Can true anarchy, not the black flag violent variety, ever work?

Question

Anarchy means the self-government of each individual. Is this possible for communal people?

Answer 1

Robert Michels' "Iron Law of Oligarchy" states that the few will always govern the many. The idea of true anarchy is impossible to achieve, because it assumes that people will always behave in a rational and responsible manner.

In the absense of some authority, what do you do if someone steals? Rapes? Murders? Ultimately anarchic experiments always died because of the need for law and law enforcement.

It's a wonderful utopian idea that simply cannot work unless everyone behaves perfectly. And that isn't going to happen.

Answer 2

true anarchy can't work no. however, as with all theories, if you mix and match it then it does start to work. in this context, if one drew a line and said one was free to self govern providing the following actions wheren't taken (murder, rape, general disrespect for others for others through noise, abusive behaviour etc etc) . the consiquences of these actions being explicit and non negotiable eg. the victims of these actions having the right to do something about it (family in the case of murder) what ever they feel is just retribution. in order to control these judgements remains for a counsil to decide whether the crime actually took place.
unfortunately it is human nature to need parameters and boundries by which to live, and most people today prefer to be told how to behave and be restricted through law instead of being taught at a young age and carrying it through life as an ingrained responsibility of adult hood. this way, if something goes wrong, then they can always blame someone else and not be responsible for their own actions. pretty sad, but true. but everything goes in circles, and one day this will collapse, anarchy will emerge, and then we start all over again, trying to regain control over our lives through controlling others.
and there you have the true place of true anarchy.... it will always be called upon when there is a need for radical change.

Answer 3

If you are talking about pure anarchy No. People will always organize and create some sort of social and legal structure. It is our nature and we will always have to create laws to keep people honest and ourselves safe from others the minute you create legal or social structure it is not anarchy. In a utopian world it would work in theory but as with socialism it requires a utopian world which is counter to human nature to work.

Answer 4

Much as I wish it would be, it's not. Any type of gov't--anarchy, democracy, socialist, communist, autocracy (where one person rules over all others, not where one is brutal to those he rules over--check the dictionary, people), national socialist, fascist, etc., are all designed to work given the complete cooperation of the populace. They are essentially utopian visions & can only work within fantasies.

Gov'ts today are a combination of ALL forms of gov't & because pure anarchy, pure democracy, pure Communism, pure Fascism, etc., does not exist, people will not cooperate w/ a peaceful form of anarchy.

Answer 5

Its possible - just not probable the way society is shaping up at the moment. Read "The Dispossessed" by Ursula K Le Guin on what such a society might be like and how it might work.

Answer 6

It is a truly wonderful principle to live by. But as long as the world is totally run by a few extraordinarily power men, such a thing will never be tolerated as it advocates personal responsibility coupled with being informed. Unless we throw them off our lives, the question is moot.

Answer 7

where would it lead what if your not happy with who's leading you and he's not happy with who's leading him what moves would you take to make it better the system in this country may not be perfect but every four years we get a chance to change it look at the african countries anarchy lead to dictators which lead to civil unrest and war are the people better off i dont think so

Answer 8

YES, BUT ONLY when humanity as evolved enough to be able to live in peace and go about one's own business and mind one's own business and realise that greed and ego have no productive place.

I read a story online about a planet whose entire population was living by this philosophy.

A link to the story:

Answer 9

yeah Black Flag are cool, yet they are not my well-known hardcore band... they have been slightly too 'bull in a china shop' for me... i favored (want... i wasn't there lol!) bands that went right now for the jugular like undesirable Brains and Minor risk etc... much less 'brutish' in case you get me... imo ;)

Answer 10

No, without community , whether forced or agreed , you cannot achieve anything on any sizeable scale, infrastructure would fall apart and life would become very hard.