In May 2011 thousands of students and workers occupied squares in city centres across Spain, inspired by the Egyptian Revolution. There followed occupations in Athens and solidarity protests around Europe. The Spanish protesters called themselves los indignados – the indignant – fighting the impact of economic crisis on jobs, housing and education. They denounced all political parties, saying “They do not represent us” and calling for “Real democracy now!”

They were just one example of a resurgence in movements influenced by anarchist or autonomist ideas. John Molyneux welcomes these movements but argues that anarchist ideas contain fundamental weaknesses. He looks at anarchist approaches to the state, organisation and the individual, assesses the record of the movement in its 160-year history, and tackles contemporary debates such as autonomism, decision making in the movement and direct action.

Anarchism: A Marxist Criticism argues that anarchists and Marxists share the same goal of an equal, classless society, but the crucial question any activist must answer is how do we get to that world from this? Marxism, and not anarchism, can provide the tools for that transition.