Kropotkin and Canada

The Russian scientist and revolutionary Peter Kropotkin visited Canada in 1897, travelling from one end of the country to the other. A fugitive from government oppression in his Russian homeland, Kropotkin found a warm reception in Canada, where he was given the opportunity to study his particular interests: rural development, cooperative movements, and the condition of indigenous peoples. Kropotkin’s Canadian visit had a profound influence on his thinking but has been scarcely touched upon by his biographers. This study by Russian researcher A. G. Ivanov, based on archival documents including Kropotkin’s Canadian diary, shows how the anarchist’s ideas were affected by his understanding of Canada’s historical experience. Author Alexey G. Ivanov is associate professor of general history at the Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University, where he conducts research and teaches courses in the field of North American studies.