History of anarchism

According to different scholars, depending upon the scope and definition of the term "anarchism", the history of anarchism either dates to the emergence of ancient socio-political ideologies and related social structures or exists in nascent form in models of social organization existing even as early as prehistory; or, alternatively, begins in the 19th century with the introduction of anarchism as a formal movement. As scholars and anarchist philosophers have held a range of views on what anarchism means, it is difficult to outline its history unambiguously. Some feel anarchism is a distinct, well-defined movement stemming from 19th-century class conflict, while others identify anarchist traits long before the earliest civilisations existed. The first traces of formal anarchist thought can be found in ancient Greece and China, where numerous philosophers questioned the necessity of the state and declared the moral right of the individual to live free from coercion.