Anarch (sovereign individual)
Encyclopedia
The Anarch is a metaphysical ideal figure of a sovereign individual
, conceived by Ernst Jünger
in his novel Eumeswil
(1977). Jünger was greatly influenced by individualist anarchist Max Stirner
. Indeed, the Anarch starts out from Stirner's conception
of the unique (der Einzige), a man who forms a bond around something concrete rather than ideal, but it is then developed in subtle but critical ways beyond Stirner's concept. The concept is developed (and may best be studied) through the actions and reflections of Manuel Venator, the protagonist of Eumeswil.
Here are few of the countless quotes in Eumeswil
regarding the anarch:
The term "anarch" had been used for two years (1963–64) by students at Reed College
in Portland OR to designate the official representative of their living units. The position of Anarch rotated every two weeks, and the new Anarch was selected by the drawing of cards from the deck. The Anarch was presumed to be all-powerful during his term of office; in practice, it generally meant that one might get listened to slightly more often. This is an instance of independent invention
of the term, which was not pursued at the time.
Self-ownership
Self-ownership is the concept of property in one's own person, expressed as the moral or natural right of a person to be the exclusive controller of his own body and life. According to G...
, conceived by Ernst Jünger
Ernst Jünger
Ernst Jünger was a German writer. In addition to his novels and diaries, he is well known for Storm of Steel, an account of his experience during World War I. Some say he was one of Germany's greatest modern writers and a hero of the conservative revolutionary movement following World War I...
in his novel Eumeswil
Eumeswil
Eumeswil is a philosophical postmodern novel by the Goethe Prize winning German author Ernst Jünger . Written in 1977 in the author's mature years, Eumeswil is set in an undatable post-apocalyptic world, somewhere in present-day Morocco....
(1977). Jünger was greatly influenced by individualist anarchist Max Stirner
Max Stirner
Johann Kaspar Schmidt , better known as Max Stirner , was a German philosopher, who ranks as one of the literary fathers of nihilism, existentialism, post-modernism and anarchism, especially of individualist anarchism...
. Indeed, the Anarch starts out from Stirner's conception
Philosophy of Max Stirner
The philosophy of Max Stirner is credited as an influence on the development of nihilism, existentialism, post-modernism and anarchism, especially of individualist anarchism, postanarchism and post-left anarchy...
of the unique (der Einzige), a man who forms a bond around something concrete rather than ideal, but it is then developed in subtle but critical ways beyond Stirner's concept. The concept is developed (and may best be studied) through the actions and reflections of Manuel Venator, the protagonist of Eumeswil.
Here are few of the countless quotes in Eumeswil
Eumeswil
Eumeswil is a philosophical postmodern novel by the Goethe Prize winning German author Ernst Jünger . Written in 1977 in the author's mature years, Eumeswil is set in an undatable post-apocalyptic world, somewhere in present-day Morocco....
regarding the anarch:
The term "anarch" had been used for two years (1963–64) by students at Reed College
Reed College
Reed College is a private, independent, liberal arts college located in southeast Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1908, Reed is a residential college with a campus located in Portland's Eastmoreland neighborhood, featuring architecture based on the Tudor-Gothic style, and a forested canyon wilderness...
in Portland OR to designate the official representative of their living units. The position of Anarch rotated every two weeks, and the new Anarch was selected by the drawing of cards from the deck. The Anarch was presumed to be all-powerful during his term of office; in practice, it generally meant that one might get listened to slightly more often. This is an instance of independent invention
Invention
An invention is a novel composition, device, or process. An invention may be derived from a pre-existing model or idea, or it could be independently conceived, in which case it may be a radical breakthrough. In addition, there is cultural invention, which is an innovative set of useful social...
of the term, which was not pursued at the time.
External links
- http://www.ernst-juenger.org Blog discussing and examining the anarch via excerpts from EumeswilEumeswilEumeswil is a philosophical postmodern novel by the Goethe Prize winning German author Ernst Jünger . Written in 1977 in the author's mature years, Eumeswil is set in an undatable post-apocalyptic world, somewhere in present-day Morocco....
- http://www.eumeswil.cc Cultural Association Eumeswil of Florence, Italy. Study of the works of Ernst JüngerErnst JüngerErnst Jünger was a German writer. In addition to his novels and diaries, he is well known for Storm of Steel, an account of his experience during World War I. Some say he was one of Germany's greatest modern writers and a hero of the conservative revolutionary movement following World War I...