Author name: Pierre-Joseph Proudhon

Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (1809-1865) was a French socialist, philosopher, and journalist who is widely regarded as the "father of anarchism." He is best known for the statement, "property is theft!" which appeared in his influential work What Is Property? published in 1840. He was the first person to declare himself an anarchist and developed the concept of mutualism, a form of libertarian socialism that emphasizes voluntary and mutual exchange.