ANARCHY 101: The Violence-Based Electoral System Cannot Grant Legitimate Authority

in #anarchy7 years ago (edited)

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In this new series we will be talking about the fundamentals of anarchism/voluntaryism.

I would have thought writing such a series would be silly a mere three or four years ago, as it seemed these things were basically understood by most voluntaryists.

Even the title “VOLUNTARY-ist” literally spells out the fundamental, central axiomatic tenet which is, namely, the reality of individual-self-ownership and the resulting logical conclusion that ALL HUMAN INTERACTION SHOULD BE VOLUNTARY.

It seems, however, that many self-labeled “voluntaryists” are particularly susceptible to the dazzling bright lights of election seasons, the cultural biases that come with living in various geo-political regions, and the strange notion that even as a voluntaryist, it is sometimes okay to compromise the lives of “just a few” individuals to bring about a “greater good.”

Nothing could be further from the truth. By defintion, if it ain’t voluntary, it ain’t voluntaryism. Get it?

Today’s Lesson: Voting.

In the same way that this:

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does not grant its wearer magical authority over other human beings,

Neither does this:

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grant the winner magical authority over anyone or anything.

Why not? Because said “authority,” in both cases, is not voluntarily and consensually recognized.

It doesn’t matter if the police officer or winning candidate is trying to do some great work “for the people,” or for the “greater good.” The process itself, being force-based (relying on the initiation of force against non-violent individuals) is illegitimate as per voluntaryist property ethic.

Even in cases such as local votes, where some vote may bring about temporary relief from the state’s violence in some fashion, there is always another side to the coin. The shadow side.

Take cannabis legalization for example. Users of the plant may be very happy. Those extorted “taxpayers” who now have to pay for all the new bureaucracy and regulatory bodies surrounding the newly legalized drug may not be so happy.

Is the act itself of voting violent? No. Is it immoral? Yes. Are the results of votes always violent? Yes. Someone always is violated. The process itself is based on an unethical violent foundation.

Is the “authority” granted by this violent, force-based process ever legitimate as per voluntaryist standards?

No.

~KafkA

!


Graham Smith is a Voluntaryist activist, creator, and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as DTube and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person!)

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Friend @ kafkanarchy84 your post applies perfectly to the case of Venezuela, where the government proclaims to the four winds that it has won around 20 elections.
But when you go to a vitiated electoral process from the same entity that governs the process (pro-government in its majority) you know that you will not get well rid. That together with the disqualifications of opposition candidates, the unconscionable change of the election site of voters, the lack of international witnesses and could continue and continue.
In May we will have presidential elections and we are facing a new re-election of Nicolas Maduro. God keep us. Greetings from Venezuela

I know many self proclamied 'anrchists' and 'voluntaryists'who go all goo goo when the next wolf in sheep clothing pretends to give a dam. Very frustrating to watch people still fall into this spell time after time. Like you say a belief in authority will never equate to REAL freedom. its like being a broken record at time but repeat we must!

It is really hard to overcome the programing. Our society is still full of the Statist paradigm. We just have to keep up the good fight.

Political "authority" is the most dangerous superstition.

A friend of mine and I were discussing this recently. We concluded that determining who has the mental capacity, awareness, and understanding to determine anything for any mass of amount of people is impossible...and even if one could find a way to quanitify someone as fit and just for that position, that person could only vote on matters by which they are unbiased too...which is essentially nothing.

Yes. Love this line of thinking. This is why nothing less than the free market can really maximize peace, because it is decentralized and prices/policies are set by individual voices/buyers absent some fraudulent, centralized system headed by one man who thinks he knows what's best for everyone else.

Couldn’t agree more. I like to tell myself I live in an anarchist world with tyrants impeding on my fruitful life.

I am looking forward to seeing the light bulbs going off or brains exploding ;-)

Well any politician after winning the election may do things for the betterment but as you said there is another side, well if he legalises drugs he will induce tax in it, it's for the betterment of government not for the betterment of community, aslo good for Graham Smith doing such a good job by using steem, steem is really a good platform

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