本书是一部基于无政府主义观点的社会发展史。克鲁泡特金通过对自然界中动物的观察，论述互助是生物得以保存并持续进化的要素，通过互助，集体可以更好地保障个体的安全、繁殖和发展完善。作者继而将互助法则拓展到人类，认为人类在发展的不同阶段（蒙昧人、野蛮人、中世纪城市人、现代人）具有同一人性，都普遍存在着各种形式的互助。互助促进了人类社会的不断发展，是人类社会存在至今的根本原因。
全书共分八章。前两章为“动物之间的互助”；后六章，即第三章至第八章，专门考察人类社会在不同历史时期的互助。

导读
REFACE TO THE 1914 EDITION
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1 MUTUAL AID AMONG ANIMALS
CHAPTER 2 MUTUAL AID AMONG ANIMALS (CONTINUED)
CHAPTER 3 MUTUAL AID AMONG SAVAGES
CHAPTER 4 MUTUAL AID AMONG THE BARBARIANS
CHAPTER 5 MUTUAL AID IN THE MEDIAEVAL CITY
CHAPTER 6 MUTUAL AID IN THE MEDIAEVAL CITY (CONTINUED)
CHAPTER 7 MUTUAL AID AMONGST OURSELVES
CHAPTER 8 MUTUAL AID AMONGST OURSELVES (CONTINUED)
CONCLUSION
APPENDIX A
Ⅰ.--SWARMS OF BUTTERFLIES, DRAGON-FLIES,ETC.
Ⅱ.--THE ANTS.
Ⅲ.--NESTING ASSOCIATIONS.
Ⅳ.--SOCIABILITY OF ANIMALS.
Ⅴ.--CHECKS TO OVER-MULTIPLICATION.
Ⅵ.--ADAPTATIONS TO AVOID COMPETITION.
Ⅶ.--THE ORIGIN OF THE FAMILY.
Ⅷ.--DESTRUCTION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY ON THE GRAVE.
Ⅸ.--THE "UNDIVIDED FAMILY."
Ⅹ.--THE ORIGIN OF THE GUILDS.
Ⅺ.--THE MARKET AND THE MEDIAEVAL CITY.
Ⅻ.--MUTUAL-AID ARRANGEMENTS IN THE VILLAGES OF NETHERLANDS AT THE PRESENT DAY.
APPENDIX B
术语汇编与简释