mutual aid
English
Etymology
mutual + aid. Popularised by the anarcho-communist philosopher, Peter Kropotkin.
Noun
- (biology, sociology) The state of cooperation, as opposed to competition, as a factor in evolution and social development.
- 1902, Peter Kropotkin, “Introduction”, in Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution:
- [I]n all these scenes of animal life which passed before my eyes, I saw mutual aid and mutual support carried on to an extent which made me suspect in it a feature of the greatest importance for the maintenance of life, the preservation of each species, and its further evolution.
- (anarchism, communism, philosophy, by extension) A voluntary reciprocal exchange of resources and services for mutual benefit.
- (emergency medicine) An agreement among emergency responders to lend assistance across jurisdictional boundaries.
- (social work) A social work practice model in which members of a group both provide and receive help.
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