Free Essay

Anarcho Capitalism

In: Other Topics

Submitted By shahin1234
Words 1605
Pages 7
Why I am an Anarcho-Capitalist

This day in age, a significant portion of society, perhaps more than the days of enlightenment and the real take off of free thinking and rationalism are self described supporters of the free market, this is true even in spite of the unrelenting and constant barrage and demonization of those who propose the motion that a free market mechanism would provide a superior system to the one that we have at the moment. However a great many of those who are “supporters” of a true free market economy often couple their “pro” free market statements with contradictions such as “ but we need government to provide physical security” or to “control and stabilize currency”

Generally those who align themselves with the Minarchist school of thought wish to assign government the control of the most important goods and services, many in favour of government monopoly on the production of money and nearly all support a government enforced monopoly on law and protection.

This isn’t to say that people who find themselves advocating for a minimalistic government with minimal interventionist policies rather than a full blown anarcho-capitalistic systems are less capable to comprehend the nuances of the free market, nearly all anarcho capitalists at some some point or another found themselves compromising without realising, the long term benefits of anarcho-capitalism.

As a general introduction I would like to provide a few basic economic principles that counter the assumption that government intervention is desirable

-Government as we know it is a prime example of monopoly, and anyone who has read an AS economic textbook would know that in the long run, monopolies generally tend to lead to higher prices and a poorer quality of good/service

-The nature of the free market mechanism is such that it is constantly allocating resources to genuine consumer wants and desires, regardless of the frequency of change of consumer preferences

-In contrast, government cannot compete with the efficiency of the allocation of resources that a free market mechanism provides, as Ludwig von Mises explains in Bureaucracy. Without the concept of profit or loss in their choices, and thus those in positions to allocate resources do not incur the cost or benefits of their choices. A government organisation has no idea what to produce, in what quantities, in what location, using what methods. Every decision is arbitrary. Essentially, when it comes to government provision of anything, there is a compelling case to be made that we should expect poor quality, high prices and a wasteful allocation of resources

There are many other reasons that the market (voluntary interactions between individuals/businesses/charities/) deserves consideration over the current state system, and why we ought not assume the state is indispensable without first seriously investigating to what degree human ingenuity and the economic harmonies of the market can get by without it, for example:

-The state acquires its revenue by aggressing and threatening peaceful individuals

-The state encourages the masses to believe there are two sets of moral rules, one set that is heavily perpetuated by state education, that involves the abstention from violence and theft, and another set of morals that applies only to government, which alone may aggress against peaceful individuals

-As somebody who has been both publicly (private) and state educated (the state has a 93% market share in education) I believe that the state encourages the belief that the state’s existence is morally legitimate and justified through its so called benevolence, and the world of voluntary exchange to be morally suspect, and has demonised the free market to the point where public perception is that true capitalists are selfish psychopathic individuals who hate the poor and disabled

-The government sector is dominated by concentrated interests that lobby for special benefits at the expense of the general public, whereas in the free market system can only succeed by pleasing the general public

- Governments teach their subjects to wave flags and sing songs in their honor and glory, which in turn contributes to the idea that resisting expropriations and enormities is treason

The list goes on indefinitely

It is understandable that people may not understand how law, which they assume must provided in top down fashion, could emerge absent the in the state, although there is plenty of good historical work demonstrating precisely this. But government had historically monopolised the production of any good or service, we would hear objections to the privatisation of that good or service. For instance, if government had monopolised the production of lightbulbs, we’d be told that the private sector could never possibly produce light bulbs. The private sector won’t produce speciality bulbs with only a limited market, since there would be little profit in that. The private sector will produce dangerous, exploding bulbs. And so on.

Since we have lived with private lightbulbs all along, these objections seem laughable to us. No one would want any of the scenarios that hypothetical critics warns us about

The fact is, competing sources of law have been common in the history of Western civilization. When the kings of old began to monopolize the legal function, they did so not out of some benevolent desire to establish order (which already existed) but because they collected fees whenever cases were heard in the royal courts. Naïve public public public interest theories of government, which no sensible person believes in an other context, do not suddenly become persuasive here

Murray N. Rothbard was fond of citing Franz Oppenheimer, who identified two ways of acquiring wealth. The economic means to wealth involves enriching oneself by voluntary exchange: creating some good or service for which other people willingly pay. The political means, said Oppenheimer, involves “the unrequited appropriation of the labor of others.”Murray N. Rothbard was fond of citing Franz Oppenheimer, who identified two ways of acquiring wealth. The economic means to wealth involves enriching oneself by voluntary exchange: creating some good or service for which other people willingly pay. The political means, said Oppenheimer, involves “the unrequited appropriation of the labor of others.”

How do those of us in the Rothbardian camp view the state? Not as the indispensable provider of law and order, or security, or other so-called “public goods.” (The whole theory of public goods is shot through with fallacies anyway.) The state, rather, is a parasitic institution that lives off the wealth of its subjects, concealing its anti-social, predatory nature beneath a public-interest veneer. It is as Oppenheimer said, the organisation of the political means to wealth. “The state is that organisation in society which attempts to maintain a monopoly of the use of force and violence in a given area; in particular, it is the only organisation in society that obtains its revenue not by voluntary contribution or payment for services rendered but by coercion. While other individuals or institutions obtain their income by production of goods and services and by the peaceful and voluntary sale of these goods and services to others, the state obtains its revenue by the use of compulsion; that is, by the use and the threat of prison.Having used force and violence to obtain its revenue, the state generally goes on to regulate and dictate the other actions of its subjects. The state provides a legal, orderly, systematic channel for the predation of private property, it renders certain, secure, and relatively “peaceful” the lifeline of the parasitic caste in society. Since production must always precede predation, the free market is anterior to the state. The state has never been created by a “social contract”, it has alwasy been born in conquest and exploitation” wrote Rothbard.

Now if this description of the state is true, and I think we have good reason to believe it is, is merely limiting it possible or even desirable? Before dismissing the possibility outright, ought we at least to consider whether we might be able to live without it altogether? Might the free market, the arena of voluntary cooperation, really be the great engine of civilization we otherwise know it to be?

Experience has taught us that “limited government” is an unstable equilibrium. Governments have no interest in staying limited, when they can expand their power and wealth by instead increasing their power.

Unlike minarchism, anarcho-capitalism makes no unreasonable expectations of the public. The minarchist has to figure out how to persuade the public that even though the state has the raw power to redistribute wealth and fund cute projects everyone likes, it really shouldn’t. The minarchist has to explain, one at a time, the problems with each and every conceivable state intervention, while in the meantime the intellectual class, the universities, the media, and the political class combine against him to convey the very opposite message.

Instead of requiring the fruitless task of teaching everyone what’s wrong with farm subsidies, what’s wrong with Federal Reserve bailouts, what’s wrong with the military-industrial complex, what’s wrong with price controls — in other words, instead of trying to teach everyone the equivalent of three degrees courses in economics, history, and political philosophy — the anarcho-capitalist society demands of the public only that it acknowledge the basic moral ideas common to just about everyone: do not harm innocent people, and do not steal. Everything I believe follows from these simple principles.

There’s a joke that’s been going around: what’s the difference between a minarchist and an anarchist? Answer: six months. If you value principle, consistency, and justice, and oppose violence, parasitism, and monopoly, it may not take you even that long. Start reading, and see where these ideas take you.

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Anarchism Notes

...himAnarchism Core themes: against the state Prefer a stateless society in which individuals manage their affairs by voluntary agreement. However it is based upon the assumption that human beings are moral creatures, instinctively drawn to freedom and autonomy. Therefore its efforts have been directed more towards awakening moral instincts rather than analysing the system of state oppression. Anarchism has a dual character as it overlaps with both socialism and liberalism because of their end goals of a stateless society. It can therefore be interpreted as ultra-liberalism or ultra-socialism. Anarchist supporters are united by a belief in anti-statism, utopianism, anti-clericalism and economic freedom. Anti-statism; * Authority is an offence against the principles of freedom and equality whilst oppressing and limiting human life. * Endorses absolute freedom and unrestrained political equality * Authority damages and corrupts those who are subject to it and those who hold it. * Since humans are free and autonomous creatures, to be subject to authority is to be diminished * To be in authority is to acquire an appetite for control and domination * The state is a sovereign body that exercises supreme power over individuals. It is unlimited and restricts behaviour, thinking, activity and economic life. * The state is compulsory and individuals are subject to it because of where they are born. * The state is a coercive body whose laws are backed...

Words: 2485 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

Week 4 Homework

...ACCT553 Week 4 Homework ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬_________________________________________________________ Please provide your answer to each question in the space provided below. When finished, submit to the DropBox. Chapter 14 1. Please describe the concept of "double taxation" and discuss which entity(ies) are subject to this type of taxation. (5 pts) Double taxation is tax on income of a business entity and second tax on distributions made to owners. The classic example is dividends paid to an owner from a corporation. 2. What types of taxpayers are considered "with regard to special ordinary loss treatment of IRC Section 1244 stock? (5 pts.) The eligible" taxpayers are the individuals or partnerships who are the original owners of shares in electing domestic small business corporation. The stock must be issued for property, common or preferred, domestically chartered and otherwise meet the tests to qualify as 1244 stock. 3. Please describe how the treatment of capital gains (losses) differs for a C Corporation as compared to an Individual. ( 5 pts.) Individuals net their capital gains and losses together, and the result is reported on an individual form 1040. Net long term capital gains are taxed at rates currently discounted to ordinary rates. Capital losses can be deducted up to $3,000 per year against ordinary income, with carrybacks and carry forwards available for those losses. C corporations may net capital losses against capital gains only, and pay tax...

Words: 297 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

The World

...There is an abundance of beauty and good in the world, but it still has plenty of problems. The world could be made better. Many of us would like to help build a better world, but taking on the whole world as a project can certainly seem overwhelming. Where does one even begin? And what can one person with simple resources actually do? Well, good news! There really is an easy answer! Listed below are five things that anyone can do to help build a better world. Now, the actual work may not be easy...but it will be challenging and rewarding. And it will also likely be a lot of fun. So let's get started. If you want to build a better world: OWN YOURSELF. Recognize that you are a sovereign and unique Individual and make the decision to own yourself in spirit, mind and body. Become the owner of your life and destiny and take personal responsibility for them. This essential decision will guide your other decisions in life, re-orienting and re-creating your existence around the principle of personal sovereignty. Recognizing the sovereignty of other Individuals provides the foundation for ethical social interactions. Owning yourself and recognizing the sovereignty of others are both ongoing processes. BECOME POWERFUL. Creating a better world requires the efforts of powerful Individuals. You can contribute to the new population of powerful Individuals by starting with yourself. Empower yourself physically by getting optimum nutrition and exercising for strength, flexibility and endurance...

Words: 986 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Libertarianism

...Libertarianism has always been a approach of letting people live the way the want and to not have interference from others. In a sense it is a way to give free and full control of ones life to themselves without much government interference. There are two types of libertarianism that are common, which include total libertarianism and moderate libertarianism which practice two different types of approaches. It is a means of also setting up a free-market within the system and helping to create free and full competition. In total libertarianism, it is explained that the government should write rules that protect individual property rights such as: no force, no theft , no fraud, no breach of contract(in class notes). For example, we mentioned in class the example of someone having a corn field with a bunch of corn, and being able to keep that corn without having to give it to any one or get it taken away because their individual rights was protected. The strength of total libertarianism is that it guarantees to protect any individuals property rights of any human being within the system, but at the same time its a approach that interferes with a free-market surrounding and can be a weakness in a free-market approach. Another type of libertarianism is moderate libertarianism in which the government writes rules that protect full and free competition and protect it from any monopolies, oligopolies and vertical integration(in class notes). For example, we talked about how eBay...

Words: 470 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Anarchism Essay

...Sociology Home Page |All Sociology Modules |Sociology Links |Government and Politics Home page |AS Government and Politics |A2 Government and Politics |Government and Politics Links | | Question1 [pic] Is Anarchism merely an extreme version of free market liberalism? Anarchism is a fairly broad ideology and there are important divisions within anarchism as between individualist and social anarchism and also within these categories and it can be shown that whereas most individualist anarchists and in particular anarcho-capitalists have some sympathy with the principles of free market liberalism this would not apply to social anarchists in general and particularly not to anarcho-communists such as Peter Kropotkin. Free market liberal principles have been espoused by both classical liberals and by New Right theorists who have combined support for free market liberalism with support for the strong state. Free market liberals argue that individuals are rational and therefore the best judges of their own interests and that overall economic efficiency can best be achieved by unregulated laissez faire. Liberal support for laissez faire was under-pinned by the economic theories outlined by Adam Smith in his study “The Wealth of Nations”[1776] in which he argued that the competitive capitalist economy based upon private profit and individual self-interest could via the so-called “invisible hand” of the market mechanism secure the best possible living standards for all...

Words: 1954 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Computers

...In the emergence of the information age, basic technological literacy and access are no longer optional, but essential in today’s society. As more everyday task, such as applying for jobs, banking, shopping, and obtaining general information move into cyberspace, those without computer access are finding themselves segregated from the rest of the digital world. It can be argued that because of the technological demand on today’s society, literacy in technology has become an essential skill for success in today’s society. The basics of computing skills must be supplemented with a set of both cognitive and technical skills, in order to lead to a more universal participation in a technological reliant society. Schools are not sufficiently training teachers; and teachers are not adjusting the curriculum to meet the growing needs of advancing technologies. There is no prevailing standard for what constitutes as fluency and government officials have taken a sluggish approach to equip citizens with the skills and information needed to access government services; especially since governments and businesses move more of their information services exclusively online. Governmental leadership is lagging in bringing society into the information age. Many of the schools throughout the United States are so substandard that a major overhaul is required to provide students with an adequate education. The current policy, which provides computers and other related hardware but not the necessary...

Words: 292 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Diversity

...Multinational corporation From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia A multinational corporation (MNC) or multinational enterprise (MNE)[1] are organizations that own or control production or services facilities in one or more countries other than the home country.[2] For example, when a corporation that is registered in more than one country or that has operations in more than one country may be attributed as MNC. Usually, it is a large corporation which both produces and sells goods or services in various countries.[3] It can also be referred to as an international corporation or "transnational corporation". They play an important role in globalization. Arguably, the first multinational business organization was the Knights Templar, founded in 1120.[4][5][6] After that came the British East India Company in 1600[7] and then the Dutch East India Company, founded March 20, 1602, which would become the largest company in the world for nearly 200 years.[8] Contents [hide] 1 Conflict of laws 2 Transnational corporations 3 Criticism of multinationals 4 See also 5 References 6 External links Conflict of laws[edit] Main article: Conflict of laws Conflict of laws is a set of procedural rules that determines which legal system and which jurisdiction applies to a given dispute. The term conflict of laws itself originates from situations where the ultimate outcome of a legal dispute depended upon which law applied, and the common law court's manner of resolving the conflict...

Words: 880 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Haus

...Social movements are considered organized collective activities to bring about or resist fundamental change in an existing group or society (Schaeffer, 2009, pp. 401-402). Two concepts that immediately come to mind are technology and economics. Technology because of its rapid overtakes of the world in the 20 years; the late 80’s and throughout the 90’s our working class was more involved in the overall labor status and “hands-on” work. Now days we see the takeover of computers and all their technology; computers and technology are not only taking jobs from our economy but also making our lives ten times easy. People don’t want to see their loved ones and neighbors lose their jobs but they reap the benefits of what the new technological world has to offer. Easy ways to do almost everything, from cheaper and easier ways to send mail; to nanotechnology that can cure diabetes and almost all cancers; the fact is that many have adapted to the concept of job lost in the new technological world and have accepted this change. Economics and the way we see to keep changing what we do with our money is also another way we have change social movements. Again, in the late 80’s and throughout the 90’s we saw our economy go from great to greater. Then our faulty bank practices, terrible investing, and simple government and private corruption caught up to us and caused our country more problems than the good it created. Now what we see from our people is cautiousness when investing,...

Words: 426 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Is Anarchy Good in Theory Comp210

...Is Anarchy Good in Theory? Is Anarchy Good in Theory? David J. Welch EN1420 My Position: In theory anarchy would be the best way for a civilization to comportment itself. In an anarchical society every person would be responsible for themselves and the ones they choose to take care of. This is a better way of living because the pugnaciousness of others would have little to no effect on your own life. While as a civilization we are nowhere close to being intellectually capable of living this way, that fact is irrelevant to the fact that in an anarchical society everyone would have complete freedom over their lives. The best way describe why an anarchical society is sought by so many is in the words of Proudhon: As for those who, after the departure of kings, still dream of consulates, of presidencies, of dictatorships, of marshalships, of admiralties, and of ambassadorships, they also will do well to retire… .The people no longer want this coin of monarchy; they understand that whatever phraseology is used, feudal system, governmental system, military system, parliamentary system, system of police, laws and tribunals, and system of exploitation, corruption, lying and poverty, are all synonymous. Opposing Viewpoint: In the article “The Return of Anarchism” Abe Greenwald speaks about the acts of multiple anarchy groups...

Words: 514 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Social Theories

...In a way, communism is an extreme form of socialism. Many countries have dominant socialist political parties but very few are truly communist. In fact, most countries - including staunch capitalist bastions like the U.S. and U.K. - have government programs that borrow from socialist principles. "Socialism" is sometimes used interchangeably with "communism" but the two philosophies have some stark differences. Most notably, while communism is a political system, socialism is primarily an economic system that can exist in various forms under a wide range of political systems. Comparison chart | |Communism |Socialism | |Philosophy |From each according to his ability, to each according to |From each according to his ability, to each according to| | |his needs. Free-access to the articles of consumption is |his contribution. Emphasis on profit being distributed | | |made possible by advances in technology that allow for |among the society or workforce to complement individual | | |super-abundance. |wages/salaries. | |Economic System |The means of production are held in common, negating the |The means of production are owned by public enterprises | | |concept of ownership in...

Words: 3092 - Pages: 13

Free Essay

Neo-Luddism

...Neo-Luddism is a modern movement of personal views that oppose technology. Neo-Luddism is based on the Luddism of British Luddites who existed in the 19th century. The British Luddites as well as today Neo-Luddites are known for protesting and destroying private property. As stated the Neo-Luddites still raises ethical and moral arguments against the invention of new technology. They think that today technology has taken control rather than facilitated. Neo-Luddites thinks such leviathans can threaten our essential humanity. As a result of new technology being invented, they feel its only going to get worst. The Neo-Luddites have similar feelings about the new industrial revolution (but embrace modern branding. (BBC News, March 2001) Neo-Luddites do not have hatred towards new technology, but they do not like the way new technology is taking over. They feel that technology is the cause of many people losing their livelihoods. They question technology. They want the society as a whole to see the effects technology will have on us. They also do not agree with the way we treat nature. They have many strengths and weaknesses. Some of their strengths are that they have reached a number of people with the idea of being cautious about accepting new technology and they also have reached out to a number of people about the way nature is being treated and destroyed. Some of the weaknesses are that new technology is being developed everyday and that their message is not getting across...

Words: 829 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Technology: Cause & Effect on Society

...Technology (Cause) and Its Effect on Society In the emergence of the information age, basic technological literacy and access are no longer optional, but essential in today’s society. As more everyday task, such as applying for jobs, banking, shopping, and obtaining general information move into cyberspace, those without computer access are finding themselves segregated from the rest of the digital world. It can be argued that because of the technological demand on today’s society, literacy in technology has become an essential skill for success in today’s society. The basics of computing skills must be supplemented with a set of both cognitive and technical skills, in order to lead to a more universal participation in a technological reliant society. Schools are not sufficiently training teachers; and teachers are not adjusting the curriculum to meet the growing needs of advancing technologies. There is no prevailing standard for what constitutes as fluency and government officials have taken a sluggish approach to equip citizens with the skills and information needed to access government services; especially since governments and businesses move more of their information services exclusively online. Governmental leadership is lagging in bringing society into the information age. Many of the schools throughout the United States are so substandard that a major overhaul is required to provide students with an adequate education. The current policy, which provides computers...

Words: 426 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Civil Disobedience Rhetorical Analysis

...In his essay, "Civil Disobedience", Henry David Thoreau believes that "government is best which governs the least." (322) Thoreau believes that the American government is gradually losing its integrity, and that is because those in power can favor their interests to those of the people. Thoreau goes on to explain that he prefers a better government to no government at all, and he hopes that every single citizen will be able to choose a government that respects him or her. Moreover, he says that it is always the majority that rules because "they are physically the strongest." (323) Henry David Thoreau also talks about how one can behave towards the American government; his government and the slaves' government, as well. However, if you want...

Words: 496 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Thoreau Rhetorical Analysis

...Thoreau strongly argues how the government is preventing positive change in addition to creating a new future government with better regulations. The strong use of diction emphasises his point along with his scholarly and persuasive tone. Provided Thoreau utilizes strong diction implementing advanced vocabulary to emphasize his argument strongly. In addition,Thoreau applies vocabulary such as "expedient","worthy", and "fain" to describe the government and the men who are part of the government. Creating a more formal tone. By utilizing a strong diction it supports his argument since he is addressing the government it provides a stronger argument because it provides us with a precision of how highly educated he is. Furthermore,his tone...

Words: 256 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Govt & Information Technology

...11/10/13 EMIS Essay #3 Impact of IT On Our Government Information technology has a huge impact not only on our lives but our government as well. It has revolutionized the way our legal system runs and has impacted the way fellow Americans vote in elections. With new technology advances happening daily, our government and the people of this great nation must learn adapt to it and incorporate it into our lives. Barrack Obama once said, “Change will not come if you don’t strive for it. Technology and our government’s legal system must adapt together or no change will ever come” (Brainyquote). When it comes to Information Technology and governments adapting to the advances made in the technology industry, governments usually lag behind and are forced to catch up. And even if they do not want to be involved, they have to because current trends and business practices demand that they conform. In my personal opinion, this leaves governments vulnerable in many ways. With that said, I believe that information technology has had a negative impact on our government and our legal system. The first issue, is that governments are not leaders in technology. They react to the environment around them rather than trying to find new ways of efficiency. This leads to more inefficiency as new systems are confused with old and chaotic situations occur. The second issue, is that governments hold confidential information. As all information becomes digital and available to anyone who wants...

Words: 812 - Pages: 4