Few quotes from chapter 12, "Forget Government":"In our Western, more-or-less liberal democracies, it rarely occurs to us that we might be able to live free of government. A vast, centralized state seems such an unavoidable reality that the most we seem to be able to hope for is to vote every five years for a very slightly different oligarchy to correct the worst excesses of the previous one. We cannot see beyond parliament as a means of organizing things. We grumble about the clowns in power and then elect a new lot of clowns. We believe in 'reform', that endless, futile process of meddling. Hope triumphs over experience."
"Politics is not the art of running a country, it is the art of persuading the people that they need a set of paid politicians to run the country. And in this dark art, our leaders are skilled and proficient."
"There is a real alternative to elected governments. It is self-government, or anarchy, or running one's own affairs without relying on external authority."
'How To Be Free' by Tom Hodgkinson
7 comments:
I am all for decentralization, though there's a exceedingly high risk of massive failures in necessary infrastructure when basic human nature is involved.
"The dam broke! Everyone, quick grab a shovel!"
"Sorry, my kid is home sick today."
"Sorry, I'm on vacation and besides, the flood won't affect my house."
"How come I'm the one who always turns up, while everyone else begs off? Let someone else do it for a change."
"I'm too busy organizing the majority of soviet members to oust homosexuals from our commune."
The dysfunctions inherent in the system are but symptoms of the dysfunctions in human nature.
You have a pretty dim view of human nature andrew. Can't imagine human beings letting themselves come to harm due to petty arguments. Try reading mutual aid by peter kropotkin
It wasn't so long ago bitterandrew that we did exist without recourse to the monstrosity that is the "State". Both in Mutual Aid and How To Be Free, Kropotkin and Hodgkinson refer to the free city states that emerged through the Middle Ages which managed perfectly well on a decentralised basis for work, trade, taxes and so on. All the elements you expect in modern times are there, only they can not now occur without intervention from some government body or legislation.
"The dysfunctions inherent in the system are but symptoms of the dysfunctions in human nature." I would say that human nature reflects what it experiences so if you are saying that capitalism is dysfunctional and, as a result, so are humans then I would agree.
And thanks to you too Stuart for taking the time.
Karlie says:
If enlightened self-interest is the principle of all morality it is neceessary for the private interest of each man to coincide with the general interest of humanity.
Marx-Die Heilige Familie (1845)
nice post, it seems this book is good to read? :)
-cathy young
http://hotcelebritymodelspicturescollection.blogspot.com/
re: Above comment.
Highlander certainly knows how to attract the chicks!
Still, better than those 'hey how to' bastards tho...
Hi Walker and welcome back. A good break I hope? Liked the earlier quote you commented and I think it must be my charismatic drone they're finding attractive?
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