Anarchism

Anarchism is a challenge to the status quo, the way feminism is set up in opposition to male
dominance, anarchism is set up against the state.
They elie e that hu a s a orga ise the sel es i a orderly fashio . a ar hos
without a ruler.
Anarchists reject that humans can only live in political states. States themselves are only a
recent development in the context of human existence.
Our social interactions do not depend on a coercive and hierarchical state. Voluntary, self-
organising communities are possible. This is possible due to our human nature as
gregarious, sociable and cooperative creatures. Rules by which to live are not necessary and
our civic existence with friendships shows this.
State is undesirable:
1. Coercive through laws
2. Destructive through wars
3. Exploitative capitalist society
4. Compulsory no opt out
Basic argument for anarchism:
1. Dahl: we are not morally obliged to obey bad states
2. All modern states are coercive, they use the threat of physical force to make sure
you obey
3. Coercion is intrinsically bad, the threat of physical force is a way of getting people to
do hat they do t a t to do. Surely there is so ethi g ro g ith this.
4. A stateless society is possible.
(accepting the first 3 premises makes you a philosophical anarchist)

Coercion, consent and autonomy:

If the state was based on consent, then it would be legitimate.

Anarchists argue that individual moral autonomy is incompatible with legitimate state authority.
Moral autonomy is about self-registering.

Wolff only direct democracy is conceivable, representative democracy is not.

Objection to tacit consent; the idea that, as long as we enjoy the features of the state, then we
consent to it. But: Lockean idea that enjoying features has nothing to do with consent = tacit consent
argument is too weak.
Criticisms:

Are modern states even that bad?

Ho es: state of ature argu e t. life ould e asty, rutish a d short without state there
would be chaos. Order and security provided by the state merits o edie e fro us, it s a life or
death necessity.

Living conditions have dramatically increased. Avoids power vacuum.

Utopian vision especially with human nature.

Dealing with non-conformity.