--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An anarchist is someone who doesn't need…" description: "\"An anarchist is someone who doesn't need a cop to make him behave.\" — Ammon Hennacy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/ammon-hennacy-33177_anarchism_an-anarchist-is-someone-who-doesn-t-need_2691360.png" --- # An anarchist is someone who doesn't need a cop to make him… ![“An anarchist is someone who doesn't need a cop to make him behave.” quote by Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/ammon-hennacy-33177_anarchism_an-anarchist-is-someone-who-doesn-t-need_2691360.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/ammon-hennacy-33177_anarchism_an-anarchist-is-someone-who-doesn-t-need_2691360.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/ammon-hennacy-33177_anarchism_an-anarchist-is-someone-who-doesn-t-need_2691360.png) > “An anarchist is someone who doesn't need a cop to make him behave.” [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A true anarchist lives without external enforcement, choosing personal responsibility over imposed authority. **In simple terms:** Anarchists self‑govern without police. Key Takeaway Embrace self‑discipline. Themes anarchism personal responsibility freedom Mood defiant independent Type philosophical provocative When to use this quote - political activism - community organization - personal ethics - civil disobedience Key Concepts autonomy self‑regulation ethical independence Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal freedom with societal safety? - What structures replace external enforcement? A Different Perspective May ignore the need for collective safety and order. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anarchism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchism/) [Anarchist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchist/) [Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cop/) ## Related quotes > [An anarchist is someone who doesn't need a cop to make him behave. Anarchism is voluntary cooperation with the right of secession. The individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/an-anarchist-is-someone-who-doesn-t-need-a-cop-to-make-him-behave-2/) [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) > [Despite the popular idea of anarchists as violent men, Anarchism is the one non-violent social philosophy.… The function of the Anarchist is two-fold. By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/despite-the-popular-idea-of-anarchists-as-violent-men-anarchism-is/) [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) > [The dictionary definition of a Christian is one who follows Christ; kind, kindly, Christ-like. Anarchism is voluntary cooperation for good, with the right of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/the-dictionary-definition-of-a-christian-is-one-who-follows-christ/) [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) > [In Rio de Janeiro, every cop has to make a choice. He either turns dirty, keeps his mouth shut, or goes to war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-padilha/in-rio-de-janeiro-every-cop-has-to-make-a-choice-he-either-turns/) [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) > [I like to stay within the context of the character's background. If he's a cop, I have to make sure the audience is convinced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/i-like-to-stay-within-the-context-of-the-character-s-background-if-he/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [The education we all receive from the State, at school and after, has so warped our minds that the very notion of freedom ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kropotkin/the-education-we-all-receive-from-the-state-at-school-and-after-has/) [Peter Kropotkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kropotkin/) > [ The most important thing \[anarchists\] can do is educate themselves, develop a propaganda machinery in the form of books and periodicals, a literature, engage… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/the-most-important-thing-anarchists-can-do-is-educate-themselves/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [In debates between anarchists and statists, the burden of proof clearly should rest on those who place their trust in the state. Anarchy's mayhem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/in-debates-between-anarchists-and-statists-the-burden-of-proof/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) > [You see something very important is happening. Personality is being eaten out, and with that the idealism that always motivated an anarchist movement -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/you-see-something-very-important-is-happening-personality-is-being/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [“I became an anarchist very early on. Anarchism, in my mind, meant taking democracy seriously and organizing prefiguratively- that is, in a way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrej-gruba-i/i-became-an-anarchist-very-early-on-anarchism-in-my-mind-meant-taking/) [Andrej Grubačić](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrej-gruba-i/) > [We must therefore turn to history for enlightenment; here we find that none of the proclaimed anarchist groups correspond to the libertarian position, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/we-must-therefore-turn-to-history-for-enlightenment-here-we-find-that/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [The Anarchists are simply unterrified Jeffersonian Democrats. They believe that 'the best government is that which governs least,' and that which governs least is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-anarchists-are-simply-unterrified-jeffersonian-democrats-they/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [Anarchists are opposed to violence; everyone knows that. The main plank of anarchism is the removal of violence from human relations. It is life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/anarchists-are-opposed-to-violence-everyone-knows-that-the-main-plank/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [“An anarchist government somehow creates an impression in the hearts of citizens that no one cares.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-anarchist-government-somehow-creates-an-impression-in-the-hearts/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Anarchism is a definite intellectual current in the life of our times, whose adherents advocate the abolition of economic monopolies and of all political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-rocker/anarchism-is-a-definite-intellectual-current-in-the-life-of-our-times/) [Rudolf Rocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-rocker/) ## More by Ammon Hennacy > [Too many of us dissipate our energy by being 'for all good causes,' attending meetings and passing resolutions, organizing and presenting petitions — all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/too-many-of-us-dissipate-our-energy-by-being-for-all-good-causes/) [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) > [Being a pacifist to save your own life is normal, being a pacifist for the lives of others is true pacifism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/being-a-pacifist-to-save-your-own-life-is-normal-being-a-pacifist-for/) [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) > [“I wasn't disturbing the peace, I was disturbing the war”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/i-wasn-t-disturbing-the-peace-i-was-disturbing-the-war/) [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) > [Force is the weapon of the weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/force-is-the-weapon-of-the-weak/) [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) > [Love without courage and wisdom is sentimentality, as with the ordinary church member. Courage without love and wisdom is foolhardiness, as with the ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/love-without-courage-and-wisdom-is-sentimentality-as-with-the/) [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) > [The dictionary definition of a Christian is one who follows Christ; kind, kindly, Christ-like. Anarchism is voluntary cooperation for good, with the right of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/the-dictionary-definition-of-a-christian-is-one-who-follows-christ/) [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) > [Despite the popular idea of anarchists as violent men, Anarchism is the one non-violent social philosophy.… The function of the Anarchist is two-fold. By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/despite-the-popular-idea-of-anarchists-as-violent-men-anarchism-is/) [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) > [A Christian Anarchist does not depend on bullets or ballots to achieve his ideal; he achieves that ideal daily by the One Man Revolution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/a-christian-anarchist-does-not-depend-on-bullets-or-ballots-to/) [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) > [A pacifist between wars is like a vegetarian between meals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/a-pacifist-between-wars-is-like-a-vegetarian-between-meals/) [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) > [We really can’t change the world. We really can’t change other people! The best we can do is to start a few thinking here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/we-really-can-t-change-the-world-we-really-can-t-change-other-people/) [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) > [I'm not trying to change the world. I'm trying to stop the world from changing me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/i-m-not-trying-to-change-the-world-i-m-trying-to-stop-the-world-from/) [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) > [ A Christian anarchist has no business belonging to such a reactionary organization \[the Catholic Church\]. I do not believe in original sin, indulgences, the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/a-christian-anarchist-has-no-business-belonging-to-such-a-reactionary/) [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) > [“Oh judge! Your damn laws! The good people don't need them, and the bad people don't obey them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/oh-judge-your-damn-laws-the-good-people-don-t-need-them-and-the-bad/) [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) > [An anarchist is someone who doesn't need a cop to make him behave. Anarchism is voluntary cooperation with the right of secession. The individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/an-anarchist-is-someone-who-doesn-t-need-a-cop-to-make-him-behave-2/) [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) [Explore all 15 Ammon Hennacy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) ## More Anarchism quotes > [I know one thing: that you can do a lot of things but if you don't educate people into conscious anarchism it gets frittered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-know-one-thing-that-you-can-do-a-lot-of-things-but-if-you-don-t/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [In morals as in politics anarchy is not for the weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/in-morals-as-in-politics-anarchy-is-not-for-the-weak/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [Anarchism is a definite intellectual current in the life of our times, whose adherents advocate the abolition of economic monopolies and of all political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-rocker/anarchism-is-a-definite-intellectual-current-in-the-life-of-our-times/) [Rudolf Rocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-rocker/) > [“Do not all theists insist that there can be no morality, no justice, honesty or fidelity without the belief in a Divine Power? Based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/do-not-all-theists-insist-that-there-can-be-no-morality-no-justice/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“Does it follow that I reject all authority? Perish the thought. In the matter of boots, I defer to the authority of the bootmaker;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/does-it-follow-that-i-reject-all-authority-perish-the-thought-in-the/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > [“An anarchist government somehow creates an impression in the hearts of citizens that no one cares.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-anarchist-government-somehow-creates-an-impression-in-the-hearts/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Anarchism as a political philosophy seeks to dissolve all forms of authority and power, and if possible, wishes their complete abolition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-marshall/anarchism-as-a-political-philosophy-seeks-to-dissolve-all-forms-of/) [Peter Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-marshall/) > [And now, what has Anarchism to say to all this, this bankruptcy of republicanism, this modern empire that has grown up on the ruins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltairine-de-cleyre/and-now-what-has-anarchism-to-say-to-all-this-this-bankruptcy-of/) [Voltairine de Cleyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltairine-de-cleyre/) > [I see anarchism as the theoretical ideal to which we are all gradually evolving to a point where everybody can tell the truth to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/i-see-anarchism-as-the-theoretical-ideal-to-which-we-are-all/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [Anarchists are opposed to violence; everyone knows that. The main plank of anarchism is the removal of violence from human relations. It is life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/anarchists-are-opposed-to-violence-everyone-knows-that-the-main-plank/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [“They knew that their anarchism was the product of a very high civilization, of a complex diversified culture, of a stable economy and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/they-knew-that-their-anarchism-was-the-product-of-a-very-high/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Anarchism means voluntary co-operation instead of forced participation. It means harmony and order in place of interference and disorder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-berkman/anarchism-means-voluntary-co-operation-instead-of-forced/) [Alexander Berkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-berkman/) > [The Anarchists are simply unterrified Jeffersonian Democrats. They believe that 'the best government is that which governs least,' and that which governs least is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-anarchists-are-simply-unterrified-jeffersonian-democrats-they/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [We must therefore turn to history for enlightenment; here we find that none of the proclaimed anarchist groups correspond to the libertarian position, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/we-must-therefore-turn-to-history-for-enlightenment-here-we-find-that/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [“I became an anarchist very early on. Anarchism, in my mind, meant taking democracy seriously and organizing prefiguratively- that is, in a way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrej-gruba-i/i-became-an-anarchist-very-early-on-anarchism-in-my-mind-meant-taking/) [Andrej Grubačić](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrej-gruba-i/) [Browse all 388 Anarchism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "An anarchist is someone who doesn't need a cop to make him behave.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ammon Hennacy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/an-anarchist-is-someone-who-doesn-t-need-a-cop-to-make-him-behave/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anarchism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/an-anarchist-is-someone-who-doesn-t-need-a-cop-to-make-him-behave/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/ammon-hennacy-33177_anarchism_an-anarchist-is-someone-who-doesn-t-need_2691360.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/ammon-hennacy-33177_anarchism_an-anarchist-is-someone-who-doesn-t-need_2691360.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/ammon-hennacy-33177_anarchism_an-anarchist-is-someone-who-doesn-t-need_2691360.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“An anarchist is someone who doesn't need a cop to make him behave.” — Ammon Hennacy", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ammon Hennacy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "An anarchist is someone who doesn't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/an-anarchist-is-someone-who-doesn-t-need-a-cop-to-make-him-behave/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/an-anarchist-is-someone-who-doesn-t-need-a-cop-to-make-him-behave/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```