This week I am at the Porcupine Freedom Festival, the Free State Project’s signature yearly event up in Lancaster, New Hampshire. Today I am giving a talk called “Freeing the Population: How to Move to an Anarcho-Capitalist Society Using the Current System”.
The main point of the talk is to introduce libertarians to the logical conclusion of the non-agression principle. The idea that the initiation of force is immoral runs throughout libertarian circles, but many still believe government is a necessary evil. But this is in contrast to the idea that all initiation of force is immoral.
Instead anarcho-capitalism is the organization of society through the free market, without any government. All formerly government services would be market based, including law, education, security, roads etc. In a purely free market government could not exist, because governments hold a monopoly on force in a particular geographic area, which is part of what makes them a government. In an anarcho-capitalist society, initiating force is a universal negative (as in the Natural Rights philosophy), and demand for “the right to not be compelled” would mean protection could be purchased: the market would provide it.
But to move towards this type of society we don’t necessarily need societal upheaval. Our Constitution gives us a method for altering it with amendments. It wouldn’t be easy or likely, but it is possible to abolish the state without violence, just through using the legislative method laid out in the Constitution. A date would be set far enough in advance for state governments and private businesses to take care of any needed formerly government functions like security. Then all government equipment, land, structures etc. would be auctioned off, and rebated to the taxpayers.
This process would repeat at the state level, until all initiation of force is abolished, and businesses take the place of every government function.
Maybe you attended the talk, and have arrived on this page to continue the discussion. Or maybe you couldn’t be there, but would like to join in the discussion here. Either way I’d love to hear from you!
