The Conquest of Bread

The author critiques private property and industrial capitalism as causes of scarcity and inequality, and outlines an anarchist-communist alternative founded on common ownership of land and production, local self-management, and distribution according to need rather than wages. Practical proposals include expropriation of concentrated capital, reorganization and decentralization of industry and agriculture, cooperative housing and clothing provision, and the promotion of agreeable, voluntary work. The argument addresses mechanisms for transition, the place of luxury and varied tastes, and replies to objections and rival schemes such as collectivist wage systems while emphasizing free agreement among decentralized communities.