Jack Spirko: “Minarchism and Anarchism have arisen from the fundamental understanding that what states do is theft”
“Minarchism and Anarchism has arisen from the fundamental understanding that what states do is theft. It is no less theft for your government to take 30% of your income, than for me to come into your home and take 30% of your shit. It’s actually a greater theft. You have recourse if I take your stuff. You can shoot me. You can fight back. You can bury me in a hole in the ground. When the government demands their 30% they will use overwhelming force and you have no recourse. And they can spend your money on things that you find to be morally reprehensible. And there is nothing you can do if you stay in their system. And they make it very difficult for you to disassociate with their system. In fact I would say all nigh impossible for you to fully disassociate with their system. But there are ways you can begin the process. And what I’ve learned about most, not all – cause some of you are flaming assholes – but most anarchists understand these things and understand that you can’t just switch a switch and make this happen. That there is a move toward this. And many even understand we may never actually get there. But if we don’t set the goal at absolutely no state, all we will ever get is more state. And then a lot of anarchists would be happy if we could get into a true monarchist system, as long as we don’t lose site of the eventual goal. And that actually makes anarchism a lot easier of a system to adapt. … You can’t steal other peoples’ shit, and you can’t tell other people how to think”
Though I agree with his thoughts on government theft, interference and general overreach into our lives and the difficulty or even impossibility of one ever achieving complete disassociation with government, I do have some apprehensions.
Call me pessimistic, but everyone running around doing what is right in their own eyes without the rule of law does not bespeak a society I would like to live in. I don’t have enough faith in humans to believe that is a recipe for a success. In the absence of the rule of law, a vacuum will occur and what will fill that void? I’m pretty sure I don’t want to find out. Man has demonstrated since time immemorial, right to this very day that he is incapable of living in peace without peacekeepers.
However, this does not negate his assertion that moving toward a state of anarchism wouldn’t do us a whole bunch of good. Less government would do us all a whole bunch of good I’m sure.
Cal
I also think that there’s a stigma associated with the word anarchism. And maybe rightfully so, it is a strong word.
Minarchism is more palatable for me too – Just take the interference, intrusion, and theft to the minimum required.
Defending our borders, protecting us from criminals, allowing freedom of commerce (but not protecting large corporations over small startups), firefighting, ambulance service, etc. – these tasks will always be better handled by a central authority.
A truly functional anarchistic society is about as likely as a perfect socialist utopia, peace on earth, healthy food for everyone, – and though I wish I were wrong – a 100% cure for cancer.
But the closer we work towards each of these (well except the socialist utopia) the better off we are.
Sometimes it takes people like Jack with such polarized views to wake up the general public. And in the end the right solution is something less extreme…
^^^Agreed. Polarized view points or “extremism” are seldom able to achieve what they set out to do. As any of you who are married or live in long term relationships know already…compromise and a blending of ideas often works much better…at least that’s what she says!! 😉
Sounds like you didn’t actually read the quote.
That was @cal by the way.