the challenge of becoming an anarchist - why nearly everyone's a statist

[Kurt Buff]

On Sat, Jun 11, 2016 at 9:07 PM, eden <edenw at gal3.com> wrote:
> On Sun, Jun 12, 2016 at 3:54 AM, Kurt Buff <kurt.buff at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Anarchism is hard for some people to differentiate from nihilism.
>
>    I agree.
>
>> Try reading Lysander Spooner, Benjamin Tucker, Ludwig von Mises and,
>> most especially, Murray Rothbard. Maybe a bit of David Friedman, too.
>>
>> Once you've made your way through their works, you can call yourself
>> educated in anarchism.
>>
>> Ignore Emma Goldman, the various Russian anarchist, the
>> anarcho-syndicalists, etc. - they aren't serious.
>
>    Are you serious?
>
>    Von MISES? How would you distinguish between Anarchism and
> Libertarianism (and nihilism)?


Yes, I'm serious, including about von Mises. He's extraordinarily
influential, and Rothbard cites him as a primary influence. You must
grant him (as you must with other historical figures, especially those
of intellectual stature) the limitations of his time and place. See
especially https://www.amazon.com/Mises-Liberalism-J%C3%B6rg-Guido-H%C3%BClsmann/dp/193355018X/.
He was not prepared to take the last few steps toward repudiating
government, but he laid the foundation for those who would.

Libertarians (both big and small 'L') usually postulate some form of
minimalist government - usually of the "night watchman" strain.

Nihilism (as opposed to both regular libertarianism and individualist
anarchism) seems to eschew both personal responsibility and the logic
of causality, preferring the dream state of absolute freedom, without
consequence.

Kurt