Anarchism
From RationalWiki
Anarchism is a political philosophy that advocates some form of political anarchy as preferable to active government. Modern anarchists argue that all governments exist only to perpetuate their power and apply this maxim equally to both democracies and dictatorships.
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[edit] Types of anarchism
Some people call themselves "anarcho-capitalists", and wish for capitalism without a government. Anarcho-capitalists believe that an anarchic system of competing private contractors can perform all of the functions of government better than a coercive government can. Anarcho-capitalism is a form of extreme laissez-faire capitalism, and many anarchists dismiss it as not being a type of anarchism, and being instead an oxymoron, since anarchists usually reject capitalism as another form of hierarchy.[1]
Anarchists differ from Marxists, who believe that the state and class rule are synonymous, and a tool of the enforcement of one class' rule over another (thus, Marx used the term 'state' to describe something that most anarchists using other definitions, such as Bakunin, would not call a state). However, the major differences between Marxists and anarchists seems to be differing definitions of the state, and a misunderstanding originating from Bakunin of the term 'dictatorship of the proletariat', which indicates only that the revolution would not be successful everywhere at the same time, and that the places in which revolution had taken place in would be democratic, rather than a dictatorship of a minority. Also, Bakunin interpreted the term 'scientific socialism' to imply that Marx's dictatorship of the proletariat would be a dictatorship by scientists. This pointless hostility is increased by the Blanquist revolution in Russia, which many are lead to believe was Marxist.
Anarcho-syndicalists believe that an anarchic system of trade unions should replace both capitalism and the state. Some other anarchists are nihilistic, rejecting not only capitalism and government, but other well accepted concepts such as the family and the general image of romantic love as being constructs which uphold an oppressive system. There are also mutualists, who are anti-capitalist and pro-free market. There are also tendencies of 'anarchists without adjectives', referring to anarchists who don't subscribe to any particular movement, but they are still against capitalism, and this alignment was caused by major conflicts in the anarchist movement at earlier times.
A few modern anarchists believe that humans can best live their lives without being told what to do by anyone, and oppose democracy. They generally have no idea how things like abortion and whether to resurrect neanderthals would be decided, and oppose all rules. The reality that the various military industrial complexes have filled the world with AK 47s and the like make it much more difficult to achieve those ends because one man (very few women running around with AK 47s) heavily armed can make it very difficult for 1,000 anarchists to do their own thing. But, as Bloody Mary sings in South Pacific, "If you don't have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?"
Because most modern anarchists are not interested in forcing their ways on others they tend frequently to blend into the background, living their anarchist lives happily out of the spot light. Well, except for the free skool movement and various communes and revolutions (for example, the establishment of anarchist communes during the Spanish Civil War, in which production and innovation were reported to have increased fairly dramatically, but were eventually undermined by lack of funding due to state capitalist Russia controlling their money supply, and the victory of Franco, supported by rulers of the West) The 19th Century anarchist belief in the Propaganda of the Deed (such as tossing a bomb or shooting some Royal Person) has largely fallen into disrepute.
[edit] Anarchist organizations
Those who make no effort to understand Anarchism generally suppose that the very term "anarchist organization" posits a hierarchical structure which is anathema to the egalitarian virtues of the anarchist world view. This is not the case. Anarchists believe that human beings can organize themselves along non-hierarchical lines. Anarchists are not against organization, but rather oppose hierarchy. Anarchist organizations strive for a maximal degree of direct democracy and the accountability of officers to the rank and file.
[edit] See also
- Anarchy
- Socialism
- Libertarianism, a term originally used by anarchists, now used (i.e., stolen) by laissez-faire capitalists.
