David Nicholl (anarchist)

This redirect is about the anarchist. For the neurologist, see David Nicoll (neurologist).

David Nicoll (1859–1919) was an anarchist active in Great Britain who participated in the Socialist League.

By 1890,David Nicoll was editor of the league journal the Commonweal as political differences between the anarchists and the other socialists like William Morris sharpened, particularly after Bloody Sunday. These differences were largely over the use of violence in the immediate struggle. Nicholl had published articles one of which lamented that there were no fatalities during the Leeds gas strike riots. Contrary to what he regarded as Morris's defeatism Nicholl suggested; '"Individual assaults on the system will lead to riots, riots to revolts, revolts to insurrection, insurrection to revolution."'

Nicholl became very active in the defence of the Walsall Anarchists and was arrested along with Charles Mowbray (whose children were left alone in the house with the body of their dead mother who had just died).

See also

• Anarchism and violence
• Anarchism in the United Kingdom