Political Forum

Dear guest,

Welcome to the internet's top destination for the civil discussion of politics. This is a forum for discussion and debate of the issues, and not for personal remarks aimed at other discussants.

This forum has no political affiliation and welcomes your perspective on the issues. Membership is free. If you would like to join the discussions and debates please REGISTER HERE.

All new members should review the forum rules. The "Today's Posts" button automatically adjusts itself to fit your screen on its first use for Firefox and on its second use, for Internet Explorer. Have a pleasant day. (This is a spam free board.)

  #1 (permalink)  
Old 03-11-2008, 07:21 AM
Pluto Pluto is offline
Reeve
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 57
Can anarchism work?

Anarchism (aka no government) is in my opinion the best solution to government oppression and domination. In anarchism there are no countries or states which rule and oppress people. But in order for anarchism to work all the world needs to live within an anarchist system.

Unlike many observers of history, anarchists see a common thread behind most of mankind's problems: the state. In the 20th-century alone, states have murdered well over 100,000,000 human beings, whether in war, concentration camps, or man-made famine. And this is merely a continuation of a seemingly endless historical pattern: almost from the beginning of recorded history, governments have existed. Once they arose, they allowed a ruling class to live off the labor of the mass of ordinary people; and these ruling classes have generally used their ill-gotten gains to build armies and wage war to extend their sphere of influence. At the same time, governments have always suppressed unpopular minorities, dissent, and the efforts of geniuses and innovators to raise humanity to new intellectual, moral, cultural, and economic heights. By transferring surplus wealth from producers to the state's ruling elite, the state has often strangled any incentive for long-run economic growth and thus stifled humanity's ascent from poverty; and at the same time the state has always used that surplus wealth to cement its power.

Last edited by Pluto : 03-11-2008 at 07:28 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 03-11-2008, 07:27 AM
The Lying Dutchman The Lying Dutchman is offline
Governor General
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 670
Location: Amsterdam
Country:
anarchism cant 'work', systems work anarchism is just the non-existence of any form of government.

it will not better in terms of oppression, there will always be people struggling for a dominant position in order to survive, human nature
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 03-11-2008, 07:40 AM
Pluto Pluto is offline
Reeve
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 57
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Lying Dutchman View Post
anarchism cant 'work', systems work anarchism is just the non-existence of any form of government.

it will not better in terms of oppression, there will always be people struggling for a dominant position in order to survive, human nature
If humans are inherently evil and always seek to dominate, oppress and control others anarchism could not work until humanity evolves.
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 03-11-2008, 07:51 AM
The Lying Dutchman The Lying Dutchman is offline
Governor General
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 670
Location: Amsterdam
Country:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pluto View Post
If humans are inherently evil and always seek to dominate, oppress and control others anarchism could not work until humanity evolves.
it is nature of man. calling it evil is not a qualification that is constructive, thats a judgement. i doubt evolution will ban the most basic drive of man.
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 03-11-2008, 07:54 AM
Pluto Pluto is offline
Reeve
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 57
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Lying Dutchman View Post
it is nature of man. calling it evil is not a qualification that is constructive, thats a judgement. i doubt evolution will ban the most basic drive of man.
So are you saying that humans like to dominate and oppress others if it secures their survival?
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 03-11-2008, 07:57 AM
The Lying Dutchman The Lying Dutchman is offline
Governor General
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 670
Location: Amsterdam
Country:
it is a consequence of self-preservation. we make allies to better protect our own asses and try to dominate in order not to get dominated and loose our freedoms and lives.

humans dont 'like' dominating (though they could come to..), but it is their own best interest
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 03-11-2008, 08:05 AM
Pluto Pluto is offline
Reeve
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 57
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Lying Dutchman View Post
it is a consequence of self-preservation. we make allies to better protect our own asses and try to dominate in order not to get dominated and loose our freedoms and lives.

humans dont 'like' dominating (though they could come to..), but it is their own best interest
So anarchism could not work?
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 03-11-2008, 08:42 AM
emptypepsi's Avatar
emptypepsi emptypepsi is online now
DoubleplusgoodMod
Larga vida y prosperidad.
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,794
Location: Planet Vulcan
Country:
Send a message via AIM to emptypepsi
Anarchism is my favorite political philosophy to study (even as it spills over into economic realm, such as theories like Agorism, for instance). Some years ago I felt myself bordering on the ideology.

However, having said that, I feel it is unworkable with the current state of man.
__________________
"The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom."
Isaac Asimov
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old 03-11-2008, 08:53 AM
Pluto Pluto is offline
Reeve
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 57
Quote:
Originally Posted by emptypepsi View Post
However, having said that, I feel it is unworkable with the current state of man.
But why not?
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old 03-11-2008, 09:41 AM
TokenLiberal TokenLiberal is offline
Banned
Socialists R Us
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 252
Location: The People's Republic of California
Country:
Political philosophy student here:

Keep in mind that there are many flavours of anarchism, too. Look it up on Wikipedia if you don't know about many of the different one.

I have to agree with contract theorists that an anarchistic society would eventually turn into a state (Robert Nozick argues this extensively in his book Anarchy, State, and Utopia). His "Minarchism"--basically, an ultra-libertarian nightwatchman state government--is feasible, and the closest we could come to anarchy.

Of course, the overarching question is whether or not we'd be better off. I used to veer strongly in the other direction, toward a more powerful state, but as time goes on and I reflect more (funny enough, I've become a bit more conservative, though still on the liberal end of the spectrum ), the allure of a less interfering state becomes more attractive.
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:59 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.0.0 RC6
A vBSkinworks Design
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=

right