For too long libertarians, and I mean anarchist libertarians, have treated market anarchism almost as an “esoteric doctrine” to which one is introduced only after one has thoroughly assimilated some more moderate form of libertarianism – as though anarchism were an impediment rather than an asset in making the case for liberty.
Of course this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy: potential converts find anarchism off-putting because they don’t know what it is, and they don’t know what it is because we avoid explaining it. In fact market anarchism can and should be one of libertarianism’s greatest selling-points, highlighting a radical and inspiring alternative to the present system rather than some variant of economic conservatism. It’s time to put market anarchism front and center in our educational efforts, time to start making it a familiar and recognizable position.
It is thus with great pleasure that I introduce the Center for a Stateless Society, a new project of the Molinari Institute. Under the directorship of Brad Spangler, the center aims to bring a market anarchist perspective to the popular press, rather than leaving it confined to scholarly studies and movement periodicals.
Here’s the official press release:
Anarchists launch major media offensive
October 10, 2006FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
A tiny think tank has set out on a project to provide ongoing news commentary in order to promote their set of views, known as market anarchism.AUBURN, ALABAMA – October 10, 2006 – Center for a Stateless Society – The Molinari Institute, a market anarchist think tank, today launched a new media effort aiming to put their agenda to abolish government front and center in US political discourse. Dubbing their project the Center for a Stateless Society (www.c4ss.org), institute officials laid out plans to publish and distribute news commentary written by anarchists with radically free-market oriented views on economics – taking market anarchism out of the realm of academia and obscure internet blogs in order to put it in the public eye.
Molinari Institute President Roderick Long explained “For too long libertarians, and I mean anarchist libertarians, have treated market anarchism almost as an esoteric doctrine. It’s time to put market anarchism front and center in our educational efforts, time to start making it a familiar and recognizable position. The Center for a Stateless Society aims to bring a market anarchist perspective to the popular press, rather than leaving it confined to scholarly studies and movement periodicals.”
Naming longtime radical libertarian activist and freelance web developer Brad Spangler as the first Director of the Center, Long unveiled the Center’s new web site at www.c4ss.org for Molinari Institute supporters and the public.
Said Spangler “I’m honored to accept the post. In anticipation of this moment, we’ve developed a database of thousands of US media outlets for email distribution of content which these publishers will be able to use free of charge. Additionally, the c4ss.org web site makes use of stable, reliable and ‘free as in freedom’ open source web technologies. We’ve developed the site in such a way as to make maximum possible use of social bookmarking services, web syndication feeds and search engine optimization techniques. With this site, we aim to awaken more Americans than ever before to the brutal reality that all governments everywhere are essentially nothing more than murderous bandit gangs – and show them the shining light of hope for a world without the State.”
###
ORGANIZATIONAL SUMMARY
The mission of the Molinari Institute is to promote understanding of the philosophy of Market Anarchism as a sane, consensual alternative to the hypertrophic violence of the State. The Institute takes its name from Gustave de Molinari (1819-1912), originator of the theory of Market Anarchism. The Center for a Stateless Society is the Molinari Institute’s new media center.CONTACT
Brad Spangler
Center for a Stateless Society
media@c4ss.org
http://www.c4ss.org/
The first two anarchist op-eds are already up: one by Per Bylund on North Korea, and another by me on Iraq.
Excellent! Count me in.
Great work!
Roderick, are you trying to look like Proudhon in your picture?
Or Molinari?
Actually, I know the answer – it’s always the same with you:
SOME OF EACH.
Great! Any thoughts on an antipolitical campaign at this time, corresponding with the current ballot-boxing? Be happy to submit something.
Cheers!
Just a thought.
Just Ken
Wait, how is declaring yourself to be the leader of “The Center for a Stateless Society” going to change anything? People are not going to be any more or less receptive to libertarian ideas than they were before (which is about nil).
I hearby declare myself the Supreme Pontifex of the Anarchist Freedom Movement. Now all I have to do is sit back and watch as adding to the dictionary changes the world….
[...] Brad Spangler will serve as director, and hopefully I will be able to contribue some writing at some point. Roderick’s appeal for a popular, persuasive anarchist movement in this country mirrors my thoughts (as will be clear when my next post is published in a few hours). [...]
I happen to be one who supports a more gradual dissolution of the state, with “moderate libertarianism” as a middle point down a longish road. My reason for this is that it seems a relatively sudden dissolution has a greater chance of shocking vital societal institutions. Why should I reject this intuition and favor the Center’s more radical position?
Well, the swiftness of the process, the radicalness of the final goal, and the degree of explicitness about the final goal, are three different things. The process many market anarchists advocate is one of “building new institutions within the shell of the old,” a gradual process of replacement and education rather than an overnight revolution. But that doesn’t mean we should point explicitly to the desirability of our intended final goal as part of our propaganda to get people involved in working toward it.
But that doesn’t mean we should …
I meant, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t …
You should take Friedman’s advice and advocate an idealized “anarchist man”, the way socialists of yesteryear advocated an ideal “socialist man”. Hey, it worked for the Socialist Party…
Anonymous2,
I thought that was the point of the photos. Roderick and Brad as idealized anarchist men!
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