Libertarian Perspectives on Borders

Abstract

This paper presents how selected libertarian thinkers and activists over the last two centuries have viewed borders. First, I introduce the notion of borders as formulated by Élisée Reclus, one of the most prominent geographers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Then, the views of other anarchist geographers and non-geographers who have a spatial sensibility of borders are presented in chronological order. For this I selected the authors Proudhon, Bakunin, Kropotkin, Landauer, Rocker and Bookchin. After this, contemporary views of borders espoused by activists from anarchist federations of Argentina, Uruguay and the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul are discussed because of the intense border relations encountered there. In the conclusion I call attention to key points and elements for thinking about borders in a libertarian perspective today.