Walsall Anarchists Mass Meeting 1894

Walsall Anarchists Mass Meeting, 1894

The 'Walsall Anarchists' were a group of anarchists arrested on explosive charges in Walsall in 1892. The planned bombings are now known to have been instigated by Auguste Coulon, a Special Branch agent provocateur.

Three of the anarchists, Fred Charles, Jean Battola and Victor Cails, were sentenced to ten years in prison, while one, Joe Deakin, was sentenced to five years. Two were found not guilty.

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Anarchist ideas evolved over centuries, with elements traceable to the European Enlightenment, the English Revolution, and the French Revolution.

In the 19th century, anarchism significantly influenced early trade unions and workers' organizations.

Anarchists played a key role in the development of the International Workingmen’s Association (known as the First International). However, they clashed with Marx and his followers over the question of capturing state power and were eventually expelled. The history of the International and its successor organizations became closely tied to the development of Marx’s vision of communism and the concept of the dictatorship of the proletariat.

During this period anarchism became associated with the concept of “propaganda by deed” – taking actions that were intended to inspire others to take actions; and “mutual aid” – a belief that progress is best achieved through working together rather than competition.

Towards the end of the 19th century and into the first half of the 20th century, anarchists developed mass movements across the globe, particularly in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries. In these regions, revolutionary trade unionism—or anarcho-syndicalism—took hold, emphasizing direct action to achieve goals rather than parliamentary representation.

Modern anarchism is more fragmented, but most anarchists still share a common opposition to capitalism and the state.