Question authority. Make rational discourse your weapon of choice. The only way to defeat an idea is with a superior idea.
Know your supposed rights and exercise your backbone like this guy without fear that it could result like this.
speak for yourself anemone. i believe in the n.a.p. but would not consider it immoral to stage rebellion. violence has been initiated upon the masses by the state. tell me how do you distinuish between dictatorship and what we have today? my guess is that the difference is one of degree but not quality.morally, anyone who has paid taxes on anything or been apprehended by a cop by his own funding has a right to revolt. this would not be an initation of force. pardon my phone syntax…
The CIA made a cute little primer years ago for the Nicauraguans, but many of its suggestions are likely to be illegal?
If you’re talking about Albania, then when did it go into chaos? What country are you refering to?
Now I’m mostly not a believer in radical devolution to the masses, however, in your case was the state particularly unnatural (did it attempt to unite disparate groups or sub-states)?
Maybe that’s why it fell into disorder so quickly, perhaps that’s a good thing; some societies don’t need a state. Why, the U.S. almost became 3-4 separate republics.
I agree that we shouldn’t maximize damage to the engine of the state (perhaps there are good reasons to do a little damage in some instances though). But in general it may be of some use w/o which, chaos and immorality would increase.
Of course, if the state continues to provide order it will only sap the self-control and obedience of the people; testing them with its overarching laws. So when do we replace the state with something better? I don’t know.
Yep, I’m talking about the 1997 collapse in Albania. Now, you made a very sharp remark, and it is indeed the case that the main component of that civil unrest was the southern half of the country felt alienated by the predominately northern-staffed government (just as the northerners had felt alienated during the 50 years of southern-dominated communist rule).
A few remarks from actual staleness:
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The whole thing lasted a just few months, for an international peacekeeping force (that did nothing but show up) was dispatched and the government retook the whole territory under its factual jurisdiction by 1999.
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The division of labor almost totally stopped. People begun hoarding foodstuffs and you could hardly find even necessities in stores. A major depopulation (and mass emigration) where set in motion.
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A few cities turned into arenas of gang warfare where even stepping outside of one’s house was a daring feat indeed. Note that gang violence had absolutely no sub-regional component.
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Local gangs did begin to take over, and if given time, they could have established fiefs in the whole country.
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In some cities, the citizens organized themselves into ‘public safety committees’ which tried to erect state-like apparatuses, and even recall the popular former PM into taking over in their ‘jurisdictions’.
Now, I do not know how the situation would have evolved if the country had been left alone for a couple of years. What I can imagine is that the above-mentioned gang and/or public committees would have erected cantons instead of the unitary government that was in place before. That would have been a wonderful achievement, but the point is that these would yet have been states. So, from statelessness many states would have emerged anew!
So, the system was ‘reset’ in a sense, and it began organizing into city-states, which would indicate that, at least for now, that is the best political regime known. If a push for cantonisation can be made without having the whole social apparatus collapse, than by all means one should go for that. If panarchy (‘anarcho-capitalism’) will ever be workable (I believe it will), it sure as hell isn’t yet. We need that state for now.
Hey Merlin, haven’t seen you around in a long time. Welcome back.
Clayton -
I’ve been posting on the new forums, but I see that here’s as active as ever, so I’m back.
Well, the easiest way is to follow traffic laws. Cities literally make a killing over the fines…
I am always fasinated how monetary policy can be such a huge deal for some people. It is not just an academic or policy issue. Whether our money is “sound” is a key indicator of whether we live in a “free” society. very interesting.
“our money is “sound” is a key indicator of whether we live in a “free” society. very interesting.”
It’s not interestin it’s a fact. every fiat-money system is the incarnation of dictatorship. Because it means you are forced to pay with money the states declare to be of worth, and be it just some numbers on paper. It’s not interesting it’s the knout under which we have to suffer. You don not want this “money”? Well bad luck…
Simple. If the ability to vote change in still exists, however unlikely, you don’t have the right to foment or stage a revolution. This is also why christians don’t hunt down and kill abortion doctors.
Not so, you can always leave the society if you wish to not pay taxes. It’s if they prevented you from leaving that would be an aggression. Passing a law that results in you pay taxes is not strictly an aggression. Passing a tax that left you unable to feed yourself would be tho.
As long as you have a peaceful option, the NAP demands you take it. Vote change or leave the society. Those things barred, then revolt and you have my blessing and I’ll be right there alongside you.
“Not so, you can always leave the society if you wish to not pay taxes.”
Tell us how to do so.
The state will collapse on its own. Ancient Rome was very similar to what America and the EU are right now. We also know that civilization itself is not sustainable and will collapse eventually. Look up Tainter’s work on the collapse of complex civs or anything on Alex Jones’ websites to see for yourself.
But I also feel that the state will become its most tyrannical right before it collapses for good. So the best thing you can do is learn the necessary survival skills and pack a bunch of gold with you and leave civilization to live 100% off the land.
“But I also feel that the state will become its most tyrannical right before it collapses for good.”
I’m afraid this is all too true. We can see it currrently. Just see what undemocratic beharviour you can find in Italy, Greece or the complete EUR “crisis”. Just see the arguments of the fighters against terrorism. They start to look like terrorists themselves. And it goes on an on. It reminds me of the end of WW II in Germany. If you’d flee to early you were killed by your “own” comrades.
So yeah I wouldnt be too focused on ways to damage the state but instead look at methods of survival for when the state collapses for good and starts to become extremely tyrannical. I would start with Complete Survivalist and move on from there.
for when the state collapses for good and starts to become extremely tyrannical
So the state will collapse (as in lose its power and authority) and then it will become tyrannical?
Meh. My focus is on founding a new society on libertarian principles before the collapse of this society, thus giving people a place to exodus unto.