Outinleftfield
28th September 2009, 08:13
It's easy for people to dismiss anarchism, probably because the word only describes what isn't there. But no serious anarchist wants a vacuum. Most of us support enforcement against capitalism we're just against monopolizing that enforcement.
There is a need for something to stop reactionaries and outsiders from restoring capitalism. But organizations can do that without having to become states i.e. without monopolizing power. One organization stopping the return of capitalism has unchecked power and can do what ever it wants. Several organizations stopping the return of capitalism as would be formed in an anarchist society by voluntary association would be able to not only police attempts at reestablishing capitalism or any other form of coercive hierarchy but would also be able to police each other, all keeping each other true to their purpose.
The problem with government and police in any society is who governs the government and who polices the police. Having many organizations take over the functions of government and police while lacking one essential characteristic of these institutions by not monopolizing power and by allowing anyone to create new organizations on a voluntary basis takes care of that problem.
That's why we say "anarchy is order". Monopolization creates disorder by creating an unchecked or poorly checked class of people who can easily abuse their authority to get what they want.
There's no reason in socialism to ban someone from starting their own democratically-run organization to enforce against exploitation and any unjust force and coercion, which is what would be required for any socialist state to remain a state, to keep power monopolized. In fact its nonsensicle. We should have as many people cooperating to stop exploitation. Banning people from doing it themselves if they find existing organizations flawed is counterrevolutionary.
There is a need for something to stop reactionaries and outsiders from restoring capitalism. But organizations can do that without having to become states i.e. without monopolizing power. One organization stopping the return of capitalism has unchecked power and can do what ever it wants. Several organizations stopping the return of capitalism as would be formed in an anarchist society by voluntary association would be able to not only police attempts at reestablishing capitalism or any other form of coercive hierarchy but would also be able to police each other, all keeping each other true to their purpose.
The problem with government and police in any society is who governs the government and who polices the police. Having many organizations take over the functions of government and police while lacking one essential characteristic of these institutions by not monopolizing power and by allowing anyone to create new organizations on a voluntary basis takes care of that problem.
That's why we say "anarchy is order". Monopolization creates disorder by creating an unchecked or poorly checked class of people who can easily abuse their authority to get what they want.
There's no reason in socialism to ban someone from starting their own democratically-run organization to enforce against exploitation and any unjust force and coercion, which is what would be required for any socialist state to remain a state, to keep power monopolized. In fact its nonsensicle. We should have as many people cooperating to stop exploitation. Banning people from doing it themselves if they find existing organizations flawed is counterrevolutionary.