A Stateless Society - Would Anarchy Work?
Anarchists argue for a stateless society. Do you agree this would be a good thing or is it dangerous considering what happens to stateless individuals in the modern world?
A Stateless Society – Would Anarchy Really Work?
Throughout the world, the majority of modern societies live within harmonious social boundaries that allow citizens to interact with each other inside the limitations of the law, although acknowledging usually infrequent breaches. Without these laws, many people believe a state of disorder would ensue, collapsing the economy and destroying their livelihood. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook therefore defines anarchy as “a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority” (CIA, 2013, p.1). However, in a boldly different definition, Webster’s dictionary has one characterization claiming it to be “a utopian society of individuals who enjoy complete freedom without government” (Webster’s Dictionary, n.d). There are many that believe that this form of anarchy is the way forward through society, removing the restrictions placed upon humanity that would allow total freedom from governmental oppression. Although anarchy has never been recognized at national level as a political ideology, could anarchism be the way forward, perhaps simply needing a chance to prove its worth.
Early societies have shown an ability to live with little or no government, with many tribes in isolated areas of Africa and South America continuing such methods of unceremonious law and order still today (Masters, 1976, pp. 197-233). Even though there are recognized leaders and elders who make final decisions regarding the tribe, the hierarchy structure that rules them is starkly different from the government of today (Masters, 2009). These entire tribes, rarely consisting of more than 500 people, barely the size of many towns today, made it considerably easier to maintain a peaceful domain, and punish those
A Stateless Society – Would Anarchy Really Work?
Throughout the world, the majority of modern societies live within harmonious social boundaries that allow citizens to interact with each other inside the limitations of the law, although acknowledging usually infrequent breaches. Without these laws, many people believe a state of disorder would ensue, collapsing the economy and destroying their livelihood. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook therefore defines anarchy as “a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority” (CIA, 2013, p.1). However, in a boldly different definition, Webster’s dictionary has one characterization claiming it to be “a utopian society of individuals who enjoy complete freedom without government” (Webster’s Dictionary, n.d). There are many that believe that this form of anarchy is the way forward through society, removing the restrictions placed upon humanity that would allow total freedom from governmental oppression. Although anarchy has never been recognized at national level as a political ideology, could anarchism be the way forward, perhaps simply needing a chance to prove its worth.
Early societies have shown an ability to live with little or no government, with many tribes in isolated areas of Africa and South America continuing such methods of unceremonious law and order still today (Masters, 1976, pp. 197-233). Even though there are recognized leaders and elders who make final decisions regarding the tribe, the hierarchy structure that rules them is starkly different from the government of today (Masters, 2009). These entire tribes, rarely consisting of more than 500 people, barely the size of many towns today, made it considerably easier to maintain a peaceful domain, and punish those
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