The Peasants Hate Them All

Bakunin says the peasants are not communists. They hate and fear those who would abolish private property, at least in their imagination. The vast majority of the city workers, owning no property, are immeasurably more inclined towards communism than are the peasants. But here and elsewhere in his writings, bakunan is clear that he does not think this can be overcome by the mass confiscation of private property. That would trigger a back lash. He thinks it must happen slowly and carefully. Critically, he thinks it must be undertaken by the peasants themselves, not by outside agents or revolutionary commissaurs from the city.