In this discussion, guests Ruth Kinna, a political theory professor, Lee Dugatkin, a biology professor, and Simon Dixon, a Russian history expert, delve into the life of Peter Kropotkin, the Russian prince turned anarchist. They explore Kropotkin's radical ideas on mutual aid, challenging Darwinian views of survival, and his influential writings that shaped anarchist thought. The guests also highlight Kropotkin's interactions with Lenin, his time in exile, and the enduring relevance of his cooperative principles in both society and nature.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Early Life and Disillusionment
As a pageboy, young Kropotkin witnessed both reformist ideas and the less appealing aspects of court society.
This early exposure shaped his multifaceted intellectual life and later aversion to traditional aristocratic career paths.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Rejecting Privilege and Witnessing Injustice
Kropotkin, a precocious child, rejected his princely title at 12 and was uncomfortable with aspects of Russian life.
He disliked courtly flattery, bureaucratic sterility, and the inhumanity of serfdom, particularly after witnessing it on his family’s estates.
insights INSIGHT
Siberian Transformation
Kropotkin chose Siberia for research, educational pursuits, and a chance to contribute to positive change in Russia.
He initially believed in top-down reform but his Siberian experience shifted his perspective towards grassroots change and community trust.
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This book, published in 1805, was a pioneering work in the field of plant geography. It detailed the relationship between plants and their environments, focusing on factors such as altitude, climate, and geography. Humboldt's work laid the groundwork for modern environmental science and biogeography.
Conquest of Bread
Peter Kropotkin
Conquest of Bread
Peter Kropotkin
The theory of moral sentiments
Adam Smith
Published in 1759, 'The Theory of Moral Sentiments' is Adam Smith's first major published work, based on his lectures at Glasgow University. The book argues that morality is driven by humanity's natural sociability and the need for approval from peers, rather than by rational calculation or innate moral sense. Smith introduces key concepts such as sympathy, the impartial spectator, and the invisible hand, which explain how individuals judge the conduct and character of themselves and others. The work delves into the emotional and social aspects of human behavior, highlighting the role of emotions like pity and compassion in shaping moral sentiments and behaviors[1][3][4].
What Is Property?
Pierre Proudhon
Pierre Proudhon's "What is Property?" is a seminal work of anarchist thought. It presents a radical critique of private property, arguing that it is inherently unjust and leads to social inequality. Proudhon advocates for a society based on mutualism, a form of anarchism that emphasizes cooperation and voluntary association. His work is known for its provocative arguments and its influence on later anarchist and socialist movements. The book's central question, "What is property?" remains a powerful and relevant challenge to conventional notions of ownership.
Mutual Aid
Peter Kropotkin
Peter Kropotkin's Mutual Aid explores the role of cooperation in evolution and society, challenging the prevailing notion of a solely competitive struggle for survival. Kropotkin argues that mutual aid, or cooperation, is a fundamental aspect of life, evident across various species and human societies. He uses numerous examples from natural history and human societies to illustrate how cooperation enhances survival and adaptation. The book's central thesis is that cooperation is not merely a secondary phenomenon but a primary driving force in evolution and social development. Kropotkin's work has had a lasting impact on anarchist thought and continues to inspire contemporary discussions on cooperation, social organization, and the potential for a more just and equitable society.
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Russian prince who became a leading anarchist and famous scientist. Kropotkin (1842 - 1921) was born into privilege, very much in the highest circle of Russian society as a pageboy for the Tsar, before he became a republican in childhood and dropped the title 'Prince'. While working in Siberia, he started reading about anarchism and that radicalised him further, as did his observations of Siberian villagers supporting each other without (or despite) a role for the State. He made a name for himself as a geographer but soon his politics landed him in jail in St Petersburg, from which he escaped to exile in England where he was fêted, with growing fame leading to lecture tours in the USA. His time in Siberia also inspired his ideas on the importance of mutual aid in evolution, a counter to the dominant idea from Darwin and Huxley that life was a gladiatorial combat in which only the fittest survived. Kropotkin became such a towering figure in public life that, returning to Russia, he was able to challenge Lenin without reprisal, and Lenin in turn permitted his enormous public funeral there, attended by 20,000 mourners.
With
Ruth Kinna
Professor of Political Theory at Loughborough University
Lee Dugatkin
Professor of Biology at the University of Louisville
And
Simon Dixon
The Sir Bernard Pares Professor of Russian History at University College London
In Our Time 
