So this is perhaps a tough question for folks round here :D Well, at least for the statists. This question - which should be master, individual or state, is posed as a dichotomy, as though it's one or the other. Any anarchist worth his salt is firmly on the side of the individual, and so in these quarters a statist stands out like Brennan photographing Hillary giving Obama a golden shower. (Ugh, damn! Strike that thought already‼) Thankfully Zerowedgie firmly observes the third aspect of the trinity in this realm - the middle ground: STATE MIDDLE INDIVIDUAL ∙ Plato Alexander Aristotle Republic “The Great” ∙ Maoists Confucian Taoists In the face of this thought, that which arose for me personally a few years ago as "an alternative noun/label for anarchy" namely "direct democracy" appears now to be the middle ground - that balance between: ∙ the very real potential chaos of anarchy, and ∙ the very real potential crystalline death of most of that which makes life worth living, in the extreme conformity and death of the individual, when the state is taken to its limit. Notwithstanding the (correct as it is) appearance of direct democracy as a form of individualism, direct democracy also be a recognition of both the tribal nature of individuals and the consequent inherent need for us to communicate in respect of our apparent disagreements and possibly find resolutions, thus: ∙ the state direct democracy anarchy/ism Perhaps it might be useful to consider the 'problems' at the extreme: - Can we say that the particular absolute authority and power which is inherent and existent within the individual, ought or must NOT EVER be (involuntarily or voluntarily for that matter) surrendered to the authority and power of the family, tribe or "state" etc? - Can we say that the particular absolute authority and power which is inherent and existent within the individual, ought or must ALWAYS be (involuntarily or voluntarily for that matter) surrendered to the authority and power of the family, tribe or "state" etc? Dichotomies eh? Perhaps the middle ground, the third principle forming the reality of this particular trinity, could be useful after all? State Or Individual? https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-07-22/state-or-individual