Beer and Revolution

Download or read book Beer and Revolution written by Tom Goyens and published by University of Illinois Press. This book was released on 2007-11-12 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Goyens brings to life the fascinating relationship between social space and politics by examining how the intersection of political ideals, entertainment, and social activism embodied anarchism not as an abstract idea, but as a chosen lifestyle for thousands of women and men. He shows how anarchist social gatherings combined German working class conviviality and a dedication to the principle that coercive authority was not only unnecessary, but actually damaging to full and free human development as well. Goyens also explores the broader circumstances in both the United States and Germany that served as catalysts for the emergence of anarchism in urban America and how anarchist activism was hampered by police surveillance, ethnic insularity, and a widening gulf between the anarchists' message and the majority of American workers."--BOOK JACKET.