WikiPedia: AnarchY

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But when it is used to describe a political ideal, anarchy is a term used in two different ways in describing two very different political views. It is worth noting that although it is likely that adherents of either view will surely have many disagreements with the other, it is not correct to think of them as being diametric opposites.

Traditionally, the term anarchy has been applied to a movement
dedicated to the abolition of illegitimate authority and the establishment of a social order without hierarchy. Proponents of the extent system equate its abolition with the abolition of all social order. In their time, Monarchists accused Republicans of seeking the destruction of all social order.

But when it is used to describe a political ideal, anarchy is a term used in two different ways by the adherents of two different political views: TraditionalAnarchism and AnarchoCapitalism. It is worth noting that although it is likely that adherents of either view will surely have many disagreements with the other, it is not correct to think of them as being diametric opposites.

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Prominent anarchists of the traditional sort include EmmaGoldman?, MikhailBakunin?, and NoamChomsky?. We have a comprehensive discussion of TraditionalAnarchism.

More recently, the term anarchy has been applied to supporters of AnarchoCapitalism, which may be loosely defined as the idea that there should not be a single government, but rather that the traditional functions of government might be best handled by private courts and defense agencies.

The most prominent theorist of AnarchoCapitalism is DavidFriedman?, son of NobelPrize/EconomicSciences winner MiltonFriedman?. We have a comprehensive discussion of AnarchoCapitalism.

Proponents of these two views sometimes view each other with some hostility. Proponents of TraditionalAnarchism may view AnarchoCapitalism as either a grave misunderstanding of anarchism proper (or not a kind of anarchism at all), or a special case of the rejection of government authority in favor of capitalist authority. Terms such as "baseless" and "oversimplistic" may be used.

Advocates of AnarchoCapitalism may contend that TraditionalAnarchism is ill-defined, and most likely will reject the view that there is any such thing as 'capitalist authority' and may also claim that many anarchists of the traditional sort are economically illiterate.

Both views are united in their opposition to the existence of government, but they part company soon after on issues of private property and social institutions generally.

This page will not settle any disputes between the two, but hopes instead to acknowledge the facts of the situation (that both use the term, rightly or wrongly), and to point to separate treatments of both.

You can see a little bit of the lively debate here: /AnarchyTalk

See AnarchisM.

Anarchy is often used pejoratively simply to mean chaos, violence, and complete lack of political and/or social order. This is one ordinary use of the word, but it does not describe a suitable subject for an encyclopedia article. Anarchy has an interesting use, according to which anarchy is a political ideal.

See AnarchisM.