Bookvica

[RUSSIAN ANARCHISTS IN BUENOS AIRES] K tvortsam zhizni. Nasha programma: K rev. molodezhi [i.e. To the Creators of Life. To the Revolutionary Youth]

On; Malatesta, E.

Item #2429

[Buenos Aires]: Rab. izd. gruppa v Respublike Argentina, 1922. 32 pp. 17,9x13 cm. In original publisher’s printed wrappers. Loss of the fragments of the spine, but otherwise near fine.
Scarce. First edition. Text in Russian.

An extremely rare Russian émigré book published by Russian anarchists in Buenos Aires and featuring two anarchist texts: “To the Creators of Life” by an anonymous author and the first Russian translation of “Our Program” by Errico Malatesta. As follows from the title-page, the book was published in the typography of the Bueno Aires-based Russian anarchist newspaper “Golos Truda” and issued by the short-lived publishing house Rabochaya Izdatel’skaya Gruppa v Respublike Argentine (1922–1924). Following the waves of emigration after the failed 1905 revolution and again after the Bolshevik seizure of power, Buenos Aires became a hub for politically active Russian anarchists. The Russian anarchist community, centered around the Federation of Russian Workers of South America (FORSA), maintained close ties with local unions and other radical groups. Through the “Golos Truda” newspaper and its affiliated press, they published original works, translations, and manifestos, seeking to sustain the revolutionary spirit abroad and critique the authoritarian turn of the Soviet regime.
The volume opens with “To the Creators of Life,” a powerful original essay that reflects on the betrayal of revolutionary ideals in post-October Russia and highlights the urgency of anarchist renewal. The author, likely a Russian émigré based in Buenos Aires, addresses the younger generation as the key force in shaping a free and just society. The second text, “Our Program” by Errico Malatesta, presents a concise yet forceful summary of the goals and principles of anarchism—its rejection of state power, commitment
to voluntary cooperation, and vision of social equality. According to the Russian National Library, this edition marks the first appearance of Malatesta’s program in Russian.

Overall, a rare testament to the Russian anarchists’ early presence in Buenos Aires.

Worldcat shows copies of the edition at Princeton University, Yale Library, University of Michigan, and Concordia Theological Seminary.

Price: $850.00