It would be interesting to compare the relative safety of the poor and weak in south central Mogadishu versus south central L.A. I'm not advocating anarchy as the best possible solution, but given a choice between anarchy in the U.S.A. and the status quo, I'd choose anarchy.
Yours in liberty,
<<< starchild >>>
(not weak, but low income & no gun unless you count the super soaker)
Mike:
Most of the people reading this are established, able-bodied gun-owning men, with high incomes. We'd probably do just fine in an anarchist setting.
What about the poor and weak? What are they to rely upon for their defense? Charity?
-Derek
Yes Sarosh…it may not be pleasant but their GDP and services indicate it's working better than the "nominal fairness" of surrounding governments. So it's all relative. Personlly, I find the "nominal fairness" of our government oppressive to an extreme level. Our violence is wrapped in the cloth of "justice" and "democracy" but it is certainly violent too. Just ask someone who is thinking about defending his property from tax collectors with guns. Our way is also WAY WAY more expensive. Picking peoples' pockets without them knowing it is violence too…but harder for the victim to identify the source of the theft.
Mike
<image.tiff>
From:lpsf-discuss@yahoogroups.com [mailto:lpsf-discuss@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Ofsaroshk@...
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2006 2:06 PM
To: lpsf-discuss@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [lpsf-discuss] A Great Article On "Lawless" Somalia
In a message dated 2/21/2006 12:52:52 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, tradergroupe@... writes:
Dear Everyone;
This Mises article on "lawless" Somalia is very insightful as it describes a country surviving without a central government and doing quite nicely. Thank You.
Anarchy does mean a country can survive if it has an underlying means for ajudicating disputes without formal court procedures. In this case Somali's Tribal Affiliations.
Even the CIA acknowledges how well off Somalia in its CIA factbook :
"Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia's service sector has managed to survive and grow. Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money exchange services have sprouted throughout the country, handling between $500 million and $1 billion in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate, and militias provide security."
http://www.mises.org/story/2066
Ron Getty
SF Libertarian
while any people, country or region can survive under anarchy, it is not necessarily a pleasant or desirable way to live.
in somalia, warlords (ie private militias) control local regions, but the struggle for power exploits ordinary citizens who often have to pay multiple warlords (ie government, enforcers) for "protection", so they can survive.
governments arose in reaction to anarchy -- you only have to pay one "warlord" (ie government) for protection, and there is a formula (tax system) in place so there is nominal fairness in paying for protection services.
Sarosh D. Kumana
www.sfrent.net
Tel: 415-861-4554
Fax: 415-931-4004
Cell: 415-425-5184
SPONSORED LINKS
<image.tiff>
<image.tiff>
YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
+ Visit your group "lpsf-discuss" on the web.
+ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
lpsf-discuss-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
+ Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
<image.tiff>
SPONSORED LINKS
<image.tiff>
<image.tiff>
YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
+ Visit your group "lpsf-discuss" on the web.
+ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
lpsf-discuss-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
+ Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
<image.tiff>