Anarcho Capitalism, Fascism or Freedom?

There are several critiques about Anarcho-capitalism that when brought up go largely unanswered, rebutted, or even noticed by the proponents of the system. They are conveniently ignored, like children chained to tables in sweatshops. I can’t help but presume that the silence is because either the proponents of said system don’t have an answer, didn’t think about it, don’t want to think about it, or if they do answer it will be forced to admit that the system requires the very thing they allegedly oppose: centralized authority.

I’m going to pick on just one criticism, one that has yet to receive any coherent answer from anyone – even those who are articulate and well educated. Currency.

Let’s start from the very beginning, yes?

In order for capitalism to function, it requires some form of currency. At its base – some means of exchange is needed to keep track of one’s “participation in and contribution to society”. Now that itself is a point I could rant on about for pages, so I’ll save that for next time. Back to currency. In a system that uses currency, the currency must retain a specific value for all currency used in that particular area or region. The value can increase or decrease, but it must do so uniformly – lest it loses its value altogether and becomes worthless.

This brings up two major issues: One it requires a centralized authority to regulate the value of said currency, and two it intimates that the currency is only valid in a particular space or for a specific population, which is reminiscent of a country with borders.

Now, you might be thinking to yourself – “But, but…Rothbard explains that currency can be regulated by competing businesses!” or perhaps even “Never mind that, we’ll use gold!”. Well there’s a few problems with both thoughts. I’ll start with gold.

Gold does not have an inherent value. It’s a piece of metal. Soft metal, at that. The only reason gold has any value is because it is given a value by a centralized authority. And even then, the value of gold rises and falls. And the only reason anyone thinks it’s valuable is because it is a limited resource. In capitalism, limited or finite items have higher values because they’re harder to get – but the problem with finite currency is that…are you ready for this?....It’s a limited, and thus finite resource! Look at it mathematically. If x = a finite resource, and y = number of people, and n = number of living years of people, and a = number the population grows annually, and b = the number of additional years people live due to scientific advancement then:

So if X = Y*N then X can never = Y(a)*(N+b). Why? Because x is finite and can never change its number. Once you’ve outgrown your currency base, that’s it. There ain’t no more. Your population can never exceed the gold you have, either in numbers or years lived, and certainly not by both.

So fiat currency it is. Which leads me to my second point. If you have a fiat currency, you must have control over it. You must regulate it. If it goes unregulated, and anyone can just up and start printing money – on their own, or as a business – then you have more currency in the general population than you are supposed to, which causes value fluctuations. Further that, but you can’t have two or three competing currency companies for several reasons. Number one, they can’t change the value of the currency they print if they want the economy to live. SO they will not be in “competition” in any way other than their profits. And companies seeking profits will produce more goods than their competitors (because they can’t change the product or price) thus flooding the economy with too much money.
So the amount of money they can produce will also need to be regulated on top of the value they “sell” it for. There is no competition there, in fact it’s just a centralized authority broken down under two or three different names. Their products are uniform in every way. The only difference is that they must profit from it in order to stay in business, and that’s critique number three:

There’s only one way to make a profit from printing currency. Let me explain:

Let’s say you get an island, and you start your own country. One group says “we’ll handle the currency”. OK. “But for a price”. Say what?. How is a community going to buy currency if they need currency to buy the currency they need to buy it? Not gonna happen. You might argue that the first go-round will be a freebie – kinda like your first crack rock. But even then, you can’t privately profit from printing currency unless everyone contributes to the company that makes the currency to help keep them in business. Which sounds a lot like taxation……

Which must then be regulated and overseen.

Do you see where this is going?

Just in terms of the basic tools necessary to make capitalism run, you need centralized authorities in place, and overseeing and regulating it. And while some Ancaps may be thinking that it’s not so bad considering how much other freedom they will have, I’d like to remind everyone that private companies do not bend to the wishes of the public. You cannot even pretend to vote them out of control – and he with the money has the control.

That’s also known as….Fascism.

There are many more critiques of Anarcho-capitalism, however on the basic logic of it, it is an unstable economic system that requires centralized authority and regulation to even get off the ground.

If you're in Boston, Please Help!!

Friends in and near Boston I need your help!!! Please put the word out - the dog I was walking tonight slipped out of her collar and took off, I cannot find her! She is a small female whippet, white and grey and answers to the name Gracie. She is very fast and very skittish. She was last seen on Beacon and Joy - if you see her PLEASE contact me IMMEDIATLY.

I do not have a phone to give out a number to, so please let me know on here (I will continue checking) if you actually manage to catch her - which I doubt - send me your phone number so long as it's a local call to Boston and I can borrow a phone to call you.

Animal control and half the South End is out looking for her now - but please if you have a friend in the area, plan on driving around the area or live in the area please keep your eye for her and let me know if you see her!

Howard Zinn's Memorial Service, Boston.

Today at 2PM, the Boston University held a memorial service for the late Howard Zinn at Marsh Chapel. It featured 15 speakers, many of which were his personal friends and coworkers, including Noam Chomsky, former professors at Boston University, several current Political Science Professors at Boston University, and one Iraq War Veteran turned anti-war student activist.

With a lovely portrait of Zinn featured promptly in the center between the two pulpits, each speaker took their turn at the pulpit telling their stories of how they met him, how he affected them, telling jokes about his antics, and commenting on the serious influence he was able to have on millions of people - and how that influence was born in the halls of Boston University during his time spent there, teaching. It was then that he began writing "A People's History" as one speaker recalled, "Often with the collaboration of his students".

One of Boston University's former Political Science professors recalled how she had been politically conservative and at odds with Zinn when she first met him. "I changed" she laughed. She quickly became an activist at his side. She chuckled as she told us about her and Zinn's failed attempt to get the [Boston University] professors marching for union rights to sing in protest. Apparently, academics don't like singing folk songs.

Most of the speakers urged us to remember his humility, outspokenness, friendship, calm demeanor, and desire to change things for the better. Almost every speaker mentioned how he never lost hope, and always continued to fight for progress in the face of failure or cynicism. And most of his co-workers recalled his innate ability to listen with deep intensity as well as his unconventional ways that drove the administration batty enough to pay him to leave.

One professor paraphrased Zinn saying "They wouldn't pay me nearly enough to stay here, but are willing to pay exorbitant amounts to get me out of here!" about the administration and his many battles with them.

A few touched on his status as a veteran, and how he felt after the war. The last speaker, who is a veteran against war stated simply "Howard Zinn changed my life". The young man had been telling us how he felt after coming home from Fallujuah, how lost and confused he was after the war. He related to us the great sense of relief he felt when he read Zinn's works, when he realized that his experiences were neither new nor strange.

I left the service with a deeper appreciation for Howard Zinn, deeper than I had already felt. Zinn the person, Zinn the activist, Zinn the writer, professor, playwright and pain in ass of the status quo.

Zinn; a bearer of hope, of achievement, of instigation, political evolution, and social revolution. A man whose keen observations, experiences and intellect continues to influence and inspire us long after his books had been written, and will long after his death.

Like the song appropriately sang today "Joe Hill" - Zinn will never truly die. You cannot kill his ideas, his words, and his influence on people. His is a legacy that should be honored with continual work, support and hope from us, the people he sought to reach and for whom to make the world a better place.

Westboro Baptists Melt in the Rain.

Either that or they have people checking to see if they will be met with large amounts of peaceful opposition, and choose not to bother a town that will meet them and prevent their intended targets from seeing or hearing their hatred.

Which is what happened last night.

Even in the cold, nasty rain over 100 people (maybe even near 200 people) gathered together to show support and solidarity for the Brookfield Theater and it's actors who were showing a play about Mathew Shepherd last night. The opposition was originally organized by high school students, and quickly grew to include college students, neighbors, adults and citizens from all over Connecticut and Rhode Island, even. The "Guardian Angels" were there, and the tactic was highly impressive to say the least. The kids constructed tall wings with PVC piping, and covered them in white sheets to make them look like angel wings. The idea is that they are tall enough to prevent the WBC's hateful signs and messages from being seen by their intended targets. They students and adults alike donned the huge wings, and lined up to make a giant, angelic wall of protection just in case in the WBC decided to show up.

Even though their wings were soaked and very heavy, and even though they were soaked and very cold, they stood guard for nearly two hours. Alongside the angels were protesters of all stripes with signs ranging from love-promoting bible quotes to funny signs like "Lord knows pirates kick ass" and "Don't be hatin' ~ God".

The neighbors adjacent to the property volunteered to open up their home to us, allowing us a place to warm up with hot chocolate, coffee, and food, store the wings, and use their bathroom. These brave souls had hundreds of people coming and going, tracking water and mud all over their floors - and they were thrilled to do it. I know I am personally thankful for their constant production of coffee! The couple had no other connection to anyone present other than their property was there, and they too can't stand the WBC, so when they saw that the kids were organizing, they contacted the group and immediately volunteered their property for the project.

Before the show started, the cast came out to thank us for being there to show support and solidarity against hatred - even if the WBC didn't show the fact that so many people cared and showed up despite the terrible weather was a massive comment on people's priorities. The cast sang a beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace for us before getting ready for the show. It even made me tear up a little.

When all was said and done, we were soaked through, freezing cold, and very happy. The participants considered this a wonderful victory for love, peace, and equality.

I'm certainly glad I made the trip, and met so many inspiring youths (and adults!) who were all too happy to sacrifice their Saturday night to stand up for what they believe in. It renews my faith in humanity, if just a little bit.

When I can get my hands on some photos, I will post them for your viewing pleasure!