Dear Mark: I think the question you are asking is exactly the one Thomas
Jefferson, et. al., were asking themselves when creating the US Constitution.
They ended up "enforcing" anarchy--after a fashion--by declaring that the
government "shall not" do this, and "may not" do that" and "is barred from"
doing the other. They created what was probably the world's first
antigovernment government.
That is, just as you put it: They wanted to outlaw law; they wanted to
enforce non-force.
As people have pointed out since, this government may readily trip over its
own feet when it is trying to do something (such as form and direct a national
police force) which other governments do easily. Of course, it is DESIGNED to
fail in such an endeavor).
The international community of their own time identified the US founding
fathers as "anarchists." They often referred them as "anarchists." They saw
great irony in a bunch of anarchists engrossed in creation of a government,
and so do I.
Most Conservatives are appalled at the idea that the founding fathers were
anarchists, DESPITE THE FACT THE FOUNDING FATHERS, THEMSELVES, TENDED TO APPLY
THE TERM TO THEMSELVES.
You very well know what was the fate of the antigovernment government. As
long as, and insofar as, it was understood--which is to say, at first--it was a
great improvement over what had been & was a great success, benefitting people
as never before. By now, though, virtually everyone has forgotten about the
"antigovernment" part, & the USA is no better a government under which to live
than that of Canada or Great Britain, or .... It is just a government.
These are my thoughts.
mark robert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Hope this isn't off topic ("immigration" / "anarchism"?), but I
was just thinking.
Since technically anarchism (by the NAP ["good"?] definition /
"anarcho-capitalism"?), cannot enFORCE itself (or be enforced) in
societal terms, it can not ever have been "installed" or
"legislated" or "employed" or "practiced" universally (as a
system) by any large group of people anywhere. That's my comment
on the world history of anarchism.
But its history also seems to suggest something similar about its
future. In terms of a formal political system, it doesn't seem
logical - as "formal" and "political" implies universal
enforcement. It doesn't seem like it can ever be anything more
than individual decisions and informal agreements.
It's a conundrum: How do you outlaw law? Or the inverse: How do
you force non-force?
Of course that doesn't necessarily say anything negative about
its ethical merits. Nor does it say anything negative about the
eventual possibility of all individuals making those decisions
and agreements. I suspect that, as history has shown, technology
will further the autonomy of the individual and therefore the
feasibility of good anarchy. Technology has always been the
underestimated factor in the development of civilization and
individualism. But it still begs the question: At what
theoretical point do you, as a society, officially have
anarchism? What if 999 out of 1000 members of a society make the
informal agreement to observe the NAP, to the extent of
eliminating govt?
Does the one dissenter/aggressor disqualify the label? Or even
more analytical: What if all 1000 agreed, but then a violation
occurred? At that point in time, is the anarchy dissolved.
I'm not sure whether I am trying to restrict the definition of
anarchy down to near absolute zero, or I am just trying to define
it for myself. TLP, I'm sure you, and others, can comment.
Thanks.
-Mark
************
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"not guilty" based on nothing more than a disagreement with the
case, no matter the evidence - despite the judge's instructions.
There is absolutely no obligation to vote "guilty" to arrive at a
unanimous verdict. Get on a jury, stand your ground, and fulfill
its other main purpose: to counteract abusive government and
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See www.fija.org
[Please adopt this as your own signature.] }
_____
From: Paul
> How about every attempt at anarchy that has ever been made
during the
> entire history of the planet earth? Is that good enough for
you?
> This of course includes the non-anarchy in iceland that
anarchists
> claim was a paradise, and it includes more recent examples of
> oppression, chaos, murder, rape, theft, and warlords fighting
each
> other to control people like Somalia.
Be specific. Which attempts?
Iceland had statist elements that caused it to fail. That is an
established fact. The very things you wish to include in the
interactions between humans caused an almost ideal situation to
sour and become authoritarian.
Somalia - you defined it yourself. "oppression, chaos, murder,
rape, theft, and warlords fighting each other to control people
like Somalia." Therefore not in keeping with anyone's definition
of an Anarchy. Except for the one that you and you alone use.
No matter what you say, no many how many times you repeat the
lie, a Anarchy is not what you say it is. It is exactly peaceful
voluntary cooperation between people.
BWS
BWS
_____
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