Liquidation of the State

[Patrick]

Due to my spirituality, I have arrived at an ideology that I would refer to as "free-market anarcho-pacifism." My first question is whether or not a true anarchist society has ever been established in recorded history. My second question is whether or not you think it could happen. If 20 million Americans were marching in the streets, advocating for the liquidation of the state, could it actually happen? Even if the state were to be disestablished, it seems as though a new ruler would always step in and fill the void - the power vaccuum - does it not?

I am beginning to realize that, perhaps, human beings are always destined to be ruled by some other person or groups of people; against their will. Thoughts like these are causing me to drift towards being apolitical - simply apathetic about politics. On the other hand, maybe non-violent resistance against all states would create the maximum amount of freedom possible for everyone.

[Syock]

True anarchist societies have been established, however they tend to have the flaw that empires like to end them either for profit or self preservation.  If you think about it, there is still a major anarchy that most people overlook.  Nations act in anarchy toward one another.  Yes, we have the UN, but it is not binding unless the countries decide to go along with it.  The USA likes to ignore the UN and do stuff anyway for example.  

Of course those are excessively violent organizations, rather than peaceful individuals, but it works the same.

[JustSayNoToStatism]

It depends what you consider "true anarchism." Turn the question around, and ask if there's ever been a "true" totalitarian regime. Well, even the worst didn't control EVERY aspect of people's lives. They weren't walking around with ball and chain, so it's a matter of degree. There have been some very unfree societies that I would call totalitarian, and there have been some very free societies without central governance that I would call anarchist.

The power vacuum exists only because people submit themselves to be ruled. That is not inevitable, it is traditional. State and church indoctrination of children keeps the mentality alive. What if instead of marching, those 20 million hypothetical people settled near each other, and started an anarchist, or nearly anarchist community. None of them used public schools, and none of them spent sunday mornings teaching kids about mysticism. Instead they learned how to reason, and were allowed to discover the truth about power for themselves. Do you think those people would submit themselves to any masters? It's not a question of human nature, at least as I see it. Nurture over nature.