In Defence Of The Anarchist Ideal

Those who poke fun at anarchists, like TK Arun of the Economc Times in his recent blog, and then go on to denounce “corporate crime” as a good reason for The State to preside over The Market, fail to understand that civilized man is a “rule-following animal.” If most people were not such – that is, if most people, the majority, were crooks – there would never be the possibility of any social order. No “government” would be possible – although a State might exist.

Now, it is doubtlessly true that right through our lives we get all our needs satisfied by businessmen, on The Market, and emerge quite happy, without recourse to any policeman, magistrate, or judge. This is the “natural order.” This is The Hope. I am sure even TK Arun cannot deny this. How many times in your life have you been to a court or a police station, TK?

Now, it is doubtlessly also true that there is evil in the world, and there are all kinds of horrible monsters out there. What does the anarchist say about dealing with them?

Torts.

That is, all crimes are crimes against individuals (not crimes against The State) and “if you are guilty, you will pay.”

This takes care of Union Carbide, adulteration of food, drink, medicines and so on. It takes care of traffic accidents. It sets up powerful inducements to be careful about other people.

So Torts, Property and Contract: a “private law” world among peaceable rule-followers – the majority – is what “anarcho-capitalism” is all about. And all the rule-followers are armed. There is widespread “private provision of security”: just as every locality in New Delhi is guarded by private security guards today. Luckily, despite TK Arun, we are heading there.

TK writes of corporate criminals, but does he truly think that our socialist The State is not a criminal organization itself? Let us take the example of widespread adulteration in markets that TK mentions:

I can personally testify that adulterated ganja-charas is sold in New Delhi, masses consume these, and no mainstream journalist discusses this huge atrocity. This is going on under the gaze of our The State.

The only hope for good quality is brand names – The Market.

And here is fresh news that the Central Government Police killed 30 Naxalites.

I guess we should call this Internal War. There is certainly no “politics.” There is no “local government.” What is the meaning of “democracy”? Remember, Rousseau was Swiss. His statue sits proudly in Geneva. Surely even Rousseau would not stoop to call our very Indian tyranny “democracy.”

And where are the Mayors?

Where is the political basis for free-trading and self-governing cities and towns?

The report says that the Naxalits have killed 10,500 people in eight years. During these eight years 1,000,000 people were killed on our streets, and many more maimed for life. The central police look on. They now have "specialists" in anti-Naxal operations but they don't have specialists in traffic management. If the Naxals are pissed off with our The State then, hell, so am I.

No, no TK. Our problem is our The State, this gross tyranny. Anarcho-capitalism is an ideal – and we all must have ideals. If anything, it is a great ideal, for it reposes faith in ordinary humans – and not the extraordinary humans who must be the Central Planners of a Socialist Commonwealth. As a libertarian bumper sticker goes: “The more you are a tyranny, the more I am an anarchist.”

And as for “Ponzi schemes”: fiat paper currency is the biggest Ponzi scheme in the world.

Here is a nice piece from The Economist on the man who started it all, John Law, in early 18th century France.

I hope this answers TK adequately. Let us now turn to the ToI whose leader article today is by the USSA-based professor of economics, Arvind Panagariya, who argues in favour of direct transfer of cash to “the poor” instead of “workfare” under NREGA.

As Frederic Bastiat put it:

“The plans differ; the planners are all alike.”

Will this reduce the number of beggars on our streets?

Where is the money going to come from? From me? From us? From you and me? From the printing press? Show me the money.

Is it not preferable that we create conditions of Liberty Under Law, encourage enterprise, and urbanize aggressively – thereby “including” the rural poor in an urban “inclusive growth.”

Today, street hawkers have a tough time surviving in our city and town markets.

I certainly don’t want a single tax farthing of mine going to “the poor” under any such government scheme backed by modern IT technology. I oppose the idea itself, as founded on theft, on the usurpation of the many. It is a gross misuse of tax revenue.

Aravind Panagariya should watch some Wild West movies. No one was guaranteed anything. And it worked. That is what built AMERICA – The Land of the Free, the Home of the Brave.

And look at the USSA now, with the “Illfare-Warfare State,” the Imperialist Central State, the endless imperialist wars, the cronyism and bailouts, the funny money, the trade unions, the rampant socialism. This is not the old America at all. And it is a disaster precisely because of ideas of the kind Professor Panagariya is advancing.

Give me the Wild West any day. The California Gold Rush was peaceful and orderly, based on homesteading and property rights.

Luckily, the Americans have Ron Paul and Peter Schiff – and both solemnly swear by the ideals of the US Constitution.

Isn’t it funny that I cannot do the same for the Indian Socialist Constitution?

Think about that.

The more you are a tyranny, the more I am an anarchist.

Makes complete sense to me.