Ryuzaki
Creator
No Life King[M:-197492]
[Mo0:6]
Posts: 2,348
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Post by Ryuzaki on Feb 2, 2009 6:06:41 GMT -5
On 1st May 2000, the London May Day Carnival against Capitalism, a peaceful demonstration against capitalism, turned into a riot that led to the defacing of the Cenotaph and millions of pounds worth of damage to City buildings. Similar violence has been seen at other large-scale anti-capitalism protests, such as at the World Trade Organization talks in Seattle. In these circumstances, people have come to question the rhetoric and claims of the anarchists.
So is anarchism a defensible policy? Can it be supported both in theory and in practice?
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Post by boogieknight on Feb 2, 2009 18:01:14 GMT -5
Part of the problem is the misuse of terms. Anarchy typically involves the disolution of government and formal institutions in general, for absolute freedom. Capitalism works best with the free association of individuals, with the government only acting as policeman. In truth, anarchy and capitalism are very compatible.
However, the real problems arise in the interactions of capitalist economies with mixed and control economies (in truth, there has always been mixed economies to varying degrees, but for the sake of argument we'll assume there is a fully capitalist economy). Favoritism is inseparable from government manipulations, which makes freer econmies have a harder time to compete fairly. Free trade between nations is a good thing, since individuals should be the driving force, but without the common culture of capitalism there will only be conflicts.
Keep in mind, plenty of these protesters aren't deep thinkers. There are plenty who benefit from lack of competition which permits them to remain bloated and unresponsive (ie. the American auto industry for the past 50 years). Some are not advocates of freedom, but they prefer the tyranny of a "compassionate" government over the "tyranny" of big business.
Commerce is regarded as pure evil, even though it is commerce which consistently raises the standard of living where it gets free reign. Anarchists are running under the same false assumptions that has been engrained into our psyches without us even realizing it.
It should be no surprise that the event turned into a feeding frenzy, those who can't think destroy.
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