One of the most slandered labels in all of politics is that of anarchism. When one imagines anarchists, one thinks of rebellious, anti-capitalist, blood-thirsty youths bent on destruction. However, within America there has arisen a reasonable, freedom-oriented, distinct brand of anarchism that draws its conclusions not based on idiotic Marxist misinterpretations of economics, but on logical analyses of capitalism and the nature of government.

Today, some very interesting and provocative reading on market anarchism (also known as libertarian anarchism or anarcho-capitalism) and the illegitimacy of the state monopoly on violence:

Why Government Must Be Abolished

Why Abolishing Government Would Not Bring Chaos

The Problem of Corporate Greed

Private Law

I understand that for many these ideas will seem very counter-intuitive and possibly dangerous to many readers, but I have found that the unpopularity of these ideas seems to come mainly from the fact that (1) they are not immediately obvious and (2) they have been so thoroughly slandered by our government and media. They are not immediately obvious in the same sense that vaccination is not obvious -- it seems dangerous to inject disease into our bodies -- yet few would doubt the usefulness of vaccination. They are slandered simply because they threaten the illegitimate structures of power in our world, and seek a society free of coercion and prosperity. Quite obviously the powers that be do not look kindly on the prospect of losing their power.

We are all used to government, and we have been raised to fear the prospect of uncertainty; government gives us the illusion of certainty by embracing what seems obvious and what is comforting. I believe, though, that the harder one looks, the more one finds that these obvious answers are more often than not misguided, harmful, and/or completely wrong. These ideas of market anarchism, which seem almost absurd at first glance, upon sufficient consideration haven proven in my opinion to be extremely profound and insightful.

Those interested in further reading are encouraged to investigate these excellent sites:

The Ludwig von Mises Institute

Lew Rockwell

Strike the Root

The Molinari Institute

Anthony Gregory