Illegalism is an Anarchist ideology and philosophy which claims that criminality is just another lifestyle.
History
Influenced by
Illegalism is mostly influenced by thought of Max Stirner and Anarcho-Individualism in general.
Proto-
Horizontal criminal groups existed majority civilization history, but first criminal groups associated with anarchism started in 20 century. Their activity was mostly in France, Italy, Belgium and Switzerland.
Bonnot Gang
Bonnot Gang (in french La Bande à Bonnot) is a french anarcho-individualist and illegalist informal organization, that embraced destruction of society as a goal. It was started by sympathizers of Anarcho-Individualism, that invented the idea of breaking the law as an attempt to spread anarchist ideas and create insecurity in the government that was considered as main enemies by individualist anarchists. The leader of the gang was Jules Bonnot. The idea of the gang was inspired by Max Stirner, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon and Friedrich Nietzsche. In this group, there were idealistic anarchists and normal criminals.
History of Bonnot Gang
In 1911 gang has robbed money from bank by using stolen car. Week after it gang members broke in shop with guns and robbed several dozen of different types of weapons, and then killed rich industrialist Moreau and robbing his money. Gang specialized in stealing cars from garages. In 1912 Bonnot gang robbed gun factory in Paris, and then robbed next cars. During terrorist attacks they killed several police officers and bankers. Gang members were most wanted criminals, police from whole country searched them, and combating them was most important theme in media. After next attack police increased their resources for prosecuting criminals. The effect was imprisoning big part of gang members, only Bonnot and few others survived free. Bonnot died during shooting with police by gunshot wounds to the head. Rest members were surrounded in house by police and military, house was exploded and both died. Gang members were convicted to death penalty, but finally they got a life sentence.
Downfall
Illegalism is considered even by many individualist anarchists as suicidal praxis, so illegalism today isn't that popular, and today more popular is Insurrectionary Anarchism. Below are mentioned most significant insurrectionary groups.
Examples
IRL Examples
Most memorable example is mentioned above Bonnot Gang. Other are insurrectionary anarchist and individualist groups like Conspiracy of Fire Nuclei or Informal Anarchist Federation. Except ideologically aligned groups they still works unorganized and horizontal criminal groups.
Fictional Examples
One of example of illegalism in fiction can be Fight Club/Project Mayhem from movie Fight Club. At the beginning fight club specialized with illegal fights only, later in vandalism and terrorism. WIP
Comparissons
Insurrectionary Anarchism
Illegalism and Insurrectionism differs slightly in goals and theory. Some insurrectionary anarchists wants to change society and create something better, free territories without government and capitalism, while illegalists cares only about self interests without end goal.
Anarcho-Egoism
When Egoism is philosophy, Illegalism is one of possible actions and lifestyles related to this philosophy.
Intellectuals
Renzo Novatore
Renzo Novatore was an Italian anarcho-individualist poet, philosopher and militant. He is mostly known for book "Towards the Creative Nothing". His ideology was inspired mostly by Max Stirner, Friedrich Nietzsche and Charles Baudelaire. WIP
Foundations and Beliefs
Tenets
As core tenets of ideology can be considered:
- Lack of hierarchical and structured organization.
- Criminality as another lifestyle.
- Law as artificial institution that has no power to rule individual.
- Negation of authorities.
- Opposition towards work and legal markets.
Theory
Stemming from the Individualist branch, it often uses the philosophy of Anarcho-Egoism to justify its means, which most commonly includes theft and shoplifting, however, this may be expanded to include any crime which may improve its wellbeing. Illegalists also oppose legal markets and wage labor. It is false to assume that any criminal organization (except anarchist groups with ideas) practice Illegalism, it's still an anarchist and influenced by Stirner's Union of Egoists, so it is a horizontal unity of people, while most criminal organizations are hierarchical.
Variants
Internal conflicts in ideology
Social anarchists often considers Illegalism as nihilistic and bourgeois philosophy, because of capitalist interpretation of freedom and competition, that wastes power in fighting, instead of creating better life for workers just creating chaos. Accusations also came from individualist anarchists, as complete lack of respect towards other individuals and any ethical values. Some of them accuses Illegalism for being mass suicide.
Factions in Ideology
In illegalist organizations, like Bonnot Gang there were idealistic anarchists, and regular criminals.
Personality and Behaviour
How it acts
- Unorganized gang member
- Kleptomaniac
Aesthetics
- Obnoxiously French.
How to draw
Flags
Props
- Fedora
- Eyepatch/Stirner's glasses
- Gun
- Robbed money bag
- Drugs
Drawing
- Draw a ball.
- Draw a line in near-black diagonally across the ball.
- Fill the bottom half of the ball with the same near-black color, and fill the top half with teal.
- Draw a white Anarchy symbol in the middle.
- Draw a big exclamation point (!) in the center of the "A".
- Add the eyes, and you're done!
- (Optional) Add a fedora and/or an eyepatch.
Color Name | HEX | RGB | |
---|---|---|---|
Black | #141414 | 20, 20, 20 | |
Teal | #036A66 | 3, 106, 102 | |
White | #FFFFFF | 255, 255, 255 |
Relationships
Partners in Crime
- Anarchism - Embrace that anarchy IS chaos!
- Anarcho-Egoism - No spooks, only our ego.
- Queer Anarchism - So what if being LGBT is illegal in many places in the world? That just makes me want to do it more!
- Anarcho-Individualism - Anarchy is just a lifestyle.
- Anarcho-Nihilism - My philosophy. Reject politics, kill authorities, fuck work!
- Insurrectionary Anarchism - Like me but more politically minded.
- Hydrarchy - An old friend from across the sea.
- Soulism - My 1st weed and other drugs consumer.
- Kaczynskism - Sending bombs via mail is based! I love your praxis.
- Avaritionism - Member of my crime syndicate, les voleurs d’ego.
Neutral
- Post-Left Anarchism - Brother, you're a fool to fight for causes. And theory is for NERDS, only praxis matters!
- Agorism - Black markets are BASED! But why do you want to ban red markets? Selling organs and stolen things is based too!
- Libertarianism - You hate monopolies but usually follow the law? CRINGE!
- Anarcho-Capitalism - Fake individualist moralist, but has lot of stuff to steal.
- Ego-Communism - You wanna be a selfish bastard like me but you're still a commie!
- Communalism - I agree that if I want something I can just take it, but I will NOT give you MY property.
- Apoliticism - You hate politics but you’re spooked by law? Cringe.
- Manosphere - I see nothing wrong in rape and incel shootings, but enslavement of women isn't good either.
- Anarcho-Fascism - You’re too concerned about all this “tradition and nation” BS.
- Antifa - I may like riots, but I am only here to loot and kill and I don't care about your selfless cause! Also, many of you are statist.
Lawtards
- Kleptocracy - I'm not like you, organized criminality cooperating with the state is the worst sh*t!
- Gerontocracy - HAND OVER THE PURSE!!!
- Fascism - Anti-individualist!
- National Socialism - Anti-individualist!
- Marxism–Leninism - Anti-individualist!
- Bankocracy - Put the money in the bag! PUT IT IN!!
- Plutocracy - *turns on the bomb* STEP AWAY FROM THE VAULT! YOU HAVE TEN SECONDS TO TELL ME THE COMBINATION! TEN, NINE..!
- Caudillismo - Holy sh*t stop shooting at me!
- Kritarchy - Suspend the trial! *points gun* I repeat, SUSPEND THE TRIAL!
- Police Statism - YOU’LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE! *pew pew*
Just admit that you are basically him. - Platformism - F*ck your organization, fake anarchist!
- Anarcho-Syndicalism - When you say syndicates we think about two different types of organization, and f*ck your bureaucracy!
- Legalism - Yes, I am motivated by my self-interest. Do you think you aren’t?
- Liberal Feminism - Aah, what a beautiful woman walking alone tonight. Now, *pulls her aside*
let's take off your clothes and let the fun begin. - Everyone else - I'm coming for your property!
Bibliography
Literature
TBA
Primary Literature
Renzo Novatore
TBA
Further Information
Websites
TBA
Wikipedia
Online Communities
TBA
Subreddits
TBA
Videos
TBA
People
TBA
Organizations
Groups
Gallery
Comics
Citations
Libertarian Unity - Sex, Drugs, and looking good in Thigh Highs | |
Moderate | |
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Main | Ultimate Ideal |
Self-Insert | File:FPCB Reform.png FreePCB Reformism • Zelligism |
Egoists - Everything I dislike is a spook. Problem? | |
Main | Anarcho-Egoism • Ego-Communism |
---|---|
Self-Inserts | Baxism • Zelligism • Eleutherianism |