 26 A Liar 27 Confirmation 28 Child becomes Boy 28 Freedom: First Whisper 29 Beginning of the Path 29 First Awareness 30
Chapter Three THE YOUTH
The Small Town 31 The Grey Years 31 Fellow Pupils 32 ... and Teachers 32 Learning 33 . . . and Enduring 33 Purpose of the School 34 Best of all Friends 34 Year after Year 35 Rebellion and 'Conspiracy 36 On the Heights 36 The Decisive Hour 37 The Final Break 38 Another Farewell 39 The Boy becomes a Youth . . . 40 The Voice of Freedom 40 Now a Youth 40
Chapter Four THE THINKER
University 42 The Daily Struggle 42 Over the Mountains 43 Sigh of Relief 44 Taking Stock 44 Profession 46 Objective 47 "Honour" 47 A True Teacher 49 God 50 The Life Force 50 Law of Matter 51 Evolution 51 Struggle for Existence 52 Imperfect Nature 52 Universe, Earth and Man 53 Deliberation 53 New Horizons 54 The Youth as a Brooder 55 Freedom: Longing 55 Now a Thinker 56
Chapter Five THE SCEPTIC
London 57 People and Circles 58 Battle Cry 58 Silent Struggle 58 Contrasts 59 The Abyss 60 First Questions 61 Socialist or non-Socialist 62 The Socialist Movement 62 Change 63 First Impression 64 The Question above all Questions 65 Paris 66 Doubts 67 The Brooder as a Sceptic 67 Freedom: Hope 68 Now a Sceptic 69
Chapter Six THE DESPAIRER
Longing for Peace 70 The House on the Hill 70 Calm after the Storm 71 Words 71 Force 72 Force against Force 73 Application of Force 73 Recoil 73 Fever of Indignation 74 The Sceptic in Despair 75 Freedom: a Word 75 Despair 75
Chapter Seven THE SEEKER
Berlin 77 First Impression 77 Settling In 78 The Reporter 78 Own Thoughts 78 Unprejudiced 79 In the Vestibule 79 The Starting Point 79 The Concept of Force 80 The Practice of Force 80 The State 80 The Force of the State 81 The State's Demand for Power. 81 Society and the State 82 True Objectives of the State . . 83 Disorder and Inequality 84 Artificial Inequality 84 Privileges 84 Labour and Exchange 85 Money 85 Money as a Commodity 85 The Premier Monopoly 85 Interest 86 Usury 86 Capital 86 The Results of Interest 87 The Second Monopoly 87 Other Monopolies 87 Intervention 88 The State — the Enemy 89 Activities 90 At the Parting of the Ways . . . 90 The Written Word 92 Literature 93 The Movement Again 94 Lawmakers 94 . . . and Judges 95 Reforms 96 Socialists of the Heart 97 and of the Head 97 Thoroughness 98 Love 98 Deserting the Colours 100 Switzerland 102 Leavetaking 103 From Despair to becoming a Seeker 103 Freedom: A Promise 104 Now a Seeker 104
Chapter Eight THE FINDER
Zurich 106 Peace 106 Once again, the Movement . . 107 Summer 108 Space 108 The Concept: Freedom 108 Freedom Complete and Entire 109 A Long and Proud Procession 109 Freedom of Thought 110 Freedom of Expression 110 Freedom of Labour 110 Freedom of Currency 110 Fepedom of Commerce 111 Freedom of Land 111 Other Freedoms 112 The Two Directions 112 Differences 113 Anirchy 114 Communism 115 Individualist Anarchism 118 An Offer 120 Another Ascent 120 A Sick Society 123 The Real Enemies of Freedom 123 And Its False Friends 123 The Seeker a Finder 124 Freedom: Fulfilment 124 Findings 125
Chapter Nine THE VICTOR
New Activities 126 Egoism and Altruism 128 Pressures and Counterpressures 129 Moralities 129 Rights and Duties 130 The Contract 130 Self-interest 131 Love and Egoism 132 Review 133 Need for a State? 133 State Suppression of Competition 134 Post and Railways 134 The Same in All Things' 135 Objections 136 Crime and Protection 137 Care of the Weak 139 Clever Questions 140 Sceptics and "Objectivists" .. 140 . . . and Unbelievers 141 The "True" State 142 Equality 142 Demand for a State 143 Victory for the "Principle of Equality" 144 State in its Various Forms. . . 145 Who is the Criminal? 146 Violation by the State 146 Greatest of All Criminals 147 The Lie of "The Welfare of the Community" 147 "Might is Right" 148 State as Caretaker 149 Aggressive and Passive 150 Three World-Views 151 Life: as it is 152 ... and as it Should be' 153 Change 154 The Finder — the Victor 155 Freedom: a Reality 156 Now a Victor 157
Chapter Ten THE MAN
Paris Again 158 Canard Auban .. . ..... . . . 158 Auban and Foerster 159 Friends 159 Force or Enlightenment? . . . 160 Passive Resistance 161 Taxes 162 Refusal to Pay 163 The New Criminals 165 Force — a Last Resort 165 Bloodless Path 166 Do Not Forbid, but... 166 Gradual Change 167 Disintegration of the State . . 168 Liquidation and Death 169 Freedom not a Spotless Ideal. 170 Fanatics of Absolute Freedom 170 What Remained 171 -When, Finally? 172 Why so Slowly? 173 Unanswerable Question 175 In the Meantime 176 The Utopia of Force 177 Last Struggles 178 When 179 It Could Never Come to This 180 Even So 180 Clear Categories 184 True Anarchists 186 The Third Ascent 186 Hard Work 188 In Praise of Freedom 190 Farewell 192 The Victor — a Man 193 Freedom: Life 193 Close 194
