Thursday, November 8, 2007

I think I agree

From the website "Panarchy" (it's in my links)

Do I want to propose my own system? Not at all! I am an advocate of all systems, i. e. of all forms of government that find followers.
Every system is like a block of flats in which the proprietor and the main tenants have the best accommodations and feel well off. The others, for whom there is not sufficient space in it, are dissatisfied. I hate the destroyers as much as the tyrants. The dissatisfied ones should go their own way, but without destroying the building. What does not please them may give pleasure to their neighbours...

[P]eople are of a different mind, and have so varied customs that only this multiplicity of governments is possible.
One seeks excitement and struggle, the other wants rest, this one needs encouragement and aid, the other, a genius, tolerates no direction. One wishes for a republic, submission and renunciation, the other desires the absolute monarchy with its pomp and splendour. This orator wants a parliament, the silent one, there, condemns all the babblers. There are strong minds and weak heads, ambitious ones and simple and contented people. There are as many characters as there are persons, as many needs as there are different natures. How could all of them be satisfied by a single form of government? The contented ones will be in a minority. Even a perfect government would find its opposition.

Go here.

So I'm still trying to formulate exctly what I feel about anarchism, and the existence of the "state," and governments. While I can see the usefulness of government, SOMEthing about it always rubbed me a little bit the wrong way. And so I started reading about anarchism. It lead me to various sites. But when I found my way to this site, I realized that what rubbed me wrong about governments was the compulsion inherent in them. How EVERYone is supposed to be satisfied within them.

Freedom of government should be like freedom of religion...
You want to be under a monarch or a chief? Go ahead. A communist state? Have fun. A democratic state? Same. No state? Whoop dee doo.

But to subject all people under the rule of your particular form of government just because you want it is the opposite of liberty to me.

Now would this actually work? Could we actually achieve this level of freedom? Who knows. Certainly, it would require a revolution of consciousness amongst the citizens of the world. But it seems the most fair to me. And this kind of system of systems would theoretically abolish the violent mechanisms by which governments exercise their rule and assert their autonomy.

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