1. Pierre-Joseph Proudhon was born at BesanÇon in 1809. At first he followed the occupation of a printer there and in other cities. In 1838 a stipend of the Academy of BesanÇon enabled him to go to Paris for scientific studies. In 1843 he took a mercantile position at Lyons. In 1847 he gave it up and moved to Paris.

Here, in the years from 1848 to 1850, Proudhon published several periodicals, one after the other. In 1848 he became a member of the National Assembly. In 1849 he founded a People's Bank. Soon after this he was condemned to three years' imprisonment for an offence against the press laws, and served his time without having to interrupt his activity as an author.

In 1852 Proudhon was released from prison. He remained in Paris till, in 1858, he was again condemned to three years' imprisonment for an offence against the press laws. He fled and settled in Brussels. In 1860 he was pardoned, and returned to France. Thenceforth he lived at Passy. He died there in 1865.

Proudhon published many books and other writings, especially in the fields of jurisprudence, political economy, and politics.

2. Of special importance for Proudhon's teaching about law, the State, and property are, among the writings before 1848, the book "Qu'est-ce que la propriÉtÉ? ou recherches sur le principe du droit et du gouvernement" (1840) and the two-volume work "SystÈme des contradictions Économiques, ou philosophie de la misÈre" (1846); among the writings from 1848 to 1851 the "Confessions d'un rÉvolutionnaire" (1849) and the "IdÉe gÉnÉrale de la rÉvolution au XIXe siÈcle" (1851); and lastly, among the writings after 1851, the three-volume work "De la justice dans la rÉvolution et dans l'Eglise, nouveaux principes de philosophie pratique" (1858) and the book "Du principe fÉdÉratif et de la nÉcessitÉ de reconstituer le parti de la rÉvolution" (1863).[125]

Proudhon's teaching regarding law, the State, and property underwent changes in minor points, but remained the same in its essentials; the opinion that it changed also in essentials is caused by Proudhon's arbitrary and varying use of language. Since no history of the evolution of Proudhon's teaching can be given here, I shall present, so far as concerns such minor points, only the teaching of 1848-51, in which years Proudhon developed his views with especial clearness and did especially forcible work for them.

3. Proudhon calls his teaching about law, the State, and property "Anarchism." "'What form of government shall we prefer?' 'Can you ask?' replies one of my younger readers without doubt; 'you are a Republican.' 'Republican, yes; but this word makes nothing definite. Res publica is "the public thing"; now, whoever wants the public thing, under whatever form of government, may call himself a Republican. Even kings are Republicans.' 'Well, you are a Democrat.' 'No.' 'What? can you be a Monarchist?' 'No.' 'A Constitutionalist?' 'I should hope not.' 'You are an Aristocrat then?' 'Not a bit.' 'You want a mixed government, then?' 'Still less.' 'What are you then?' 'I am an Anarchist.'"[126]