Edward Abramowski

Who was Edward Abramowski?

Edward Abramowski was a Polish philosopher, libertarian socialist, anarchist, psychologist, ethician, and supporter of cooperatives. Abramowski is considered to be a spiritual father of Anarchism in Poland.

Abramowski was born in Stefanin, in today's Ukraine to Jadwiga and Edward. After his mother died, he moved to Warsaw in 1879, where his teacher, Maria Konopnicka, introduced him to the members of the First Proletariat.

Influenced by Leo Tolstoy, Abramowski called himself a "state-rejecting socialist" in his most important work, Socialism & State. He went on to further his political philosophy in other works, such as The Republic of Friends, and General Collusion Against the Government. In later years, his thought increasingly tended towards anarcho-syndicalism, emphasising the importance of co-operative organization of the work force.

Abramowski is considered the founder of the Polish co-operative movement, promoting economic associations & initiatives. As a cooperativist, he founded the biggest contrywide consumer cooperative "Spolem", and cofounded the Polish Socialist Party.