File spoon-archives/anarchy-list.archive/anarchy-list_2003/anarchy-list.0307, message 15


Date: Wed, 02 Jul 2003 20:48:17 +0100
From: Iain McKay <iain.mckay-AT-zetnet.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Workings of an ideal government


hello all

> MJ
>      How does one STEAL themselves?
> Iain
>     Which is, of course, a lengthly way of saying "I don't agree
>     but I'm not going to bother refuting your argument, so there..."
>     Bastiat? Give me a break. Could you not quote an anarchist instead
>     of a capitalist?
> MJ
> Huh?  You avoid the obvious ... attempt to project YOUR efforts
> at avoiding the words, concepts and ideas presented ... while
> glomming on to a 'tag line' as if it meant more than it stated and
> presented itself.

I'll explain it slowly. The Bastiat quote is an obvious reference to
Proudhon's classic work "What is Property?" he answered that it was
theft (i.e. plunder). Rather than refute that analysis, the Bastiat
quote simply repeats the dogma that property cannot be plunder and
so it fails to even address the issues Proudhon (and anarchism) raises.

I've read Proudhon's work. It's critique of property is pretty powerful
and has never been refuted. Bastiat's quote just shows the "sticking
your figures in your ears" approach so beloved by capitalists. It also
show how far capitalism is from anarchism.

Iain



   

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