The Return of Anarchy
We see the political spectrum as a continuum of positions between the left and the right. Libetarianism and Fascism are both considered to be on the right of the political spectrum, though they could not be further apart in their philosophy. On the other hand, Nazism and Stalinism are very similar in behavior even though they are considered on the opposite end of the left/right spectrum.
In truth, there are many poles to politics, including what is sometimes referred to as statism/anarchism spectrum, loosely defined by how much control the state exerts on society. All states utilize various means of social control. Highly statist ideologies, such as Nazism and Stalinism, share in common their demand for total control... they are totalitarian.
Anarchy has had little expression in the post-war world. The word Anarchy evokes chaos and pandemoneum, but as a philosophy it is quite different. It advocates self-governed societies based on free associations and voluntary institutions, while opposing a state apparatus. At the most basic level, government is an association, while a state is a legal entity defined by a code of laws bounded by a border. As an historical movement, Anarchists were not opposed to governance, but to coersive governance.
Anarchist philosophy warns that unequal power leads to coercion. They were concerned with economic and cultural power as well as the state. An influential man can take advantage of an unequal power relationship with a subordinate for sexual favors. The same dynamic applies at all scales of society. Any powerful entity, whether be it large or small, public or private, is fundamentally coercive because as history shows unequal power promotes abuse.
The terms statism and anarchy disappeared from mainstream political discourse in the 20th century. These limits on political ideology were necessary for the nation-state to assert itself as the primary organizing principle in the world. At best, anarchist visions were relegated to expressions of delusional utopia. Leftist libertarianism became quaint expressions of counter-culture. However, with rising dissatisfaction with conventional politics the statist/anarchist political continuum has reemerged and now dominates right-wing discourse.
With Reaganism, democrats became the defacto statists because of their advocacy of the welfare state. Mainstream republicanism preached small government through "free market" policies, which for the most part meant freedoms and benefits for corporations. In practice, there was virtually no difference in the size of government between democratic and republican administrations. Though republicans sold themselves as the limited government party, they worked to increase government by creating a larger military, police and corporate welfare.
Since then, the republican party has undergone a radical shifts, brought about by the Tea Party movement and Trumpism. The fight over the ACA (Obama care) and the republican repeal and replace plans illustrates these changing polarities. The republican "free market" plan is an effort towards limited government, but only shifts the cost to the middle class, redistributes wealth upwards, and it does little to curb the State. The Freedom Caucus (the descendents of the Tea Party) opposed the plan on the grounds it is continuation of the statist agenda. The plan also caused a fair amount of consternation among the Trumpist populists as the harsh realities of the plan began to be noticed.
The Modern republican party, largely an alliance of social conservatives and corporate interests, has fractured. Some within the party continue to see government as mainly a tool for corporations. Another group advocates for religious fundamentalism. The Freedom Caucus is quite serious about reversing statism. Trumpists, now represented best by Steve Bannon, hold a destructive a populist vision, e.g. draining the swamp and taking down the establishment.
Without rulers or laws, according to political anarchism, altruism and cooperation emerge and create greater freedom, happiness, and equality. Traditionally Anarchists opposed both the state apparatus and capitalism to be replaced by a cooperative and communal society. Though that form still exists in the margins, most anarchists today are focused towards property rights and tax freedom. This "individualistic anarchism" informs the libetarian movement both within the republican party and outside of it.
The rise of Trumpism is very fresh and it is reshaping the political landscapes in unpredictable ways. My suspicion is that an anarchy, one way or another, will be part of our future.
Anarchy has had little expression in the post-war world. The word Anarchy evokes chaos and pandemoneum, but as a philosophy it is quite different. It advocates self-governed societies based on free associations and voluntary institutions, while opposing a state apparatus. At the most basic level, government is an association, while a state is a legal entity defined by a code of laws bounded by a border. As an historical movement, Anarchists were not opposed to governance, but to coersive governance.
Anarchist philosophy warns that unequal power leads to coercion. They were concerned with economic and cultural power as well as the state. An influential man can take advantage of an unequal power relationship with a subordinate for sexual favors. The same dynamic applies at all scales of society. Any powerful entity, whether be it large or small, public or private, is fundamentally coercive because as history shows unequal power promotes abuse.
The terms statism and anarchy disappeared from mainstream political discourse in the 20th century. These limits on political ideology were necessary for the nation-state to assert itself as the primary organizing principle in the world. At best, anarchist visions were relegated to expressions of delusional utopia. Leftist libertarianism became quaint expressions of counter-culture. However, with rising dissatisfaction with conventional politics the statist/anarchist political continuum has reemerged and now dominates right-wing discourse. With Reaganism, democrats became the defacto statists because of their advocacy of the welfare state. Mainstream republicanism preached small government through "free market" policies, which for the most part meant freedoms and benefits for corporations. In practice, there was virtually no difference in the size of government between democratic and republican administrations. Though republicans sold themselves as the limited government party, they worked to increase government by creating a larger military, police and corporate welfare.
Since then, the republican party has undergone a radical shifts, brought about by the Tea Party movement and Trumpism. The fight over the ACA (Obama care) and the republican repeal and replace plans illustrates these changing polarities. The republican "free market" plan is an effort towards limited government, but only shifts the cost to the middle class, redistributes wealth upwards, and it does little to curb the State. The Freedom Caucus (the descendents of the Tea Party) opposed the plan on the grounds it is continuation of the statist agenda. The plan also caused a fair amount of consternation among the Trumpist populists as the harsh realities of the plan began to be noticed.The Modern republican party, largely an alliance of social conservatives and corporate interests, has fractured. Some within the party continue to see government as mainly a tool for corporations. Another group advocates for religious fundamentalism. The Freedom Caucus is quite serious about reversing statism. Trumpists, now represented best by Steve Bannon, hold a destructive a populist vision, e.g. draining the swamp and taking down the establishment.
Without rulers or laws, according to political anarchism, altruism and cooperation emerge and create greater freedom, happiness, and equality. Traditionally Anarchists opposed both the state apparatus and capitalism to be replaced by a cooperative and communal society. Though that form still exists in the margins, most anarchists today are focused towards property rights and tax freedom. This "individualistic anarchism" informs the libetarian movement both within the republican party and outside of it.
The rise of Trumpism is very fresh and it is reshaping the political landscapes in unpredictable ways. My suspicion is that an anarchy, one way or another, will be part of our future.
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