I would like to approach the topic of stateless Somalia and how we could allow this opportunity to pass us by. Many times I have heard both anarchists and our critics refer to the stateless nation of Somalia as an example of anarchy in action. Now we must recall that the situation in Somalia is not one of the peoples choosing, but rather one of circumstance, a side effect of war. This fact will clearly be overlooked by statist historians who will tell readers about the horrors of war, poverty, and inflation that dominated statelessness; no question the UN will be cast in the hero of this story. The story that will haunt we anarchists for generations is in the making as I type this, yet we sit idle. Does there not seem to be something strange in all this? When discussing these things with others I was asked why I (a young man) did not make a pilgrimage to the country myself. One issue that has hindered me is financial, but in time this could be overcome. The real problem is that one mans travel to a war-torn land would serve only his curiosity. What really must be asked is if we, as a movement, should be putting more of a stake in the outcome of this conflict; including, but not limited to, relocating to Somalia. And, if we do, what should be our tactics?
Somalia is nominally free, but that does not mean that a westerner going there to live would be free as well. A significant community of western culture may indeed introduce a social friction not currently existing and result in either the imposition of a government, or simple agression against the westerners.
Or it may not, I don't really know. I'm watching them for signs of capitalism and religious tolerance. And there are signs of both, so I am hopeful. I am also watching for signs that a government may be imposed on them, either externally via the UN, or through any of the groups there seeing an opportunity in doing so.
Somalia is free from government now, but it is not stable - yet. I'd be willing to take my chances if the place in question was culturally compatible, but unlike a similar situation in the west, my involvement, to the extent that it had any effect at all, would likely cause less stability, not more. In other words, I don't believe I could positively contribute nor influence the building of a free and stable society as I would hope to be able to do in a western society that found itself, by whatever effort or happenstance, without a government. Nor could I gain the benefits of their anarchy, to say nothing of my safety.
Lack of government is necessary to freedom, but not in and of itself sufficient.
If you know of any way to help them, I'm interested. I did read one story some time ago that interviewed a businessman there who said that entrepreneurship was a strong and strengthening trend. He said something about "Atlas Shrugged" becoming popular, though I believe that was only among those who knew one of the languages it has been translated into (probably English, though perhaps also one of the European languages or Russian. I don't believe it's been translated to Arabic.) There may be an opportunity there.
The state won't go away once enough people want the state to go away, the state will effectively disappear once enough people no longer care that much whether it stays or goes. We don't need a revolution, we need millions of them.
histhasthai: Somalia is nominally free, but that does not mean that a westerner going there to live would be free as well. A significant community of western culture may indeed introduce a social friction not currently existing and result in either the imposition of a government, or simple agression against the westerners. Or it may not, I don't really know. I'm watching them for signs of capitalism and religious tolerance. And there are signs of both, so I am hopeful. I am also watching for signs that a government may be imposed on them, either externally via the UN, or through any of the groups there seeing an opportunity in doing so. Somalia is free from government now, but it is not stable - yet. I'd be willing to take my chances if the place in question was culturally compatible, but unlike a similar situation in the west, my involvement, to the extent that it had any effect at all, would likely cause less stability, not more. In other words, I don't believe I could positively contribute nor influence the building of a free and stable society as I would hope to be able to do in a western society that found itself, by whatever effort or happenstance, without a government. Nor could I gain the benefits of their anarchy, to say nothing of my safety. Lack of government is necessary to freedom, but not in and of itself sufficient. If you know of any way to help them, I'm interested. I did read one story some time ago that interviewed a businessman there who said that entrepreneurship was a strong and strengthening trend. He said something about "Atlas Shrugged" becoming popular, though I believe that was only among those who knew one of the languages it has been translated into (probably English, though perhaps also one of the European languages or Russian. I don't believe it's been translated to Arabic.) There may be an opportunity there.
"Look at me, I'm quoting another user to show how wrong I think they are, out of arrogance of my own position. Wait, this is my own quote, oh shi-" ~ Nitroadict
By the way, there's a partially completed online novel based in part on the idea of Somalia becoming an anarcho-capitalist enclave. It's a fun escapist read, with some interesting ideas, but doesn't bear much resemblence to the real Somalia we know and love at this time.
http://www.freedom-engineering.com/
histhasthai: By the way, there's a partially completed online novel based in part on the idea of Somalia becoming an anarcho-capitalist enclave. It's a fun escapist read, with some interesting ideas, but doesn't bear much resemblence to the real Somalia we know and love at this time. http://www.freedom-engineering.com/
Nitroadict:Well as long as it's a novel, I have little to pick with it in terms of inaccuracy; more should be made as it helps put new concepts (such as anarcho-capitalism, which is new & unknown to many) into a more palatable context of a story,
At risk of hijacking the thread, have you read Michael Z Williamson's "Freehold"? It's almost pure ancap, but a solid novel by a serious sci-fi writer that's doing reasonably well in the mainstream. It's very, very good.
histhasthai: Nitroadict:Well as long as it's a novel, I have little to pick with it in terms of inaccuracy; more should be made as it helps put new concepts (such as anarcho-capitalism, which is new & unknown to many) into a more palatable context of a story, At risk of hijacking the thread, have you read Michael Z Williamson's "Freehold"? It's almost pure ancap, but a solid novel by a serious sci-fi writer that's doing reasonably well in the mainstream. It's very, very good.