Archive for anarchy
Anarchy and Christianity
Posted by: | CommentsBook review of Anarchy and Christianity, by Jacques Ellul. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, MI. 1988 / trans. to English 1991. 105 pages. Retail: $14.00
Jacques Ellul (1912-1994) was a French sociologist, philosopher, and theologian, but his main profession was teaching law at the University of Bordeaux. He held strong views about the nature of government as antithetical to Christian faith, and is counted among the 20th century Christian anarchists.
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Tags: anarchy, ethics, free market, free society, gospel, government, history, Marx, philosophy, The State, theology
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Podcast on Private Security with Gil Guillory
Posted by: | CommentsIn a libertarian society, the production of security services would not come from the State, but security most certainly would be provided via private security agencies and arbitration services. But to those of us living under a state-system, this is difficult to understand. I’m sure you have wondered at some point how exactly a private security agency would work.
Well, I have a special treat for you in today’s podcast. Gil Guillory is an engineer, independent scholar, and an entrepreneur who has been developing a business plan for providing security services as a startup company. He graciously agreed to explain his ideas in an interview with me a while back, and we finally were able to match our schedules and chat via Skype.
Now, this isn’t directly a theological topic, but pay attention when Gil talks about connecting charitable agencies, such as churches, with individuals who need help. There is a real, tangible benefit to private security because it is always more personal than typical police. And given just how corrupt many police have become, it is high time to seek out alternatives.
I have met some very decent police officers in the past, but even they have told me how awful things are becoming in law enforcement. I would encourage any truly good officers to seek out people like Gil and join him in this noble venture. Listen to what he has to say and think about it…
I hope you enjoy this fascinating talk. (It’s just under 20 minutes long, and sorry about the difference in volume between Gil and I…) Feel free to comment here with questions. If we get enough, perhaps Gil will agree to do a second talk where we address them!
Right click here to download the entire audio file. [20 minutes, mp3]
Visit Gil’s GooglePages Site.
Read Gil’s LRC Articles, especially Tax Funded Policing is Socialism.
UPDATE: Many thanks to Manuel from the LewRockwell.com blog for linking to this, welcome to LRC readers once again! 
Please keep sharing it, folks, the Stumbles, Diggs, and retweets are very much appreciated!
Also, I noticed that for some reason the “title” of the podcast when you play it is And Your Bird Can Sing. Oops! It is nice intro music, though, wouldn’t you say? Great guitar…
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Tags: anarchy, audio, capitalism, interviews, police, self-defense
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Sunday Article Linkage
Posted by: | CommentsSome Sunday reading for you
A Look at the Jury System and Our Participation in It — Graham Dugas observes that being on a jury can be a great check on the State. This piece very much challenged my previous understanding of being on a jury, and I highly recommend reading it. Especially of interest is his explanation of the “How many Jews are here?” question that we sometimes wonder how we would answer, had we been asked in Nazi Germany.
Anarchy and Chaos in Black Communities — My internet buddy Rob Wicks explains in this very short article that anarchy, which is not chaos but the absence of government force, is not to be feared. Well done, Wicks!
On Theonomy — @Silent0 alerted me to this article on Twitter. It’s pretty long, but an interesting read about God using the State to enact Biblical law – which is theonomy. I don’t agree with the concept for a multitude of reasons, but if you’re interested in this long-standing debate you’ll want to read this.
And here’s a fun comic as well…
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Tags: anarchy, speedlinking, theonomy
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Was J.R.R. Tolkien a Libertarian?
Posted by: | CommentsCould J.R.R. Tolkien, most famous for his splendid Lord of the Rings Trilogy, have been a libertarian?
Well, strictly speaking one must say no; the term was hardly around at the time. But in the following quote, he seems fairly clear that he is, philosophically, opposed to centralized power in a way that resembles modern libertarianism. Apparently he wrote this to his son in a letter.
My political opinions lean more and more to Anarchy (philosophically understood, meaning abolition of control not whiskered men with bombs) – or to ‘unconstitutional’ monarchy . . . Anyway, the proper study of man is anything but man; and the most improper job of any man, even saints (who at any rate were at least unwilling to take it on), is bossing other men. Not one in a million is fit for it, and least of all those who seek the opportunity. And at least it is done only to a small group of men who know who their master is. The medievals were only too right in taking nolo episcopari as the best reason a man could give to others for making him a bishop. Give me a king whose chief interest in life is stamps, railways, or race-horses; and who has the power to sack his Vizier (or whatever you care to call him) if he does not like the cut of his trousers. And so on down the line. But, of course, the fatal weakness of all that — after all only the fatal weakness of all good things in a bad corrupt unnatural world — is that it works and has worked only when all the world is messing along in the same good old inefficient human way.
How interesting… Comments from the Tolkien-lovers around here? What do you think this indicates about him? Is there any other evidence out there about his political leanings? Did this have anything to do with his Christian beliefs? How do you think he might have reacted to the libertarians of today? Oh, so many questions!
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Tags: anarchy, recommended books, tolkien
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