- Capitalism and Alternatives -

Possibilism from an AC?!

Posted by: Lark ( Outer Heaven Militia ) on September 28, 1999 at 12:23:01:

In Reply to: coo-ee posted by Gee on September 27, 1999 at 15:47:14:

Hey Gee.

: There is the assumption that AC would automatically result in freedom for all. I imagine a group might acquire arms, soldiers and force sufficient to do allsorts of nasty things - not unlike small nation states. There's a point. Not possibly as large as a nation state like USA or old USSR - your local gangster is never as powerful as an institutionalised government.

He is powerful none the less, I mean as an individual I don't care if he can oppose across borders if he's pointing a gun at me here and now my concern is going to be way, way more immediate. What happened to the debate about Somalia being a model of anarcho-capitalism?

: Ofcourse there is the precise same danger in socislism. There is no more to stop people seeking power than under any other system.

Oh, aye, I know but if like myself you are a socialist who's egalitarianism is rivalled only by his libertarianism then your going to scrutinise all sources of power, control and potential elites equally. What I'm suggesting is that while socialists of all shades, possibly not Stalinists or youngsters, are very aware of the Macavellis in the state as well as the market, AC's are less ready to accept such notions.

:The idea that there will be such abundance that no one will seek to have material power or power over others is a flight of fantasy - dare I say - possiblism.

Possibilism from an AC?! Anyway I agree. However I consider the only justifiable inequality to be that which is proven to be of benefit, real, meaningful benefit to the very least or where the division in status is demanded by professionalism EG a police force or health service.

: Lark, we wont be free of the potential threat of an oppressive 'elite' regardless of which system we find ourselves in hence the idea that liberty requires 'eternal vigilance'

That's a bit cynical Gee but I accept that the battle can never really be considered won and that it is a series of running engagements and the establishment of a different social culture rather than the establishment of different institutes or something, I'm only hoping to find that my opposition agrees.


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