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This brings me to another topic: to an alleged opposite of statism that, in
fact, entails it. I mean anarchism. Anarchism is the idea that there should be no government. In Objectivist terms, this amounts to the view that every man should defend himself by using physical force against others whenever he feels like it, with no objective standards of justice, crime, or proof. "What if an individual does not want to delegate his right of self-defense?" the anarchist frequently asks. "Isn't that a legitimate aspect of 'freedom'?" The question implies that a "free man" is one with the right to enact his desire, any desire, simply because it is his desire, including the desire to use force. This means the equation of "freedom" with whim-worship. Philosophically, the underlying premise is subjectivism (of the personal variety). The citizens of a proper society should reply to such a subjectivist as follows... |
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Copyright © 2000- 1991 Leonard Peikoff. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in any form or manner whatsoever without the express permission of Leonard Peikoff. |