Best part of the book by far was his critique of Capitalism, its inherent flaws, the abuses it is intrinsically subject to no matter how good intentions may be, and how exploitation and suffering are innate to the system.
A well spoken, well informed, and insightful chapter or two laying out the problem with capitalism.
And then it's all downhill from there.
Just an agonizing cascade of ridiculous assertions that had me asking every two pages or so “Has Kropotkin every actually met people?”
Utopian? Naively idealistic? It's almost like reading “human being fan fiction” where the entire working class is a poorly written Mary Sue.
His insight into the flaws of capitalism is matched and probably exceeded by lack of insight into how human beings function, especially how they function in times of strife, especially especially how they function in times of lawlessness and disorder, especially especially especially how they function in time of strife and lawlessness and disorder when no obligatory hierarchy or power structure binds them to anything beyond what is personally dictated by a loose sense of fraternal cooperation.
I genuinely don't see the appeal.
The most disappointing part of all is that about a year ago a moderator on this forum told me I should go read this book when I accused anarchist of only being good at highlighting problems with capitalism, but being woefully inadequate when it comes to proposing functional solutions. I was told I was ignorant, and needed to educate myself on the subject of anarchism and needed to read some of the foundational literature, such as the defense of bread.
I did so, and this book, by one of the luminaries of anarchism, is only slightly more insightful that about 100 Reddit rants and blog posts that I’ve read before.