God and the State - Classic Text | Alexandria
God and the State, an unfinished manuscript by Russian anarchist philosopher Mikhail Bakunin (1814-1876), stands as one of the most influential critiques of religious authority and state power in radical political thought. Written between 1870-1871 during the tumultuous period of the Paris Commune, this fragmentary work represents the crystallization of Bakunin's mature philosophical and political ideas, though it remained incomplete at his death and was first published posthumously in 1882.
The text emerged during a period of intense social upheaval and revolutionary ferment across Europe, as traditional hierarchies of church and state faced unprecedented challenges from new political movements. Bakunin's manuscript was conceived amid his bitter ideological struggles with Karl Marx in the First International, where their competing visions of revolutionary transformation led to a historic split in the socialist movement. The work's genesis can be traced through Bakunin's earlier writings and his experiences as a revolutionary activist, including his participation in the 1848 revolutions and subsequent imprisonment.
At its core, God and the State presents a systematic critique of the twin authorities of religion and government, arguing that both institutions operate through similar mechanisms of mystification and coercion to maintain human servitude. Bakunin's provocative analysis weaves together philosophical materialism, radical atheism, and libertarian socialism, while introducing innovative concepts about the relationship between knowledge, power, and human emancipation. The text's fragmentary nature, with its abrupt transitions and unfinished arguments, paradoxically adds to its allure, inviting readers to engage actively with its ideas.
The work's influence extends far beyond anarchist circles, inspiring generations of radical thinkers, artists, and activists. Its critique of institutional authority remains startlingly relevant to contemporary debates about secularism, state power, and human freedom. Modern scholars continue to discover new layers of meaning in Bakunin's text, particularly in its prescient analysis of the relationship between scientific expertise and political authority. The manuscript's complex publication history, involving multiple versions and translations, adds another dimension of intrigue to its legacy, raising questions about how Bakunin might have completed his masterwork had circumstances been different.