Thread: Is anarchy a good idea? How could it work?

Originally Posted by Descensus

Nope.

You're an anarchist who doesn't want to explain how anarchy could work although you post in this forum? Are you sure that you're an anarchist? I keep seeing so many suggestions that you are not one. Why is that?

Originally Posted by Alric

Basically anarchy only works if everyone is a decent and good person that is willing to cooperate with others. In other words, it can work on a small scale but the more people you have the more likely you are to have some jerk in the mix and that screws up the entire system.

In the above situation, there is two obvious solutions to the problem. The person turns down his music because he realizes he is bothering others. The people living near him move away. Again that requires the first person respecting others right to have some peace, or other people respecting his right to be annoying and finding an alternative such as moving, or accepting it.

Maybe person A plays his musics too loud but person B likes to walk around the streets naked. If he is willing to live with sound muffling headphones so the music no longer bothers him, in exchange for the ability of others to look the other way while he walks around town naked, everyone gets along. Everyone needs to be very mature though, and willing to put up with stuff to get what you want at times. There are people today, who would probably live just fine in such communities, but humans in general are not ready for such communities. We need to mature more as a race before we can work together like that without any rules.

There are also murderers, rapists, burglars, muggers, car jackers, and invading armies to think about.

Originally Posted by cmind

Why are you using a dictionary definition? If you want to examine the beliefs of anarchists, you need to use their definitions. Otherwise, who exactly are you arguing with?

I want to be clear on this point, because at least two people in this thread missed it:

It's ok to disagree with the political philosophy itself, but not on definitions. Definitions must be agreed upon before any real discussion can take place. Now, you can go right ahead and define anarchy as <insert bad things> if you want. But that's not what an anarchist means when they use the word. So you're arguing against a position that no one holds.

This thread is about not having a government and how things could work in such a situation.

Originally Posted by Universal Mind

There are also murderers, rapists, burglars, muggers, car jackers, and invading armies to think about.

All of which will fall under people being jerks. In the future, when we can eliminate poverty and crime then the chances of a successful anarchy style government working will be greatly improved. At the moment, with how the world is now, a pure anarchy results in something like Somalia. Not a pleasant place.

Originally Posted by Alric

All of which will fall under people being jerks. In the future, when we can eliminate poverty and crime then the chances of a successful anarchy style government working will be greatly improved. At the moment, with how the world is now, a pure anarchy results in something like Somalia. Not a pleasant place.

I just did a reality check right after I read your post. I honestly attempted to float out of my chair because I thought I might be dreaming. We actually agree on something. That almost never happens.

I think it will take biological evolution for humans to be ready to handle anarchy.

My sole contribution to this thread will be this post.

Look, the appropriate definition of anarchism wholly depends on who you're talking to. UM dropped the ball by not defining anarchism in any particular way. You wouldn't use your grandmother's definition (it's ruthless chaos!) when speaking to somebody who really digs Kropotkin (anarcho-communism) or David Friedman (anarcho-capitalism). What exactly are you talking about? Which kind of anarchy does the scenario given in the OP best match to? Define your terms before continuing.

Originally Posted by Universal Mind

You're an anarchist who doesn't want to explain how anarchy could work although you post in this forum? Are you sure that you're an anarchist? I keep seeing so many suggestions that you are not one. Why is that?

Never mind the fact that I've been around the block with you on this topic more than once. You're just going to have to accept that I don't think you're worth it.