Proudhon

Proudhon was a French economist and social philosopher. He was the very first person to adopt the Anarchist label to describe himself. He worked as a printer and taught himself the Latin language. 

His first major work was published in 1840 and entitled "What Is Property?" His writing attracted Karl Marx as well as the French authorities. Proudhon met Marx while Marx was on exile in France. They became good friends, but eventually had a falling out. 

Proudhon believed in peaceful revolution. He thought collective ownership was undesirable. He tried to create a bank in his life time. This bank would provide interest free loans much like the credit unions of our time.