Morrison I. Swift

Morrison Isaac Swift (1856-1946) was an American social theorist, organizer, and activist. A fruitful writer, speaker, and pamphleteer, he has written a number of books on social and political theory and several works of fiction. It is believed that some consider it an anarchist, while others are considered a liberal. Swift was an outspoken anti-imperialist, anti-capitalist and tireless promoter of socialism and public property. He was against slavery and oppression, a defender of social justice for the unemployed and working poor, and an advocate of freedom for the individual. Swift was described in a political journal in 1894 as “quiet, with a certain personal charm, defeated in his manner in front of a conversation group, and very capable of a promiscuous crowd. He is well educated, traveled, and has talked a lot about economic ills and their treatment. He is a socialist of the extreme type. He stands for peaceful methods, but will not hesitate in radical measures if they promise success. ” His obituary noted that he was "a man of extraordinary gentleness, humility, and charm, beloved by all who knew him." William James, quoting Swift at a lecture at the Lowell Institute in Boston in 1906, called him "this valiant anarchist writer." He was also considered "one of the most brutal and prolific anti-imperialists."