Anarchist laws

[Redhead]

I was thinking about how laws would be enforced in an anarchist society. Altough anarchists dislike authority, every society needs at least a basic set of laws, to prevent some crimes such as murder, theft or rape.
Then i remembered a simple riddle from a small norwegian fairytale city. This society got only one law, and it sounds (roughly translated) like this:

"One should not bother others, One shall be fair and kind, and otherwise one can do as he pleases"

Meaning: You can do whatever you wish, as long as it doesnt harm other people in any way.
I just thought it was a nice law, and you dont really need much more to it than that.
Example: Murder? Harm other people. Theft? Harm other people. Racism? Harm other people. When you think about it there is little crime who doesnt harm other people.

[Psycho P and the Freight Train]

Agreed. Crime = a victim. Very simple. That covers rape, murder, torture, child abuse/neglect, brutal beatings, etc.

As far as enforcement goes, I like the idea that different types of workers from different lines of work take temporary shifts for local militias. This would be needed more in places where there still might be a lot of violent crime in the transition to communist society. But there really should still be some type of emergency response team to help out people in trouble. There are still sick people who will rape and murder.

[The Intransigent Faction]

I was thinking about how laws would be enforced in an anarchist society. Altough anarchists dislike authority, every society needs at least a basic set of laws, to prevent some crimes such as murder, theft or rape.

Well, that depends on what you mean by "laws". Maybe it's just liberal education, but I always thought of "laws" as connoting a set of rules of conduct imposed on society by authority figures. That has no place in socialism because there's no need for it.

Generally speaking, for most socially harmful behaviours, I think history has examples of egalitarian methods that could be adapted for a socialist society: https://libcom.org/history/how-hunter-gatherers-maintained-their-egalitarian-ways-peter-gray

Obviously in the rare especially violent cases, a person will need to be at least temporarily restrained for the safety of themselves and others, but there's a difference between acknowledging that and calling for the formation of "militias" or imposition of "laws" in any sense beyond informal social conventions.

I seriously question the assumption that "theft" will be a problem in anarchist societies, though, let alone other behaviours that don't just fall from the sky but rather occur in certain social or socioeconomic contexts.

Call me an "idealist" all you want, but the real idealism is the unqualified assumption that theft, for example, will be (ironically) such a problem even after the abolition of bourgeois property rights and development of a post-scarcity economy as to merit the "need" for "basic laws".

[BIXX]

There still might be theft for sentimental items or one of a kind things etc...


ETA: I'm against all law all authority all that stands over me

[Sinister Intents]

There still might be theft for sentimental items or one of a kind things etc...


ETA: I'm against all law all authority all that stands over me

Likewise comrade, nothing will stop me from taking your favorite pen :p (assuming you have one, but I'd give it back :))

[tuwix]

I was thinking about how laws would be enforced in an anarchist society. Altough anarchists dislike authority, every society needs at least a basic set of laws, to prevent some crimes such as murder, theft or rape.
Then i remembered a simple riddle from a small norwegian fairytale city. This society got only one law, and it sounds (roughly translated) like this:

"One should not bother others, One shall be fair and kind, and otherwise one can do as he pleases"

Meaning: You can do whatever you wish, as long as it doesnt harm other people in any way.
I just thought it was a nice law, and you dont really need much more to it than that.
Example: Murder? Harm other people. Theft? Harm other people. Racism? Harm other people. When you think about it there is little crime who doesnt harm other people.

Anarchism is a system against a state and private property. But state in anarchist perspective (Marxist also) is understood as a body that protects private property. All other functions of present state will remain in post-state society. Police will be transformed into militia and beside protecting private property which will be irrelevant will protect society against antisocial behaviors.

IMHO function of jails should be transformed for re-education centers. Because putting someone in jail and doing nothing, I find just stupid.

[Bala Perdida]

I'm thinking that maybe a rotating committee of volunteers might be the way to go. Something where people sign up as emergency response teams, or stay at a base for the night.
When a crime occurs they are called to detain or retaliate (like against a shooter) against the assailant. However, they cannot press charges or enforce punishment. They simply tackle the assailant, fire back, tase, or whatever, and then hold the assailant back. Maybe take him to a detention home where the assailant can call their family and be treated, and depending on the crime, be let go when they calm down.