Anarchism advocates for the replacement of the state with stateless societies and voluntary free associations
Humans have lived in societies without formal hierarchies long before the establishment of states, realms, or empires
With the rise of organised hierarchical bodies, scepticism toward authority also rose
Although traces of anarchist ideas are found all throughout history, modern anarchism emerged from the Enlightenment
Various anarchist schools of thought formed during this period
Anarchists have taken part in several revolutions, most notably in the Paris Commune, the Russian Civil War and the Spanish Civil War, whose end marked the end of the classical era of anarchism
Anarchists employ diverse approaches, which may be generally divided into revolutionary and evolutionary strategies; there is significant overlap between the two
Evolutionary methods try to simulate what an anarchist society might be like, but revolutionary tactics, which have historically taken a violent turn, aim to overthrow authority and the state
Many facets of human civilization have been influenced by anarchist theory, critique, and praxis
The suffix -ism denotes the ideological current that favours anarchy
Anarchism appears in English from 1642 as anarchisme and anarchy from 1539; early English usages emphasised a sense of disorder
Various factions within the French Revolution labelled their opponents as anarchists, although few such accused shared many views with later anarchists
The first political philosopher to call himself an anarchist () was Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (1809–1865), marking the formal birth of anarchism in the mid-19th century
Since the 1890s and beginning in France, libertarianism has often been used as a synonym for anarchism and its use as a synonym is still common outside the United States
Some usages of libertarianism refer to individualistic free-market philosophy only, and free-market anarchism in particular is termed libertarian anarchism
Additionally, some anarchists use libertarian socialist to avoid anarchism's negative connotations and emphasise its connections with socialism
Anarchism is broadly used to describe the anti-authoritarian wing of the socialist movement
Anarchism is contrasted to socialist forms which are state-oriented or from above
Scholars of anarchism generally highlight anarchism's socialist credentials and criticise attempts at creating dichotomies between the two
Some scholars describe anarchism as having many influences from liberalism, and being both liberal and socialist but more so
Many scholars reject anarcho-capitalism as a misunderstanding of anarchist principles
History

Pre-modern era 

Before the creation of towns and cities, established authority did not exist
It was after the institution of authority that anarchistic ideas were espoused as a reaction
The most notable precursors to anarchism in the ancient world were in China and Greece
In China, philosophical anarchism (the discussion on the legitimacy of the state) was delineated by Taoist philosophers Zhuang Zhou and Laozi
Alongside Stoicism, Taoism has been said to have had "significant anticipations" of anarchism
Anarchic attitudes were also articulated by tragedians and philosophers in Greece
Aeschylus and Sophocles used the myth of Antigone to illustrate the conflict between laws imposed by the state and personal autonomy
Socrates questioned Athenian authorities constantly and insisted on the right of individual freedom of conscience
Cynics dismissed human law (nomos) and associated authorities while trying to live according to nature (physis)
Stoics were supportive of a society based on unofficial and friendly relations among its citizens without the presence of a state
In medieval Europe, there was no anarchistic activity except some ascetic religious movements
These, and other Muslim movements, later gave birth to religious anarchism
In the Sasanian Empire, Mazdak called for an egalitarian society and the abolition of monarchy, only to be soon executed by Emperor Kavad I
In Basra, religious sects preached against the state
In Europe, various sects developed anti-state and libertarian tendencies
Renewed interest in antiquity during the Renaissance and in private judgment during the Reformation restored elements of anti-authoritarian secularism, particularly in France
Modern era 
During the French Revolution, partisan groups such as the Enragés and the  saw a turning point in the fermentation of anti-state and federalist sentiments
By the late 1870s, various anarchist schools of thought had become well-defined and a wave of then unprecedented globalisation occurred from 1880 to 1914
This era of classical anarchism lasted until the end of the Spanish Civil War and is considered the golden age of anarchism
The International became a significant political force, with Karl Marx being a leading figure and a member of its General Council
Bakunin's faction (the Jura Federation) and Proudhon's followers (the mutualists) opposed state socialism, advocating political abstentionism and small property holdings
After bitter disputes, the Bakuninists were expelled from the International by the Marxists at the 1872 Hague Congress
Anarchists were treated similarly in the Second International, being ultimately expelled in 1896
Bakunin famously predicted that if revolutionaries gained power by Marx's terms, they would end up the new tyrants of workers
In response to their expulsion from the First International, anarchists formed the St
Under the influence of Peter Kropotkin, a Russian philosopher and scientist, anarcho-communism overlapped with collectivism
Anarcho-communists, who drew inspiration from the 1871 Paris Commune, advocated for free federation and for the distribution of goods according to one's needs
By the turn of the 20th century, anarchism had spread all over the world
It was a notable feature of the international syndicalist movement