File spoon-archives/anarchy-list.archive/anarchy-list_2004/anarchy-list.0412, message 40


Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 21:20:22 +0000
From: Iain McKay <iain.mckay-AT-zetnet.co.uk>
Subject: Re: LibCapitalism, Enemy of Rationality


hello all

Ali Kazmi wrote:
> Hey, you guys have a real live actual Lib Cap utopia.
> Somalia has been without a government for the past
> oodles of years and has capitalism. It really truly is
> a Lib Cap state. 

actually, it's not. It does not have capitalism. It has
a tribal society which holds certain things in common
(like watering holes), is structured around kinship (and 
not the cash nexus) and its system of decision making is 
based on consensus in popular assemblies. It recognises 
individual possession but not private property in land 
(it is owned by families and cannot be sold).

The reason I know so much about Somalia is that I read an
"anarcho"-capitalist website about it and why it was a 
"anarcho"-libcap utopia. I got the impression that these
people are unable to understand English nor even what they
write themselves.

I would say that its the non-capitalist aspects of the
society which support its (relative) statelessness. Ironically,
some of the non-capitalist aspects were acknowledged and the 
webpage cheerfully said that the "anarcho"-capitalists would make
sure that such elements were replaced by proper "natural law."
What the Somalians thought about strangers replacing their
tribal customs wasn't mentioned nor how much force would be
required to do so. if historical capitalism is anything to
go by, significant amounts.

All lib caps should head out to the
> horn of Africa to study their ideas in action, rather
> then trolling (though we don't really mind the action
> on this list, been slow).

Assuming, for the moment, that it is a libcap utopia (as 
"anarcho"-caps say). As there is an actual example of their
system around and there are no legal barriers to leaving 
the USA (or UK) then, clearly, the fact that the libcaps
haven't went to it means that they pay their taxes freely
and are happy with their current landlord (the state).

Given that the libcap habitually say that workers are not
coerced or enslaved because no one forces them to join a 
company or remain in it, then, surely, the libcap is not
enslaved or coerced by the state. They can leave. Hell, 
they can leave and live in a libcap utopia (so they say).
the fact they don't means that they are happy where they
are. and, needless to say, the economic barriers to moving
to Somalia are just as irrelevant as for a worker.

Iain



   

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