Poder e Anarquismo: refletindo com Habermas

Abstract

The aim of this work is to analyze the anarchist conception of power, arguing with Jürgen Habermas and Hannah Arendt. I begin by introducing a brief conceptual analysis of power. Then I set out how the classical anarchists reflect upon the conception of power. In the third place, I present Habermas's objections to the anarchist project and to the conception of power (and politics) in Arendt. Following, I assess whether Habermas's objections to anarchism are motivated and whether the objections he addresses to Arendt can be applied to the anarchist project. For this evaluation, I use the categories of Habermas and Arendt both to reanalyze the project of the classical anarchists and to analyze how the conception of power currently survives in a form of organized anarchism. I conclude that Habermas's objections to anarchism have no justification and that the anarchist perspective shares conceptual elements with both Habermas and Arendt because of the widespread appreciation of communicative action, although it seems to be closer to Habermas by not excluding the role of strategic action.