In the 19th century, as socialist movements proliferated across Europe, anarchism
emerged as both a theoretical and political adversary to Marxism. This paper critically
examines the ideological divergences between Marx and Engels and two key figures in
anarchist thought—Max Stirner and Mikhail Bakunin. Stirner’s egoist anarchism, rooted
in philosophical idealism, is analyzed and contrasted with Marx's materialist conception
of the individual and freedom. Bakunin’s political anarchism, which advocated the
immediate abolition of the state, is likewise critiqued through the lens of historical
materialism and proletarian revolution. Drawing upon textual analysis and modern theoretical
perspectives, the paper reveals how Marx and Engels defended a historically grounded
path to liberation in opposition to anarchism's abstract and often utopian notions
of freedom. Ultimately, the Marxist critique not only refutes the ideological premises
of anarchism but also articulates a revolutionary praxis rooted in class struggle
and collective emancipation.
