Anarchism, a word I grew up thinking it meant simply "total chaos and lawlessness."
As it turns out, that's not what it meant originally, although some people have certainly embodied its worst connotations and given it a sour name, much like the Nazis usurped the Sun Wheel so prevalent in some Eastern traditions.
From the Merriam Webster Dictionary, "a political theory holding all forms of governmental authority to be unnecessary and undesirable and advocating a society based on voluntary cooperation and free association of individuals and groups."
Looking at the etymology for anarchy, we see it is from Greek, "an-" without and "arkhos" ruler or king. Which can be a lot of things, as anarchism can be observed to be. There are many ways of freely associating without a ruler or ruling class.
You could have a society that guides itself simply by the Non-Aggression Principle. Or one where all relationships are voluntary. Even one where every person in the collective has a voice.
What you can't have is a ruling class. A class that dictates to others how to live, where the many can enforce their views on the few. Where the initiation of force is used to make people comply. Coercion. None of those can be considered anarchy. Neither can a nation chock-full of rules and regulations: can't do this, can't do that.
Now, I don't claim that the human race is evolved enough at the moment to be in such a state, although most people probably do already live that way without realizing it. How often do you resort to the courts? How often do you need the police to intervene on your behalf? How often does the State really benefit you?
Everyone is different, with different life circumstances, but I would guess, as a vast majority, most people don't interface with the State other than at tax time, or when there are fees or penalties to pay, or you need to get permission to do your job (a license) or permission to drive a motor vehicle (another license).
You probably already enjoy the free association of people - your friends, your social groups, or activist groups. You come and go as you please. No one is tied down, or forced to participate, and if clubs exist that have such rules, you are free to not become a part of them. You are also free to become a hermit, although that's probably not going to get you as much as you want out of life, unless all you desire to be happy is solitude.
I do believe no man is an island, and cryptos do too. As a decentralized system, cryptos can be the perfect expression of anarchism - there is no ruler. The future of the currency is dictated by consensus, as exemplified by the current BIP148 fork with Bitcoin. No one knows exactly what's going to happen on August 1st, and no one can directly influence the outcome. It's all about the miners and users, and what they decide to do. And as much as there are forums, if a minority of miners don't agree, they can fork off and have their own crypto-currency which we as users will decide to adopt or not. No one is forced to go with the majority. Sure, the majority will probably have the most value, but don't you see, even the minority win. It's a win-win, and no g-men with guns are necessary to enforce compliance. It's a voluntary system.
When you get on the dance floor, does anyone tell you how to dance? Does anyone force you to dance? Or to not dance?
So it is with cryptos. You are free to participate, not participate, observe, criticize, point of possible failures, make fun of, and no one will send you to jail.
There isn't a person more senior than you, who can break rules you cannot, who is above you. We all make our decisions and go our own merry ways. And we tend to congregate around those people, and cryptos that we like the most. Privacy coins, coins that have a future technological value, even game coins.
We are completely free. We don't even have the high entry bar of real-estate or the stock market or the bond market or venture capitalist investments. Anybody can get in, who can get past government red tape for signing up.
And you can earn as much as you are capable, or lucky enough to get. There are no caps, no rules. Ultimate Freedom. And with Ultimate Freedom comes Ultimate Responsibility. Something which I suspect most people in our society won't like. It means you can't go running to mamma and pappa, or Uncle Sam, when something goes wrong. There are no handouts, and nothing is free, unless it is voluntary. You can't get someone with big guns to distribute someone's wealth between you and your friends.
So, with all that, I think Cryptos, like Anarchism, isn't for everyone. And although cryptos themselves have no real value (just like US dollars, the Euro, Rubles, Pesos, etc.) they have value because we agree that they do. And the fact there there is no central authority who can print them out of existence (except for Ripple and their other banker-generated ilk). Their value is dictated by the free market - the people who buy and sell them.
I see a world coming where more and more of that distinction between people will manifest. Perhaps a breakup into smaller tribes where one can get consensus - as given by the last election, the US does not have a consensus, adn the 2-party system is obviously a lie. There are at least 3 factions having a go at each other officially, and I suspect a lot more beneath the surface.
And why is that so wrong? Most countries in Europe have a political system with more than 2 parties and they are just as enslaved as we are. They have their masters and their jailers and they must do as they're told or end up in jail or end up without benefits. And they don't agree either. Look at the British Parliament. If they had mud at hand it would be a very funny show. Instead, it is simply sad. One corrupt interest after another. Greasing the pal of this or that Global Institution.
Democracy, cry some people. Two wolves and a sheep deciding what to have for dinner, cry others. Whichever camp you're on, you have to admit that regardless of the puppet that's sitting on the presidency, the rich have gotten richer, the poor have gotten poorer, and stealing from those who produce to give to those who do not produce doesn't give you prosperity. It merely gives you dependency like a drug. What happens when the people who produce get tired and go somewhere else? Like in Venezuela.
A government is simply a parasite. It takes without giving (well, I suppose they give to their buddies) and on its own would simply starve to death. They do not produce anything. If you had a country full of politicians, they'd die the most "orderly death" because none of them can create food, or wealth. All they can do is steal from those who do to feed themselves and those who keep them in power.
If really had a government of the people for the people, then why aren't we prospering? The Central Banks of the world have wrecked our economies while giving a lot of cash to the Big Money interests. Greece is selling off pieces of its country for pennies on the dollar, just like Argentina in the past. And all because of greed. The greed of the politicians and the "free stuff" given to the now dependent people.
And who pays for it? Those who produce. Without them, we would have no advancement. No breakthroughs. POlitics has not advanced in centuries, but greed has. And the fruits greed bears have too.
So, ask yourself. Are you an anarchist after all? Or are you OK with being bled dry, or simply supporting people who do not produce? Regardless of your answer - and there are as many right answers as there are people - wouldn't you rather live with people who feel the same way? Why would an anarchist want to live with a stadist? Sure, he might like to visit from time to time, chat, exchange goods and services, but wouldn't both be better served by living in like-minded groups? Wouldn't that create less tension, or confrontation?
Sure, there might come a time when the Socialist would covet the land or resources of the other and scream for their leaders to take that over, and such is the insanity and stupidity of war. Isn't it better to simply trade? Unless, of course, you area criminal. And criminals are all about the something for nothing. Taking without giving. And doesn't that just sound like a politician?
Whatever your choice, I hope you are happy, and I hope you do not initiate force or violence against another and that you live in harmony.
Thank you for sharing your Light with me.
Very good read! I wait for more, sir!