Peter Kropotkin's "The Conquest of Bread": A Revolutionary Analysis of Human Sustenance

Scott Farmer: Very well-written. Explains communism and anarchy in a way the average person could understand.

United States on May 22, 2023

Magmnus S.: Most people cannot understand the language used in the book, so if you are not reading at a college level, this will be a tough read. I will say however that you can make someone (who doesn’t already have predisposition against such things) understand the entirety of why people are anti-capitalist (or anti-feudalist, looking at you Americans) by having them read just the first chapter. Those two pages swiftly disassemble the low level propaganda that unbigoted but media consuming people (media as in movies, books, art, commercials, etc; not including news) have subconsciously accepted.

United States on Sep 02, 2022

Saikumar: It is a good book which needs to be read.

India on May 12, 2022

Randy Lahey: The content of the book (Krapotkin's writing) is excellent, but this edition is rather strange in a few ways.

The font size is nice and easy to read but there are no page numbers and odd symbols are randomly inserted in place of punctuation and numbers in some instances. Still easily readable, just odd.

How strange it is to buy a book from a company that the book itslef implicitly argues against. Another contadiction within capitalism -- a system under which even its oposition is commodified.

Canada on Jul 23, 2020

Richard Sharpe: This is a life-changing book. Well, in my case it was. Between them, The Conquest of Bread & Mutual Aid explain Kropotkin's thinking. Unlike many philosophers, PK is very readable, allowing the reader into his world which he builds brick by brick until the whole vision is seen in all its magnificence.
It is a picture of a world built from cooperation rather than competition; aid, not war.
This book turned me from a middle of the road social democrat, to a card carrying anarcho-communist, so beware: if you read this book, you might be changed.

United Kingdom on Oct 04, 2019

Nat Culwell: I've finally gotten around to reading this after years of putting it off. I guess I've become one of those "idlers" Kropotkin spoke of. This book was certainly enlightening, and I would consider myself already a subscriber to anarchist ideology. I've previously read Bakunin, Malatesta, and Goldman, now I can say I've read the Prince. Would highly recommend to anyone who has a basic understanding of socialism, and/or comes from the left. For those that don't I would recommend starting with "Markets, Not Capitalism" put out by Center For a Stateless Society (C4SS) to get a better grasp and shed some light on the pro-capitalist propaganda we've all been raised with and had reinforced into us by society. Cheers!

United States on Jan 01, 2017

Mark Brown: Peter Kropotkin lays out the basic principles and philosophy of anarcho-communism in this classic. His examples and descriptions of applying the economics of anarcho-communism are straightforward and based on practicality (based in the period the book was written) ... not a Utopian, pie-in-the-sky vision.

While the book is dated, the principles and their applicability remain relevant. The reader simply needs to keep an open mind and challenge himself/herself to creatively apply the principles in their own mind to today's economic, social and political environment. While the text gets somewhat boring and repetitive in the latter half of the book to document (prove) the economic principles, I strongly urge the reader to work through it as there are some "gems" to be found.

The differences between anarchism and Marxism are easily determined in this easy-to-read and understand book.

A recommended this book for those wanting to learn the foundational basics of anarcho-communism directly from the "father" of anarcho-communism.

United States on Jul 24, 2016

Deniz Yildirim: A perfect insight to late 19th century, he is basically discussing the problems of current economical problems and offering solutions with anarchist communist genre. Loved his way of reasoning, for example "after the revolution will you seize peoples belongings like coats ? What if one has 10 luxury coats and does not wants to share ? Will we force him to share his coats ? No ! Because coats are not a tool for production nor they are not properties like houses and lands. So They can stay ! Anyway after the revolution those highly luxurious ornamented coats won't look cool because of the peoples view of beauty and perception."

So he is basically bringing one of the modern era design concepts into the field by stating that coats that are plainly designed to "function and perform will look better". A must read for every comrade out there.

United States on Feb 04, 2016

David Mottershead: Some nonsensical assumptions about human behaviour confuse the presentation of both relevant and practical ideas.

United Kingdom on Jul 21, 2015

Patrick Fox: Many books written by Revolutionary Left philosophers tends to have the tone and message of "I rebel because I can" or "All are equal but some are more equal that others" which I sadly fine with Bakunin and Goldman.
Conquest of Bread is different. I provides not only a reason why people should take control of their life's and works but why it is better to work together, how it should be done, the benefits it provides all and is wrote with a level-headed and hopeful tone.
Food, housing, education, luxury,production, all of it is discussed in the clearest manner and argues the pragmatic as well as the moral need for collective society. It also looks at the failures of previous revolts and what can be learnt from them as well as warning us plebs from blindly flowing a middle-class revolutionary (Robespierre, Paris Commune leaders etc) when any revolution must be the peoples, lead by the people for the people, not some vanguard which sadly came to dominant most socialist revolts from the 1910's onwards.

United Kingdom on Aug 17, 2012