Emma Goldman: “The Philosophy of Atheism”

Impact

Goldman reached a large audience during her lifetime and achieved a degree of notoriety reflected in her designation as “the most dangerous woman in America.” She was best known for her antimilitarism and her unfailing support for the rights of workers. Her views on religion, including this piece on atheism, generated controversy but also prompted serious attention from audiences interested in theology (including students at Union Theological Seminary in New York). Her work enjoyed a revival in the 1970s and has continued to influence writing on feminist and anarchist theory as well as antimilitarism.

The revival of interest in Goldman’s work in the late 1960s and the 1970s had a particular impact on anarchist thinking of the time, which in turn had an impact on the antiglobalization movement—both on the street, where demonstrators cite her as an influence, and in the theoretical writing that has developed from the movement. Her influence spans the political spectrum, ranging from theorists of the left to libertarians on the right. At a time when more and more people see such distinctions as meaningless or irrelevant, the difficulty of locating her on a political spectrum gives her added appeal. A line attributed to Goldman, “If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution” (though probably a paraphrase of ideas she stated a bit more prosaically in her autobiography), continues to be a popular slogan among cultural anarchists disaffected not only with the powers that be but also with a political Left that has sometimes appeared humorless and puritanical.