Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Anarchists

There are a lot of hardcore anarchist types out there, but the most irritating have to be the anarcho-capitalists. These guys believe that you can have a functioning economic system without a state to guard people's private property and enforce contracts. Let's assume for a moment that you could. This kind of community is one in which, if you hit hard times, say you end up in a wheelchair, or are otherwise disabled and cannot work, or there is a structural level of unemployment and there is simply no work for you to do, and if you can't find anybody willing to help you out of the kindness of their hearts, you're basically fucked. There's nowhere for you to turn.

Now the anti-statist will say something like, "well if you can't work, and nobody wants to support you, what right do you have to burden the wealthy and productive?" Well, none. But I'm definitely glad I live in a country that is willing to support me if I happen to ever become so unfortunate, and I will support any government that ensures that, at least in the most extreme cases, there's always a safety net.

Now I'm not some hard core leftist that believes that taking from the rich is or should be the solution to the problems of the poor, and I think it should be harder to get welfare than it currently is, but I would still prefer to live in a country in which people who may happen to have had some really bad luck have some to fall back on.

Those who believe all taxation is theft find the idea of taking even the smallest amount from the wealthy and productive, in order to help those who are not able to be as productive absolutely unconscionable. They are sickened by the idea. People this far right basically want to be freed from any responsibility for anyone but themselves.