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April 10, 2004 Solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short I came across a recent essay at LewRockwell.com that has helped solidify something for me. He writes specifically about anarchy, though the concepts also applies to doctrinaire libertarians. The gist.... I prefer to think of anarchy as a way in which people deal with one another in a peaceful, cooperative manner; respectful of the inviolability of each other’s lives and property interests; resorting to contract and voluntary transactions rather than coercion and expropriation as a way of functioning in society.This gets to the crux of why I think anarcho-capitalism/total libertarianism cannot work. In a state of anarchy - as described in the article - there will be no "ruler".....no "highest power". Yet, humans demand a "highest power". If one does not exist, then the "highest power" is the person/group which is capable of organizing and exerting the most force. Now, there are two potential outcomes. (I generalize for ease) 1: Criminals/"bad" people will organize their power in a way that benefits themselves. We see it in third world countries which are constantly riven by factional warfare. At a lower level, we see it with groups like the Mafia and gangs. 2: "Good" people will organize a social structure to exert power towards those ends they desire. Examples: tribes, community associations, Unions. In outcome #1, we have a totalitarian, despotic state. In outcome #2.....well, you have a government. One run by - if not the majority - the most powerful plurality. Or, possibly, the one who accumulated the most guns the quickest. So, even in an ideal "libertarian" state, you'll always end up with a government...run by those capable of exerting the most power. Sort of like, you know, a democracy. If you're lucky. If you're not lucky, then you get a despot. So, while I admire the ideals of John Locke...I have to admit reality. Hobbes had it nearly right. A state of nature, without government, might not be total war....but it would always be a struggle between powers. Government is merely a locus of power....a means of concentrating, and ameliorating, the state of nature. Still, I'm a libertarian. Why? Because, though I believe the libertarian ideal is impossible, I also believe it IS an ideal we should strive toward....if only to further ameliorate power. Libertarians? Consider us the Flying Dutchmen of the political world...forever doomed to sail around the political Cape of Good Hope. |