IS ANARC.H_Y POSSI~LE ? "It might be possible, you say, "if we could do without government. But can we ? " Perhaps we can best answer your question by examining your own life. What role does the government play in your existence ? Does it help you liv-e ? Does it feed, clothe, and shelter you ? Do you need 1t to help you work or play ~ If you are ill, do you call the physician or the policeman ? Can t~e government give you greater , ability than nature endowed yo1:1with ? Can 1t save you from sickness, old age, or death ? Consider your daily life and you will find that in reality the government is no factor in_it at all exc~pt when it begi1:1tso i?terfere with your affairs, when 1t compels you to do certam thmgs or prohibits you from doing others. It forces you, for instance, to pay taxes and support it, whether you want to or not. It makes you don a uniform and join the army.. It invades your personal life, orders you about, coerces you, prescribes your behaviour, and generally treats you as it pleases. It tells you even what you must believe and punishes you for thinking and acting otherwise. It directs you what to eat and drink, and imprisons or shoots you for disobeying. It commands you and dominates every step of your life. It treats you as a bad boy, as an irresponsible child who needs the strong hand of a guardian, but if you disobey it holds you responsible, nevertheless. We shall consider later the details of life under Anarchy and see what conditions and institutions will exist in that form of society, how they will function, and what effect they are likely to have upon m::m. For the present we want to make sure first that such a condition is possible,-that Anarchy is practicable.' Wh~t is _the_existence of the average man to-day ? Almost all your_ time _is_given to earning your livelihqod. You are so busy ma~mg a livmg that y9u hardly have time left to live, to enjoy life. N,either the time nor the money. You are lucky if you have some • sourc~ of ~upport, some- iob. Now and then comes slack-time : there ~sunemployment and thousands are thrown out of work, every year, m ~very country. That time means no income, no wages. It results in worry and 2i B:bllotecaG no Bianco
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