Anarchy or Chaos

Driven by the urge for complete freedom from colonialism, authoritarianism, fascism and militarism, and rooted in the idea and politics of the nation-state, Acharya (1887-1954) fought for an international vision of socialism and freedom. During the tumultuous opening decades of the 1900s--marked by the globalisation of radical inter-revolutionary struggles, world wars, the rise of communism and fascism, and the growth of colonial independence movements--Acharya allied himself with pacifists, anarchists, radical socialists and anticolonial fighters in exile, championing a future free from any form of oppression, whether by colonial rulers or native masters. Drawing on a wealth of archival material, private correspondence and other primary sources, Laursen demonstrates that, among his contemporaries, Acharya's turn to anarchism was unique and pioneering in the struggle for Indian independence. 'Anarchy or Chaos' is the first comprehensive study of M. P. T. Acharya. It offers a new understanding of the global and entangled history of anarchism and anticolonialism in the first half of the twentieth century.