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One way in which anarchism is closer to socialism than it is to liberalism is over their optimistic view of human nature. Both socialists and anarchists hold positive anthropologies, meaning they both see humans as ultimately co-operative and sociable creatures. Socialists and anarchists both agree that in the current violent and exploitative capitalist climate, humans are selfish and greedy, but not because this is human nature, but rather because capitalism makes them so. Where anarchists and socialists disagree, is over how this positive aspect of human nature can be best achieved and brought out. Socialists argue that a state is necessary to bring down capitalism and introduce a state-run system of fraternity that is imposed on society in order to allow humans to act in their natural, harmonious and co-operative way. However, most anarchists argue that a state is no better at providing the right conditions for humans to be co-operative than capitalism is. Most anarchists argue that the removal of the state is necessary in providing the correct conditions for humans to act gregariously and co-operatively. This is because anarchists and socialists view what destroys human nature as two different things – socialists view capitalism as destructive and corruptive for human nature, whereas anarchists mostly view the state as the problem and capitalism as a symptom of the evil and cruel state.

Another way in which anarchism is closer to socialism than it is to liberalism is over their emphasis on the collective. Liberals emphasise the sovereignty of the individual and support the idea that the needs of the individual should never be compromised due to the needs of the collective. This is adverse to what socialists and anarcho-collectivists believe, which is the idea that the collective is of sovereign importance because humans are naturally social, co-operative creatures - this is where a great overlap lies between socialism and anarchism.

Many similarities can be drawn between Marxists and collective anarchists, predominantly because both have the same ideal ‘ends’ – a stateless, utopian society that, according to Marx’s theory of dialectical materialism will be reached after a dictatorship of the proletariat and the eventual withering away of the state. Where anarcho-collectivists and Marxists disagree is over the means of achieving this stateless society. Anarchists support direct action and sometimes violence, for example, the Baader Meinhof gang in Germany after World War II. Anarchists disagree with all forms of political power and order. This is where Marxist socialists disagree, for although they support revolution, they maintain the idea of a dictatorship of the proletariat – an idea that anarchists are fundamentally adverse to as they reject all forms of political domination.

To conclude, anarchism shares beliefs with both ideologies, socialism and liberalism. It is easier to quantify these shared beliefs by separating anarchism into anarcho-individualism and anarcho-collectivism – similarities shared with liberalism often align with the former, anarcho-individualism whereas similarities shared with socialism align with the latter, anarcho-collectivism. There are other means of overlap between anarchism and the two ideologies, for example over their view of the state. Both liberals and anarchists have a fundamental disapproval of the state as it is manipulative and corruptible, but they disagree over its necessity – liberals deeming a state necessary to limit human selfishness, anarchists deem it unnecessary as they believe humans can form natural, co-operative order in society without it being imposed by a state body. Many comparisons can be made between anarchists and socialists, specifically Marxists, due to their shared optimistic view of human nature and human capacity for sympathy and cooperation. Marxists also aim for a withering away of the state following a revolution to reach an eventually society where a state in unnecessary. Anarchists would support this goal however; anarchists disapprove of the dictatorship of the proletariat that Marxists advocate, as anarchists are adverse to all forms of political power.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anarchism