Anarchism and Somalia

[Unicorn]

There is no functioning central government then Somalia. So how it is possible that a particularly cruel form of laissez faire capitalism flourishes in this stateless society?

[Don't Change Your Name]

"No state" doesn't necessarilly mean "no authority".

[Raúl Duke]

You have no understanding of what anarchism is...

Although "anarcho-capitalists" (which are rejected by most anarchists) consider Somalia their utopia.

One reason why is because there's a civil war and no groups of people, specifically workers, (also anarchists or knowledge of anarchism are probably non-existant) have created any forms of anarchist organization (worker's council, communes, etc).

[mykittyhasaboner]

Somalia has a transitional federal government but only controls the southern half of Somalia.

[Os Cangaceiros]

One stateless area of the globe, in one of the most corrupt and violent areas of the world, surrounded by capitalism, with a population that has its own distinct tribal identities and no real knowledge of anarchism.

Yeah, I'm real suprised that anarchist utopia hasn't sprung up.

[Schrödinger's Cat]

I wouldn't call Somalia stateless; separable regions in the north are controlled by small warlords who annex geographical regions much like the United States government.

[Cult of Reason]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Somalia_map_states_regions_districts.png/462px-Somalia_map_states_regions_districts.png

This is a scaled down map from Wikipedia, which, as you can see from the date, is quite up to date.

The (orange) Somaliland seperatists want to reestablish the State of Somaliland, which was formerly British Somaliland and existed before it unified with what had been Italian Somalia. It is in fact a state, albeit not currently recognised by another country (but Ethopia has declared that it will recognise it if the African Union (eventually) decides not to (probably because of its territorial claims in the rest of Somalia), the USA once considered recognising it and one of the blocs in the European Parliament is currently putting forth a motion to recognise it), that has existed since 1991 and currently operates on a hybrid system of liberal democracy (lower house, with equal seats for each clan) and rule by clan elders (upper house). It is considered the most stable and safe area of Somalia despite an insurrection in Awdal in the West and a conflict with Puntland in the East. It has recently captured the town of Laas Canood from Puntland.

The blue areas in the Northeast are mostly the territories of Puntland and Maakhir, recently affiliated with the Transitional Government of Somalia, which both want to have autonomy within the state of Somalia.

The blue areas in the South are held by the Transitional Government and two of its generals (including Mogadishu, recently).

The green areas are still under Islamist control. There is definitely a state there, of sorts.

That leaves only the yellow and pink areas, and even then it is probably difficult to find the AnCap paradise.