mport1
06-30-2009, 08:36 AM
I find this (http://anarchyinyourhead.com/2009/06/29/is-minarchy-possible/#more-660) to be a very good blog post from Dale at AnarchyInYourHead.com (http://anarchyinyourhead.com/) so I thought it I would post it here for discussion on the neverending discussion between minarchists and voluntaryists (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voluntaryism). Remember, he is asking why minarchy is desired and for an explanation as to how it would work and be sustained.
Here’s your chance to sell me on the notion so make it good. Bare in mind, however, that I’m a critical thinker and I’m looking for logical arguments without the usual presumptions like “It’s always been done this way.” If we invented really efficient and clean-running hovercrafts, it would be silly to cling to the idea of wheels just because that’s how it’s been done for thousands of years. I’m also tired of arguments from need which are irrelevant. It doesn’t matter how much we need unicorns if they don’t exist or voodoo spells if they don’t work. There’s no point in having a discussion about the benefits of unicorns and their healing and purifying magical powers until someone convinces me they exist or they can create them.
And of course, there is the ever common presumption that minarchy “works”, but that would be circular because that’s the point of this post. I don’t believe it can work and in fact I think it’s counter-intuitive to think that it would. I see no historical evidence that societies are better off thanks to the existence of monopoly governments and I see no evidence that such things can stay small, and that’s what I mean by “work”. I think the record for a semi-smallish monopoly government is about 8 and a half minutes for the American version before the tyrannical power grab known as the Constitution, give or take a few years.
So please make an effort to abandon the common presumptions. Pretend I’ve not been to the government indoctrination centers known as public schools and that I haven’t spent my developing years immersed in a society that takes it as a given that the way to less violence is through violence. I would also appreciate if you will have your discussion with me and not just continue some discussion you’ve had with other anarchists. I am not proposing an alternative to your minarchist system. I’m sure that may seem convenient, but it’s the only way I can be intellectually honest. I suggest this post of mine (http://anarchyinyourhead.com/2008/11/28/anarchy-isnt-the-answer/) for clarification, but I will put it another way. As a minarchist, you are the one suggesting one magic pill that cures all ills. I am not suggesting that such a thing exists or can be created. I am not aiming to replace your blanket system with some other. I do not have to know a cure for cancer to demand proof that voodoo spells are anything other than a complete waste of time and resources or that certain voodoo rituals may even be harmful to the intended recipient.
So to be clear on semantics, what I am referring to is an authoritarian style monopoly on violence being presented as a means to achieving a more civilized society than we could have if we withdrew our support from such things and began to individually but cooperatively oppose tyranny and mystical claims to authority in all its forms whenever it pops up its ugly head. Please attempt to disregard previous discussions with other anarchists and whatever straw-men arguments they have conveniently provided you to knock down. You are not arguing against something. You are arguing for something. (emphasis mine) There are many problems that societies face in their attempts to work out the differences among themselves and I posit that there are many solutions to those problems and I see every reason to allow people to try whatever they think might work as long as they aren’t violating anyone’s rights in the process, the one thing that minarchists insist must be done for their magic pill to work.
Here’s a tip. When you inevitably ignore my request against arguments of need and argue that we need authority figures because humans are inherently incapable of civilized behavior without them, please explain where that authority will come from that will cause those particular flawed humans to be morally superior to the others. For instance, if it originates from some god who is presumably superior morally to us flawed humans, you’re going to first have to take a few steps back and convince me of its existence. You will then need to convince me that this god has in fact granted its authority to some particular mortal agents causing them to overcome this otherwise tragic flaw in human nature. If you have a magic piece of paper, a magic badge, a magic title, or a magic black robe that corrects this inherent flaw of moral imperfection in human beings, you’ll need to explain to me how the ritual works that creates these talismans. And I’m afraid “majority support” is epic fail as an answer so can we please keep the discussion moving forward? Majorities have been violently exploiting minorities for all of recorded history.
Are you beginning to get a sense of why I am skeptical of Utopian magic pill solutions? Humans are as varied in personalities and motivations as snowflakes which makes for some complicated problems when we try to get along in a civilized manner. It will likely take us a lot of trial and error in a free market to find good solutions for these many problems. Monopoly governments have been doing more harm than good for thousands of years. All I suggest is that we finally abandon our fantasies so we can begin to get to work on real solutions. But if you actually have the snake oil elixir that fixes everything and it really works, I will gleefully burn all my anarchist and voluntaryist t-shirts and stand in line to buy some from your booth at the next Porcfest (http://www.freestateproject.org/festival/)! Until then, I hope you will understand why I find the notion thoroughly worthy of ridicule in comic strip form.
In closing, I have a crazy notion for you to consider. Let’s change individuals. With each individual who learns what it really means to behave morally and to co-exist in a civilized manner with his or her neighbors, society gets a little bit better. That’s one more person who will contribute his ingenuity and brotherly love to humanity’s many problems. That’s one more person who will appreciate the value of peace and tolerance for others and their differences and pass on that value to his children; teach that value to his neighbors. It’s a realistic and gradualist approach. It’s not an attempt to suddenly and violently overthrow governments. It’s not Utopian. Blanket solutions for all of society are mystical. Individual changes are realistic and possible and those changes can ripple out to other individuals and have an exponential positive impact and make quantifiable steady progress toward peace and prosperity. Those of us who have chosen to be civilized will be better equipped than any slave for working together voluntary to protect our rights and provide for our mutual benefit. Anarchy is not a violent system that we attempt to impose on millions of people with or without their consent. Simply choose right now to consistently reject arbitrary and mystical claims to rulership of one man over another. Such designs are inherently exploitative and harmful. Anarchy is possible. Anarchy is in your head and in your heart the instant you are ready to embrace it.
Here’s your chance to sell me on the notion so make it good. Bare in mind, however, that I’m a critical thinker and I’m looking for logical arguments without the usual presumptions like “It’s always been done this way.” If we invented really efficient and clean-running hovercrafts, it would be silly to cling to the idea of wheels just because that’s how it’s been done for thousands of years. I’m also tired of arguments from need which are irrelevant. It doesn’t matter how much we need unicorns if they don’t exist or voodoo spells if they don’t work. There’s no point in having a discussion about the benefits of unicorns and their healing and purifying magical powers until someone convinces me they exist or they can create them.
And of course, there is the ever common presumption that minarchy “works”, but that would be circular because that’s the point of this post. I don’t believe it can work and in fact I think it’s counter-intuitive to think that it would. I see no historical evidence that societies are better off thanks to the existence of monopoly governments and I see no evidence that such things can stay small, and that’s what I mean by “work”. I think the record for a semi-smallish monopoly government is about 8 and a half minutes for the American version before the tyrannical power grab known as the Constitution, give or take a few years.
So please make an effort to abandon the common presumptions. Pretend I’ve not been to the government indoctrination centers known as public schools and that I haven’t spent my developing years immersed in a society that takes it as a given that the way to less violence is through violence. I would also appreciate if you will have your discussion with me and not just continue some discussion you’ve had with other anarchists. I am not proposing an alternative to your minarchist system. I’m sure that may seem convenient, but it’s the only way I can be intellectually honest. I suggest this post of mine (http://anarchyinyourhead.com/2008/11/28/anarchy-isnt-the-answer/) for clarification, but I will put it another way. As a minarchist, you are the one suggesting one magic pill that cures all ills. I am not suggesting that such a thing exists or can be created. I am not aiming to replace your blanket system with some other. I do not have to know a cure for cancer to demand proof that voodoo spells are anything other than a complete waste of time and resources or that certain voodoo rituals may even be harmful to the intended recipient.
So to be clear on semantics, what I am referring to is an authoritarian style monopoly on violence being presented as a means to achieving a more civilized society than we could have if we withdrew our support from such things and began to individually but cooperatively oppose tyranny and mystical claims to authority in all its forms whenever it pops up its ugly head. Please attempt to disregard previous discussions with other anarchists and whatever straw-men arguments they have conveniently provided you to knock down. You are not arguing against something. You are arguing for something. (emphasis mine) There are many problems that societies face in their attempts to work out the differences among themselves and I posit that there are many solutions to those problems and I see every reason to allow people to try whatever they think might work as long as they aren’t violating anyone’s rights in the process, the one thing that minarchists insist must be done for their magic pill to work.
Here’s a tip. When you inevitably ignore my request against arguments of need and argue that we need authority figures because humans are inherently incapable of civilized behavior without them, please explain where that authority will come from that will cause those particular flawed humans to be morally superior to the others. For instance, if it originates from some god who is presumably superior morally to us flawed humans, you’re going to first have to take a few steps back and convince me of its existence. You will then need to convince me that this god has in fact granted its authority to some particular mortal agents causing them to overcome this otherwise tragic flaw in human nature. If you have a magic piece of paper, a magic badge, a magic title, or a magic black robe that corrects this inherent flaw of moral imperfection in human beings, you’ll need to explain to me how the ritual works that creates these talismans. And I’m afraid “majority support” is epic fail as an answer so can we please keep the discussion moving forward? Majorities have been violently exploiting minorities for all of recorded history.
Are you beginning to get a sense of why I am skeptical of Utopian magic pill solutions? Humans are as varied in personalities and motivations as snowflakes which makes for some complicated problems when we try to get along in a civilized manner. It will likely take us a lot of trial and error in a free market to find good solutions for these many problems. Monopoly governments have been doing more harm than good for thousands of years. All I suggest is that we finally abandon our fantasies so we can begin to get to work on real solutions. But if you actually have the snake oil elixir that fixes everything and it really works, I will gleefully burn all my anarchist and voluntaryist t-shirts and stand in line to buy some from your booth at the next Porcfest (http://www.freestateproject.org/festival/)! Until then, I hope you will understand why I find the notion thoroughly worthy of ridicule in comic strip form.
In closing, I have a crazy notion for you to consider. Let’s change individuals. With each individual who learns what it really means to behave morally and to co-exist in a civilized manner with his or her neighbors, society gets a little bit better. That’s one more person who will contribute his ingenuity and brotherly love to humanity’s many problems. That’s one more person who will appreciate the value of peace and tolerance for others and their differences and pass on that value to his children; teach that value to his neighbors. It’s a realistic and gradualist approach. It’s not an attempt to suddenly and violently overthrow governments. It’s not Utopian. Blanket solutions for all of society are mystical. Individual changes are realistic and possible and those changes can ripple out to other individuals and have an exponential positive impact and make quantifiable steady progress toward peace and prosperity. Those of us who have chosen to be civilized will be better equipped than any slave for working together voluntary to protect our rights and provide for our mutual benefit. Anarchy is not a violent system that we attempt to impose on millions of people with or without their consent. Simply choose right now to consistently reject arbitrary and mystical claims to rulership of one man over another. Such designs are inherently exploitative and harmful. Anarchy is possible. Anarchy is in your head and in your heart the instant you are ready to embrace it.