ThirstyFish

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The Circle-A monogram is the most recognized symbol for Anarchism. The A denotes anarchism and O order. Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, considered by many to be the "father of anarchism", and one of its most influential theorists, in 1849 asserted: "Anarchy is Order Without Power". Proudhon defined anarchy as "the absence of a master, of a sovereign".

In another work, Proudhon asked: "What is Government?"

• To be GOVERNED is to be watched, inspected, spied upon, directed, law-driven, numbered, regulated, enrolled, indoctrinated, preached at, controlled, checked, estimated, valued, censured, commanded, by creatures who have neither the right nor the wisdom nor the virtue to do so.
• To be GOVERNED is to be at every operation, at every transaction noted, registered, counted, taxed, stamped, measured, numbered, assessed, licensed, authorized, admonished, prevented, forbidden, reformed, corrected, punished. It is, under pretext of public utility, and in the name of the general interest, to be place[d] under contribution, drilled, fleeced, exploited, monopolized, extorted from, squeezed, hoaxed, robbed;
• Then, at the slightest resistance, the first word of complaint, to be repressed, fined, vilified, harassed, hunted down, abused, clubbed, disarmed, bound, choked, imprisoned, judged, condemned, shot, deported, sacrificed, sold, betrayed; and to crown all, mocked, ridiculed, derided, outraged, dishonored.
• That is GOVERNMENT; that is its justice; that is its morality.

If you believe those ideas to be Utopian, consider that many indigenous cultures throughout the world existed without the concept of government so eloquently described above - for thousands and thousands of years. Compare it with Benjamin Franklin's remarks concerning the "Savages" of North America:

• Savages we call them, because their Manners differ from ours...
• The Indian Men when young are Hunters and Warriors; when old, Counsellors; for all their Government is by Counsel of the Sages; there is no Force there are no Prisons, no Officers to compel Obedience, or inflict Punishment. Hence they generally study Oratory; the best Speaker having the most Influence. The Indian Women till the Ground, dress the Food, nurse and bring up the Children, & preserve & hand down to Posterity the Memory of public Transactions. These Employments of Men and Women are accounted natural & honorable, Having few artificial Wants, they have abundance of Leisure for Improvement by Conversation. Our laborious Manner of Life compared with theirs, they esteem slavish & base; and the Learning on which we value ourselves, they regard as frivolous & useless.

Looking backwards, many indigenous cultures can be considered "anarchists". The indigenous way of life was one of natural living and sustainability. Especially since the Industrial Revolution, the Western way of life - encapsulated in GOVERNANCE - has become increasingly authoritative, increasingly violent, increasingly exploitative, increasingly restricting, increasingly unnatural, and most importantly "unsustainable". Very few of us - if any - actually experience the natural human condition. Only after the impending economical and environmental collapses, are we are going to realize that the indigenous people and anarchists were right, and we were wrong?

Whether we realize it or not, civilization is inching towards "disorder". And the way things are now, there is no apparent ordered way to get back to "Order".