God and the State

God and the State is the most famous and influential work by Mikhail Bakunin, one of the principal founders of modern anarchism. Written in 1871 and published posthumously in 1882, the book offers a passionate, incisive critique of both organized religion and the authoritarian state, arguing that the alliance between church and state is the root of oppression and servitude. Bakunin argues that belief in God is incompatible with human freedom, because religious authority ultimately demands the surrender of reason, individuality, and autonomy. In this fiercely atheistic work, he condemns the notion of divine revelation and absolute moral law as constructs used by ruling classes to maintain control. For Bakunin, liberation can only be achieved through the rejection of both theological dogma and political tyranny. He contrasts the abstract idealism of philosophers like Hegel and Marx with his vision of a truly free society grounded in materialism, collective action, and human solidarity. Bakunin believes that science, rationality, and spontaneous social cooperation—not hierarchical institutions—must guide human progress. Despite being unfinished, God and the State is a foundational anarchist text that has inspired generations of radicals, freethinkers, and libertarians. Its uncompromising rhetoric and intellectual boldness remain strikingly relevant in critiques of modern power structures.