Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution

Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution is Peter Kropotkin's classic argument that cooperation, not just competition, has been a driving force in the natural world and human history. Published as a book in 1902, the book challenges the social Darwinist idea that ruthless struggle is the law of nature. Kropotkin, a Russian geographer and anarchist thinker, draws on biology, anthropology, and history to show how mutual aid—voluntary cooperation for shared benefit—has helped animals and people survive and thrive. From insects and birds to tribal societies, medieval guilds, and modern unions, he traces a persistent human and animal tendency to help one another.

This edition is designed for general readers, students, and book clubs. It includes the complete text of Mutual Aid, a new introduction that sets the book in context, a guide to key ideas, a summary of the argument, themes for discussion, a glossary of terms, and questions to spark conversation. Whether you are new to Kropotkin or revisiting his work, the companion will help you follow his evidence and his times.