Anarchy In Our Lifetime: Manipulate The Statists
I'm going to get a lot of shit for this, but please, hear me out for a minute.
Ron Paul, by using his government office and campaigns, got millions of people interested in libertarianism, and subsequently multiplied the number of voluntaryists. The reason he was able to have this effect was that the masses are deeply devout in the religion of statism, and on an emotional level, see anybody in federal office as an authority figure; a holy prophet. The people are automatically willing to listen, and entertain the ideas of, anybody in elected office. This is because their faith in the god democracy activates their trust in politicians and lowers their faith-defensive walls every time the politicians speak.
When some stranger starts preaching to a statist about government being unnecessary, the statist, as programmed, is inclined to immediately dismiss anything said, and become emotionally defensive of the almighty government. I engage and deprogram statists in-person on a regular basis, and probably about half of them plug their ears going "la-la-la roads roads roads", refusing to entertain the idea that roads would be of higher quality if they were competitive and funded voluntarily, such as by the businesses on the roads, driver subscription, or billboard advertisement.
If somebody the statist sees as government starts speaking about it, however, the statist's emotional defenses will be down, and they'll be able to be led to reason.
An elected official will have a much easier time deprogramming statists, than a non-governmental celebrity (a mere human). Politicians are classified under "authority" in the minds of the tax cattle. Woody Harrelson and J.R.R Tolkien are examples of anarchist celebrities, and they haven't drawn much global attention to the cause of liberty. They're not authority.
Besides, if there's anything anarchists are collectively good at, it's politics.
If just a few charismatic anarchists attained elected office, perhaps advanced to the level of federal office, or even a presidential campaign, it could create an enormous cultural shockwave and put anarchism in the center of the world's eye.
An anarchist that became a mayor, a governor, or a congressman, could gain a lot of media attention simply by doing and saying things that shock the tax cattle. When Ron Paul started preaching about the Federal Reserve, millions listened. Until then, no stranger would take you seriously if you spoke about debt slavery; they'd call you a tinfoil hat. Imagine if one of us became another Ron Paul, but talking about concepts like self-ownership, polycentric law based on property & consent, non-monopolized infrastructure, the non-aggression principle, taxation is theft, etc.
Imagine the hype it would draw if an anarchist governor announced his intention to secede his state from the US, then abolish the state government, and the private sector subsequently stepped in and started providing better alternatives to the wanted services the state currently provides. What if the infrastructure of New Hampshire, for instance, became completely privatized, and served as a working model of AnCapistan?
The most important part of an anarchist's vie for "high office", is to gain credibility in the eyes of the statists, such as by attaining local office or state office before going for the big federal spots. For this reason, Ron Paul influenced a hell of a lot more people with his run for President than Adam Kokesh is probably going to. The statists don't see Kokesh as authority, yet Ron Paul was. An anarchist could campaign on a platform of total drug freedom in Colorado, or unlimited gun rights in Texas. Pick whichever anti-state positions your voter base hold, and milk them.
Using the position of perceived authority to speak to the statists with the statists willing to actually listen, the elected anarchists could accelerate the conclusion of statism and usher in the end to humanity's government phase. Call it unprincipled, but this would just be using cultural engineering, by way of psychological manipulation, to change the world in the way it needs to be changed.
I don't really believe in changing the system from within the system, but there is definitely logic to what you're saying. The devout would certainly be more willing to listen to an elected official than somebody like me. Ron Paul is proof of that.
You hit the nail on the head with this article, this is exactly why I'm running for Congress, to spread the message of liberty and the dream of a stateless society.
Check out my intro article, I think you'll like it:
https://steemit.com/anarchism/@jeffwood4office/speaking-truth-to-power
I am a strong supporter of 'if you disapprove of it, don't participate in it'.
However, I like to think that I am a man of practicality and understanding that, sometimes, you have to blend in, even if it violates your principles in part or whole.
I am not 'opposed' to the idea of anarchists who truly have the agenda of converting statists and trying to do good through such means, attaining office. If they are true to their principles and trust themselves enough to be able to resist the corruptive nature of politics and government, then go for it.
BUT, but, but, but, they need to be prepared to be seen and treated as a traitor and 'fair weather' anarchist. Spies are often viewed and treated as enemies by their allies because, in order to be effective, they must appear as such.
So, while I DON'T think we should back anyone claiming to be an 'anarchist' running for office, at least not with a vote, I do think that those that can should use their charisma and low profile as an anarchist to get into office and preach the value of self-rule and the like.
It's a risk, however. I am still shocked to this day that Ron is not dead and I await the word that he is everytime I see a new article about him.
YOu make an excellent point. I just think it be prudent that we be realists about this. Any 'anarchist politician' is going to be opposed from all sides and must be prepared to weather a lot of shit from all sides to accomplish this goal.
I would suggest only one thing: don't say you are an anarchist or attempt to encourage anarchists to vote for you. Statists are happy to vote. But to ask the rest of us to violate our principles for your agenda... I think that's a bit much and it doesn't seem to work well.
Everyone needs to start teaching the value of independence. If enough people are woken up then, like an upward spiral, the damage that is being done can be reversed.
one problem with that plan is that power corrupts. one may enter the political arena with the greatest of intentions, then fall into the power trap.
Does the power corrupt or are the corruptible drawn to seek to become powerful?
both.
I agree completely. In today's world, this is the closest we would come to our ideas being employed. It isn't going to happen with some cataclysm or armed revolution; those things just result in another form of centralized governance.
Do remember that when Ron Paul ran for President he reminded everyone that his main goal was to educate people on what Liberty and freedom were all about... I think anyone getting involved in the morass and evil of politics need to understand that you will lose your soul if you are not completely grounded in principle as well as not being able to be bought for any price.
Hey Jake. I sort of agree. I never ran for office myself, but I did help run a campaign and have thought of running for Sheriff or mayor to get myself out there in the beginning. But you have to also be careful, as I hear being on the "inside" can change you.