Submitted by JoeMemo in Anarchism

Liberals always talk about the democracy of the marketplace and choice. Here are some choices that the "free market" can't provide for us:

  1. Whether to participate or not. If you decided you wanted to go start a subsistence farm somewhere, you can't unless you operate within the confines of the marketplace and work as a wage slave in order to buy it.

  2. How you can move. In the US currently 60% of land is private. The remaining 40% is largely inhospitable landscape in Alaska or other similar areas. In ancapistan I am sure there would be a much larger percentage that is private. Hence you cannot choose to explore or see the surface of the Earth.

  3. Your immediate surroundings. That park that you take walks in daily that helps you manage your depression? Guess what, it could be a parking lot tomorrow. That river you love fishing in? Sorry, somebody dumped waste into it.

  4. How the Earth’s scarce resources are used. This is in the hands of other people, you have no say except over your immediate little plot of private property.

  5. Technology. Have you ever worried that somebody may one day discover a technology that is harmful to humanity or the environment? Well if this happens, you have no say over whether it’s use should be permitted or not.

  6. Your life. You have no control over whether you are born into a wealthy family and get a good inheritance, or if you are doomed to perpetual poverty or abuse. Basically, you have little control over how “successful” you will be.

  7. To be a rational consumer or not. The marketing and advertising industries do everything they can to misinform the general public about their products. Is it possible to be a rational actor in a marketplace if you don’t have reliable information?

  8. Anything you can’t afford. You have no choice to stay where you are if you cannot afford to move. You have no choice to spend time with your family if your employer won’t allow it. You have no choice in where you work if you cannot afford to be unemployed for a while.

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AgentW_C wrote

The first one is particularly worth noting. People are always saying Anarchists should go somewhere, find some land, and establish their own communities where they can run things how they like, but the trouble is, the State isn't just going to let you take over some patch of land, even if no one is using it. You will have to pay money to the state to purchase it and to keep it.

Also, for those who keep saying, "Go somewhere else," one, we have pretty much run out of places to go; nearly all property is in the hands of someone and again, can't just take it over and start farming it, even if we wanted to.

Secondly, we would still be affected by actions of the State and massive corporations. It doesn't matter if you voted against a specific politician or if you refuse to shop from a massive corporation, toxic run-off will still pollute your land and water, regardless of your personal views. Same goes for air pollution as well. The State has spread to the point where there isn't a place on Earth where its affects aren't felt.

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