Anarchism in Denmark

Anarchism in Denmark emerged in the late 19th century from the revolutionary factions of early social democratic spheres, crystallizing into a widespread anarcho-syndicalist movement that reached its height during the late 1910s. After the disintegration of organized syndicalism, anarchists in post-war Denmark began to organize the squatters' movement, which led to the creation of Freetown Christiania.

History

Beginnings

Libertarian socialism first emerged in Denmark during debates within the Social Democratic Party over reformism and revolutionary socialism. Whereas the old reformist leadership advocated for an authoritarian socialism, inspired by Marxism, the younger revolutionary section took a stance against authoritarianism and bureaucracy. The revolutionaries published Arbejderen, in which they criticized the party's tactics of parliamentarism, as well as the alliance between the reformist Social Democrats and the Liberal Party against the Conservative government of Jacob Brønnum Scavenius Estrup. In a public meeting, the reformist leader Chresten Hørdum said on the matter:

"In heaven's name let the revolutionists make as much opposition as they please in their own groups. They have nothing to do with our meetings and bad better take care they are not chucked out so fine a day. Let this sort of thing go on, and Anarchism, in its serious sense, will soon make its appearance in the capital of Denmark."

The reformist party leadership subsequently began to repress the internal revolutionary opposition, led by Gerson Trier, which was expelled from the party on November 7, 1890. So the revolutionary section went on to found the Revolutionary Socialist Workers' Party. Anarchist sympathies began to grow among a few select individuals in Denmark, some of whom were responsible for translating the works of Peter Kropotkin into the Danish language.