from : The ABC of Anarchism by Alexander Berkman It is very likely, of course, that if you should then see people gorge themselves while you go hungry, you would demand a chance to eat, and you would be perfectly right in that. And so would every one else, which means that people would not stand for any one hogging all the good things in life; they would want to share in them. It means further that the poor would refuse to stay poor while others wallow in luxury. It means that the worker will decline to give up his product to the boss who claims to "own" the factory and everything that is made there. It means that the farmer will not permit thousands of acres to lie idle while he has not enough soil to support himself and family. It means that no one will monopolise the land or the machinery of production. It means that the private ownership of the SOURCES OF LIFE will not be tolerated any more. It will be considered the greatest crime for some to own more than they can use in a dozen lifetimes, while their neighbours have not enough bread for their children. It means that all men will share in the social wealth, and that all will help to produce that wealth. It means, in short, that for the first time in history right, justice and equality would triumph instead of law. You see therefore that doing away with government also signifies the abolition of monopoly and of personal ownership of the means of production and distribution. It follows that when government is abolished, wage slavery and capitalism must also go with it, because they cannot exist without the support and protection of government.....Such a condition of things where there was liberty instead of government would be Anarchy. And where equality of use would take the place of private ownership, would be Communism.....Anarchist communism...means voluntary communism, communism from free choice. Page 11 "But will not life under anarchy, in economic and social equality, mean general levelling?" you ask. No, my dear friend, quite the contrary. Because equality does not mean an equal amount but equal OPPORTUNITY. It does not mean, for instance, that if Smith needs five meals a day, Johnson also must have as many. If Johnson wants only five meals while Smith requires five, the quantity each consumes may be unequal, but both men are perfectly equal in the opportunity each has to consume as much as he needs, as much as his particular nature demands. Do not make the mistake of identifying equality in liberty with the forced equality of the convict camp. True anarchist equality implies freedom, not quantity. It does not mean that every one must eat, drink, or wear the same things, do the same work, or live in the same manner. Far from it: the very reverse, in fact. Individual needs and tastes differ, as appetities differ. It is EQUAL opportunity to satisfy them that constitues true equality. Far from levelling, such equality opens the door for the greatest possible variety of activity and development. For human character is diverse, and only the repression of this free diversity results in levelling, in uniformity and sameness. Free opportunity and acting out your individuality means development of natural dissimilarities and variations......Life in freedom, in anarchy will do more than liberate man merely from his present political and economic bondage. That will be only the first step, the preliminary to a truly human existence. page 25 The revolution abolishes private ownership of the means of production and distribution, and with it goes capitalistic business. Personal possession remains only in the things you use, Thus, your watch is your own, but the watch factory belongs to the people, land, machinery, and all other public utilities will be collective property, neither to be bought nor sold. Actual use will be considered the only title - not to ownership but to possession. The organisation of the coal miners, for example, will be in charge of the coal mines, not as owners but as the operating agency. Similarly will the railroad brotherhood run the railroads, and so on. Collective possession, co-operatively managed in the interests of the community, will take the place of personal ownership privately, conducted for profit....To make bigger profits the coal owners artifically limit the output, and the same throughout the capitalistic system. With the abolition of capitalism no one would be interested in raising the price of coal or limiting its supply. As much coal will be mined as will be necessary to satisfy the need. Similarly will as much food will be raised as the country needs. It will be the REQUIREMENTS of the community and the supply obtaining which will deterime the amount it is to receive. This applies to coal and food as to all other needs of the people. page 68-69