Anarchism

anarchism (usually uncountable; plural anarchisms)

1. The belief that proposes the absence and abolition of hierarchy and authority in most forms.
2. Specifically, a political and philosophical belief that all forms of involuntary rule or government are undesirable or unnecessary, and that society could function without a ruler or involuntary government (a state).

(Wiktionary)

What is your opinion of anarchism?

Personally I've recently become a little interested in anarchism, and I think its proposals to be largely good. However I'm uncertain of its viability.

Too idealistic to work so why waste anytime with it? It basically calls for everyone to be their own leader and watching any amount of T.V. tells me that isn't going to end well.

Minarchism ftw.

Well according to what I read it is actually impossible if there is more than one person on Earth.

From a quick Wikipedia check, it seems Minarchism isn't anarchism. For one, there's a state. Second there's still businesses, so workers don't own the fruits of their labour. It ruins what interests me about anarchism.

You're right. Minarchism isn't anarchism. It's minarchism. It's better. Whereas anarchism advocates no government, minarchism advocates minimal government. Anarchism is idealistic, and minarchism is realistic. And I didn't know you were one of those anti-business people. Your version of anarchism is on the same level as that Lenin Cat kid's, isn't it? That ideology is impossible and contradictory. Don't waste your time with it.

My friend claims he is a commu-anarchist.

And I was like, how...

Currently I'm a social democrat, I've just found Anarcho-Syndacalism quite interesting. I think one of the worst things about our society is people working because they have to, not because they want to. I also think that if mankind's resources were used to make society better, rather than to make profit, it could be much more beneficial to the human race. I haven't committed to an anarchist ideology yet, I'm just interested because the idea is so alien, yet to humanity it isn't. Most of humanity's existence has been without states.

Well Anarcho-Syndacalism has some major differences form pure anarchism. You probably should have clarified exactly what you were talking about because Anarcho-Syndacalism is possible as opposed to pure anarchism which is simply impossible.

People only have to work so they can pay taxes. And taxes are robbery. Also corporations make a profit off of making society better. For example Google has just started devoloping the technology to make car's drive themselves. Why? to make a profit. But does their profit make cars that drive themselves any less awesome? Certainly not. And that time period of no states was called the paleolithic era. It's over and it's not coming back.

Corporations are also destroying our environment, making our existence as a species more precarious. The thing is that I value equality more than inequality, so I'm not likely to support Minarchism and American Libertarianism. It seems like the worst of all outcomes. Corporations, inequality, working to survive, no safety nets. It, in my opinion, is much worse than the status quo.

This is a huge exaggeration.

I believes that it predicts unrealistic outcomes to a society without a state.

I believe that environmental protection falls under the duties of a minarchist government. And you value equality over liberty? I don't know what you mean by "working to survive". And it isn't that there wouldn't be safety nets, there simply wouldn't be forced safety nets. You would be able to donate money if you wanted to, but there shouldn't be taxes.

Why no taxes?

Taxes are robbery. It is the government taking your money without your consent for it's own uses. If the people support the government, they will donate money to it. And if they don't then taxes would be a necessary evil. But there are some things that shouldn't be taxed, such as income, and sales for example. Besides, the government shouldn't be big enough where it would require much taxes.

Then if you want the government too small to require taxes, who is going to maintain the infrastructure that is so important to todays society?

If you give people the option to pay taxes they're not going to. People are selfish. Such a state wouldn't last a year. Why not just cut out the middle man and support anarchism? That's what your ideal state would become soon enough.

This really wasn't supposed to be a thread for me to explain my beliefs I guess, but whatever.

You mean like roads? It depends on what kind of infrastructure you're talking about. Be more specific.

In the event that not enough donations were collected(though I'm sure interest groups would donate a shit ton of money) taxation would occur. But not on sales, income, or small businesses. It would first appear in the form of tarriffs, then on corporations, and down as such. I don't support Anarchism because it is contradictory, impossible, and doesn't make sense.

I wouldn't say that people are selfish, just that they act with their and their family's interests in mind first and foremost. More money in their pocket is better to them personally, so they wouldn't pay taxes. That doesn't make them bad, just human. An anarchist state is a fantasy.