The Anarchist Expropriators Buenaventura Durruti and Argentina's Working-Class Robin Hoods

“It’s a chastening thought that Osvaldo Bayer wrote this book nearly forty years ago and his work still challenges us, as anarchists, with ideas, arguments, and problems that are still as relevant today as they were in 1975 or, indeed, as when the actions of this narrative were originally carried out… Those constant and exhausting questions of what anarchism is and the best way to practice it and bring about anarchy. Bayer is careful to try to delineate the complexities of these differences and provides us with a useful guide to understanding them.”
—Kate Sharpley Library, from the introduction

In early-twentieth-century Argentina, anarchist expropriators employed direct, violent means to fund their movement. They used the proceeds to bankroll the production of books, newspapers, and other forms of propaganda; to assist plans to spring their comrades from prison; and to support the families of those who remained behind bars or in early graves. Bayer tells the thrilling story of bank robberies, payroll heists, counterfeiting rings, and other “crimes” committed in the name of revolutionary justice—as well as the contentious, often bloody infighting among anarchists willing to take extreme measures to achieve their ideals.

Osvaldo Bayer is an author, journalist, and scriptwriter who was exiled from Argentina during the years of military dictatorship, when his books were banned and burned. His works include Anarchism & Violence and Rebellion in Patagonia. He currently lives in Buenos Aires.