Most, Johann Joseph (1846–1906)

German-born anarchist. A magnetic speaker and writer, he became the leader of an extreme faction of US anarchists and composed the declaration adopted by the Pittsburgh convention (1883) that became the manifesto of communist anarchism in the USA.

Born in Augsburg, Germany, the product of a brutal childhood and disfigured in his youth, he became an ardent European socialist. He edited socialist newspapers in Switzerland and Germany (1868–78), was elected twice to the German parliament, lectured frequently, wrote many pamphlets and labour songs, and was expelled from Austria and Germany. Turning anarchist, he was expelled from the German Socialist Party (1880). His paper, ‘Die Freiheit’, published in London, was suppressed (1881) after publishing an article glorifying the assassination of Tsar Alexander II. Emigrating to the USA (1882), he was greeted as a radical martyr, and he travelled extensively, advocating a violent overthrow of capitalists and the ruling class. Imprisoned several times for inciting violence (1886–1901), he repudiated violent intervention and lost his influence.