Petr Alekseevich Kropotkin

The former works admirably in a military parade, but it is worth nothing where real life is concerned and the aim can be achieved only through the severe effort of many converging wills.

But when, at an early stage, I had to manage serious enterprises and to deal with men, and when each mistake would lead at once to heavy consequences, I began to appreciate the difference between acting on the principle of command and…

Again, to live with natives, to see at work the complex forms of social organization which they have elaborated far away from the influence of any civilization, was, as it were, to store up floods of light which illuminated my subsequent…

The constructive work of the unknown masses, which so seldom finds any mention in books, and the importance of that constructive work in the growth of forms of society, appeared before my eyes in a clear light.

Then I began to understand not only men and human character, but also the inner springs of the life of human society.

I soon realized the absolute impossibility of doing anything really useful for the masses of the people by means of the administrative machinery.

The interests of the country are a secondary matter.

The very fact of their belonging to a government which radiated from a distant capital caused them to look upon everything from the point of view of functionaries of the government, who think first of all about what their superiors will…

Whatever was started for the good of the country by local men was looked at with distrust, and was immediately paralyzed by hosts of difficulties which came, not so much from the bad intentions of the administrators, but simply from the…

The higher administration of Siberia was influenced by excellent intentions, and I can only repeat that, everything considered, it was far better, far more enlightened, and far more interested in the welfare of the people than the…

But the practical realization of the measures went into the hands of some old drunkard, who would squander the money and pitilessly flog the unfortunate Cossacks for the purpose of converting them into good agriculturists.

All the measures I recommended were accepted, and special grants of money were given for aiding the emigration of some and for supplying cattle to others, as I had suggested.

In my new capacity of attaché to the Governor-General for Cossack affairs, I made, for instance, a most thorough investigation of the economical condition of the Usurí Cossacks, whose crops used to be lost every year, so that the…

As there was nothing more to be done in the direction of reform, I tried to do what seemed to be possible under the existing circumstances--only to become convinced of the absolute uselessness of such efforts.

They roared with laughter, and began to pat me even more caressingly on the shoulders; they took me about, showing me their houses, everyone offered me his pipe, and the whole crowd accompanied me as a friend to the steamer.

And when I told them by signs that in case I should have nothing to eat I might eat it--the joke was transmitted from one to the other through the whole crowd.

To offer each other tobacco and to be offered a light is again an international expression of friendship.

To pat one on the shoulders in sign of friendship is decidedly international language.

A thick crowd of a hundred Chinese soon surrounded me, and although I knew not a word of their tongue, and they knew no more of mine, we chatted in the most amicable way by mimicry and we understood each other.

The most cordial relations were established after this little adventure between ourselves and the Chinese--I mean, of course, the people, who seemed to dislike very much their arrogant Manchurian officials.

When I jumped into the water and, also taking a stick, began to sing our river song, ‘Dubínushka,’ which helps all present to give a sudden push at the same moment, the Chinese enjoyed immensely the fun of it, and after several such pushes…

All the immense region to the north of it, five hundred miles wide and five hundred miles deep, was totally, absolutely unknown.

I was offered the leadership of a trading caravan which the Cossacks intended to organize in order to find that route, and I accepted it with enthusiasm.

The rivers were freezing, and I had to cross the Ob in a boat amidst the floating ice, which menaced at every moment to crush our small craft.

The idea of a famine that might break out next spring on the lower Amúr oppressed me all the time.