'Human light': The mystical religion of Mikhail Bakunin

Abstract

CONTRADICTIONThe idea of an avowed atheist, materialist, and anarchist activist such as MikhailBakunin (1814–1876)'3' possessing his own religious beliefs at first seems contradictory.It is easy to find Bakunin clearly making atheistic and anti-religious assertions in hiswritings. As a convinced communitarian anarchist he had adopted a personal andcollective mission to contribute as much as he was able to the emancipation ofhumanity from all forms of authority.'4' In order to do so, on a philosophical level atleast, he had to argue for the removal of a supernatural God, the Church, and the Stateas fundamental ideals and structures which he believed stood in the way of humanfreedom, both conceptually and historically.5 Bakunin evoked a “materialist” worldview,devoid of all forms of authority from above. There have, however, beensuggestions that Bakunin’s “materialist” and “atheistic” thought contained elements ofmysticism.