Daoism and anarchism critiques of state autonomy in ancient and modern China

305 Pages·2012·1.883 MB·English

by  Rapp, John A

Daoism and
Anarchism

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CONTEMPORARY ANARCHIST STUDIES
A series edited by
Laurence Davis National University of Ireland, Maynooth
Uri Gordon Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, Israel
Nathan Jun Midwestern State University, USA
Alex Prichard London School of Economics, UK
Contemporary Anarchist Studies promotes the study of anarchism as a
framework for understanding and acting on the most pressing problems of
our times. The series publishes cutting edge, socially-engaged scholarship
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the insights of contemporary activism.
The topical scope of the series encompasses anarchist history and theory
broadly construed; individual anarchist thinkers; anarchist-informed
analysis of current issues and institutions; and anarchist or anarchist-
inspired movements and practices. Contributions informed by anti-capitalist,
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to illuminate the relationships between the personal and the political aspects
of transformative social change, local and global problems, and anarchism
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International Editorial Advisory Board
Martha Ackelsberg, Smith College
John Clark, Loyola University
Jesse Cohn, Purdue University
Ronald Creagh, Université Paul Valéry
Marianne Enckell, Centre International de Recherches sur l’Anarchisme
Benjamin Franks, University of Glasgow
Judy Greenway, University of East London
Ruth Kinna, Loughborough University
Todd May, Clemson University
Salvo Vaccaro, Università di Palermo
Lucien van der Walt, University of the Witwatersrand
Charles Weigl, AK Press
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Daoism and
Anarchism
Critiques of State Autonomy
in Ancient and Modern China
John A. Rapp

Contemporary Anarchist Studies

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© John A. Rapp, 2012
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E ISBN: 978-1-4411-7251-8

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For Anita, who for better or worse,
insisted that I write this book

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CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ix
PRELUDE 1
PART 1: DAOISM AND ANARCHISM 17
1 Daoism and anarchism reconsidered 19
2 Utopian, anti-utopian, and dystopian ideas
in philosophical Daoism 51
3 Daoism as utopian or accommodationist:
The Guodian challenge to Daoist anarchism 71
4 Daoism as anarchism or nihilism: The
Buddhist-infl uenced thought of Wu Nengzi 89
INTERLUDE 105
5 The twentieth-century Chinese anarchist movement 107
PART 2: MAOISM AND ANARCHISM 123
6 Maoism and anarchism: An analysis of Mao Zedong’s
response to the anarchist critique of Marxism 125
7 Denunciations of anarchism in the PRC 159
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viii CONTENTS
8 Extra-Party neo-anarchist critiques of
the state in the PRC 175
9 Inner Party neo-anarchist critiques of
the Leninist Party-state 193
POSTLUDE 213
The continuing relevance of Daoist anarchism 215
APPENDICES 219
Works of Daoist Anarchism 221
1 Zhuangzi, Chapter 9, “Horses’ Hoofs” 221
2 Ruan Ji, “The Biography of Master
Great Man” (excerpt) 223
3 Bao Jingyan 227
4 Tao Qian, “Peach Blossom Spring” 229
5 Wunengzi 231
Bibliography 263
Index 283

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Since this book is the product of many years of research and writing, I
have many people to thank for their help and encouragement. To the
usual disclaimer that the author alone is responsible for any mistakes and
shortcomings, I must add a special emphasis that due to the controversial
nature of much of this book, none of the people thanked below necessarily
agrees with any of the opinions or analysis expressed herein.
Thanks and appreciation go fi rst to this author’s many teachers in subjects
directly related to this book, including, at Indiana University, Judith Berling
for her seminar on Daoism and for serving as advisor on my MA thesis, and
the late Jerome Mintz and Alan Ritter for their seminar on anarchism. At
the University of Wisconsin, I am very grateful to my two main mentors,
Crawford Young as whose teaching assistant I was introduced to the
literature on state autonomy, and especially Ed Friedman, who continues to
impart to me much wisdom about Chinese politics and give generous and
patient advice and criticism. I also owe a debt of gratitude to John Clark of
Loyola University for his encouragement and support over the years.
A second round of thanks go to the students, faculty, staff, and alumni of
Beloit College, fi rst for their tolerance and inspiration in allowing me to teach
classes on China, Daoism, and anarchism over the years and for sabbatical
grants in 1999–2000 and 2006 and other research support, including a
Sanger summer research grant in 2008 that allowed for the translation
by Catrina Siu of the entire W unengzi, work-study monies that allowed
for translation assistance from Lauren Jones, and a grant from the Dean’s
offi ce to help defray costs of rights fees and other translation assistance.
My faculty colleague Daniel Youd played an essential role in many of the
translation projects related to this book. I owe a great debt also to Cindy
Cooley and the entire staff of the Beloit College library who worked many
hours locating materials for me through interlibrary loans.
I am also grateful to the Pacifi c Cultural Foundation of Taiwan for a
research grant in 2000 that allowed me to carry out the research that led to
the essays used as the basis for C hapters 2 and 6 .
Another large group of people to thank includes all the professional
colleagues over the years who allowed me to participate in their panels
and publish essays in their edited books and journal volumes, including
Joseph Cheng for permission to use material from my article in the special
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