The goal is market anarchism. That’s my goal, at least. By market anarchism, I mean a society where political power is dispersed and decentralized, so much so that there is nothing left of what we today call governments.
There are organizations that provide services we expect from government. There are bodies that regulate business and ensure orderly society. But the police are private defense agencies now. Courts are run by arbitrators. National defense is no different from individual, family, block or city defense. The social safety net is once again charity and mutual aid organizations.
The unit of political power in market anarchism is the individual. The individual has complete sovereignty over his or her life. The individual can contractually join groups if he or she wishes to live in a gated community, gain social support through a mutual aid society or collaborate as part of a firm. The individual can trade with any other individual or group who wishes to trade with him or her, on a voluntary and consensual basis that’s not so different from going to the grocery store.
This vision isn’t clear to everyone. Some think it means rule by corporations or “unbridled” capitalism. They forget that corporations are creatures of the state, chartered with special privileges through grants of limited liability and unstoppable influence-purchasing. They don’t realize that a market anarchist society could easily result in not just more but also more effective regulation than any state ever imposed on any capitalist enterprise.
Why
Market anarchism is the goal because it represents the beginning of complete respect for the individual and his/her human rights. It marks the end of the 20th century mega-state that killed tens of millions through war, genocide, brutality and other schemes for control. It’s the end of having a central point of failure for society. No longer can big business go to Washington to buy special privileges. No longer can acts of Congress infringe on our rights to live our lives as we please as long as we don’t hurt anyone else.
Market anarchism and the end of states isn’t utopia. It simply removes the impediment that blocks each of us from re-organizing our lives and our communities to serve our own needs best.
It means no more runaway, murdering police. It means drug legalization, or not, depending on your community mores. It means greater economic and scientific development for those willing to undertake it. No more slavery, or taxation. It means a great reduction in war and greater local control over immigration, be that for open or closed “borders.” It means respect for local culture. It means that dissatisfied people can move to new areas and start new communities with new philosophies at any time just by buying land and signing contracts.
Market anarchism is both complete accountability for every human being and complete freedom. It’s the evolution in government that we need to reach our goals as individuals and as a species.
How
The theory of what market anarchism is and the ways in which it works is clear from works such as The Market for Liberty, Private Law and many others. I won’t go into that in this post.
The real question is how do we get there. The popular answers are the least satisfying: “education”, activism, copblocking, abstention from this or that.
I’ve written about this before:
- A Voluntary World by 2064
- Libertarians Really Should Go Back to Somalia
- How to Start Doing Agorism
- Shield Mutual: Agorist Insurance against the State
- An Early Plan for Open Source Peaceful Evolution
- Join the Liberty Rapid Response Team
There are tons of plans and ideas for how a market anarchist society could work but there is no plan for how to get to any of those ideals from the less than ideal situation we currently find ourselves in.
That’s why I’m considering writing a book that expands my own current personal plan, a plan I’ve been working on for years and have written about before over at Shield Mutual.
It’s a plan that encompasses both the individual sphere and the collaborative group sphere. It contemplates things like building power, collective bargaining and model societies.
Your Interest Level?
Are you interested in buying, reading and discussing such a book? Are you interested in collaborating on it? Reading drafts?
We libertarian types frequently get stuck in analysis-paralysis. We focus on the many wonderful possibilities without settling on one to try. And so we remain passive and we do nothing of any substance.
This is your chance to do something of substance. Let me know if you’re in on this project or not in the comments and in what capacity.
We’ve talked our heads off about liberty. There is nothing left to say now. Now it is time to do.
By the way, my novel about future agorist Lando Cruz is on sale for 99 cents today only (Dec 6 2015) along with 80 other science fiction and fantasy novels. Grab it here.
Photo Credit: Outi-Maaria Palo-oja CC-BY
10 replies on “Nothing Left to Say, Only Do Now”
George, you may be interested in consulting the freedom umbrella of direct action, which is a directory of sorts [http://www.libertyunderattack.com/the-freedom-umbrella-of-direct-action-second-edition/]. If you’re interested in becoming a “freedom strategist,” much like Dan Shielding, then I would suggest trying to get a DRO off the ground in some local neighborhood, because the minarchists could use a reality check that privatizing the government judiciary is actually possible.
That’s a very complete summary, Kyle, thanks.
I would call those tactics. I do a lot of that and a lot of it is very useful.
However, without a strategy, tactics are isolated actions building toward nothing.
We need a strategy.
And living in the woods, homeschooling, burning voter cards, growing your own peppers and “educating” (propagandizing) your neighbors will get you nothing but isolation.
The only thing worse than living under a government hostile to individual liberty is doing that but alone and in isolation.
Showing people that something is possible is utterly useless if they don’t want it. This is the “marveling at the possibilities” thing libertarians get stuck in.
Not even most anarchists want to live in a market anarchist society. So why would statists? They don’t and you won’t convince them.
What we need is a strategy to show people something real, not a collection of tactics that speak to the possibilities, but a real strategy leading to a reality.
That said, your work there to build a list of tactics is impressive. But I have to stress the difference between what you’re talking about and what I’m talking about so that hopefully I might make myself understood.
George, fair enough. The only strategy to bring about a market anarchy that I am aware of is agorism, which you have blogged about before. Konkin’s transition phases from statism to anarchy seem like a strategy, especially considering he described counter-economics as a class of tactics.
Even if every liberty-minded person in North America engaged in agorism, it would still be less of a black market (percentage-wise) than currently thrives in many third world countries that sport very active and powerful governments.
Is it a strategy? Sure. Is it getting the job done? No. Can we expect it to get the job done alone or even in combination with other common tactics? No.
The majority of the population is either law-and-order inclined or are afraid of the law-and-order types. Hence, further organization is required.
I am a poet-entrepreneur currently living as a Dodge Van nomad with my wife, in the process of expatriating overland to South America. I have pondered this topic without cease for a decade and I am confident in our current plan of action. At one point I was asked by an anti-capitalist Anarchist to write a segment in his ‘Encyclopedia of Anarchy’. That regrettably did not happen, but I would be happy to collaborate on such an endeavor in any way I can.
– Mango Thunderslice
I’ve been living in South America for a long time and considering a move to another spot in SA. So I’m there with you, amen.
Thanks for commenting and for sharing your thoughts but I have to draw a distinction between what you’re doing and what I’m proposing.
Getting an individual or a family out is solid. Did it myself. But it’s a save-my-own-ass kind of thing that settles instead of shooting to win.
It’s individual action, which is powerful. But it’s not group action, not on a big scale, so it’s less powerful than it could be.
Saving our own asses is important, critical, maybe even the only thing that really matters. I frequently think that my best case scenario is to hide away somewhere.
But that’s aiming low. That’s settling. That’s trying to come out even.
I want to come out on top. I want freedom and liberty to come out on top. There’s no reason why it can’t.
I’d love to hear any ideas you have when you have a chance and best wishes with your travels. If you come through Medellín, let me know. I’d love to meet you guys.
Hi, another good read. Thanks
I appreciate the comment, Mike. I hope all is well with you.
George,
I would be happy to be a “beata reader” for that book, it is something that needs written for sure!
I was a beta reader for the book End of Jobs (also a great book), and would love to give you some feedback.
Jason
Awesome. I appreciate your interest and support!