Essay
Anarchism political idea essay plans
- Module
- Political Ideas
- Institution
- PEARSON (PEARSON)
Essay plans A grade and above on state, society, economy and human nature
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IntroductionAnarchism Essay Plans Anarchists are in agreement that the economy should be a space where free individuals can manage their own affairs without state ownership or regulation,
as the state supports exploitation. Anarchists are opposed to all existing economic systems and see the as a restriction on liberty. The key area of
disagreement among anarchists is over economic organisation, between collectivists and individualists, and between the sub-strands. Collectivist
The economy anarchists support collective ownership and mutual cooperation, while anarcho-capitalists have endorsed private property and the competitive, free market.
Mutualists attempt to blend elements of collectivism with individualism.
Agreements over the economy
Point: Both collectivists and individualists anarchists object to state capuitalism as it restrictcs liberty. Point: All anarchists reject the state as it a repressve institution that uses deceit to suppress individuals.
Evidence: Both collectivists and individualists reject state intervention. Collectivists believe that, while Evidence: The endorsement of economic freedom rests on anarchist's rejection of the state and all types
state intervention does have its positives, such as policies of full employment and progressive taxation, of hierarchical authority, as they perceive them both to be repressive. In a modern democracy, anarchists
capitalism is still based on inequality and exploitation, liberty cannot exist. Pierre Proudhon in What is believe they rule by deceit, which is backed up by the threat of violence. Modern democracies are
Property? believes that a system of mutalism would be the economic basis of liberty. This is based on deceitful, as they claim that people have freely entered a social contract. However, anarchists believe
individuals and small associations with the right to possession, who would keep the full fruits of their that if the people were sovereign, there would be no government and no governed, so the state would not
labour, and then they could exchange their produce based on a system of labour notes, and a People's exist. They believe that voting is nothing more than a trick that hides the massive power of the state
Bank that would provide credit to these associations/individuals. based on the police, the banks, the army to secure authority. For example, Emma Goldman stated that "If
voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal'.
Development: Proudhon's argument for mutalism is seen as a bridge between individualists and
collectivists. This is also seen in individualists (anarcho-capitalists) objections to capitalism. They Development: Furthermore, anarchists agree on the need for a future economic system where free
believe that state intervention in the economy distorts the market and creates public and private individuals can manage their own affairs. They believe that economic inequality is built into the state,
monopolies that restrict competition and choice, thereby restricting liberty. which emerged when society began to produce a surplus that was taken by the few. The state became
necessary to protect privateproperty, which was often acquired unjustly. For example, in the UK the
Land Enclosures Acts of the 18th century parceled up common land and turned it over to private
ownership, creating a landless working class. Historian E.P. Thompson saw this as class robbery.
Therefore, all anarchists call for the overthrow of both the state and caputalism for people to manage
their own economic affairs.
Disagreements over the economy
Point: Collectivists believe in small-scale communities, whereas anarcho-capitalists believe there is no Point: Collective ownership (ultra-socialism) v private ownership (ultra-anarchism)
need for decentralisation.
Evidence: There are extremely contrasting views within anarchism. On one hand there are
Evidence: Kropotkin argued that species that cooperate are the winners in the struggle in survival. This anarcho-communists, who maintain that full communism will be the best way to realise liberty,
has led collectivists to believe that society would be organised from the bottom up into voluntary economic freedom and natural order, and on the other, there are anarcho-capitalists who advocate the
collectives of producers and consumers, who would organise the production and distribution of goods. abolition of centralised states in favor of a system of private property enforced by private agencies, free
This view is taken further by anarcho-communists, such as Kropotkin. He believe that as well as land markets and self-ownership. This ultra-anarchist belief has led many anarchists to argue that
and the means of production being held in common ownsership, the product of individuals' labour anarcho-capitalism is not a strain of anarchism at all, because its view of liberty does not include
should be held in common too by communes, which are made up of the entire local population. equality.
Development: This differs greatly to anarcho-capitalists, who believe there is no need for Development: This view would be endorsed by collevtivists such as Baukunin. In the economy, he calls
decentralisation. The critical element of anarcho-capitalism is the invisible hand of the free market. They for collectivisation. This involves the abolition of private property and its replacement with the
believe that competition will give consumers a choice, forcing the suppliers to be efficient, cost effective collective ownership of the means of production, because liberty without equality is just privilege and
and more likely to reflect consumers' needs. This would mean that all contracts would be entered into injustice.
freely and would only be regulated by the market, rather than the individual being forced to pay tax and
having to use public services.
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