Critiques Wanted!

[Tom P]

Just a simple little story trying to outline some basic libertairan ideas and how they might be practically(?)  accomplised in a small town setting. Not perfect Ancap but....comments & criticisms wanted!

 

 

 

The Flags of Braybury

 

Good evening citizens of Braybury and members of town council. It has been my great honor serving you as mayor over these past few months. I've had some difficulty in reconciling past events and adjusting to my new role but, tonight, I'd like to propose some changes for how we normally do business in our little town and I'd wholeheartedly appreciate your input.

 

As you all know, the tax revolt up in Glenville has created quite a ruckus and has given all of us at town hall some pause for reflection on how we might be able to better serve our proud little town of Braybury in a more peaceful, equitable, and just manner.

 

As of today, I will no longer be accepting payment for representing Braybury as your mayor and all that I have been paid so far will be tendered back to the town treasury. My wife and I have done very well in our little community over the past twenty years and I'd feel more comfortable being a true public servant on a strictly voluntary basis. My formal duties only take a few hours a week and it gives me great joy to promote our little town to visitors and potential business investors. I'd simply like to take this year-long term to give back.

 

Earlier this week, I met with our town treasurer, Mr. Blackburn, to go over some documents that I'd like to share with all of you now. As you know, the town functions of Braybury, like every town in America, are funded by property taxes based on the current market value of your homes. With the downturn in our national and local real estate markets, it has been a furious struggle to assess fair values on all of your properties...as the number of complaints from you and our assessor, Mrs. Farnon, can attest. Furthermore, a land-based tax is an infringement on your basic human right of being secure in your private property. The notion of providing a strong incentive to keep a home in a state of disrepair has never made much sense to me either. After all, a beautiful home is a delight for all that see it.

 

I propose we move to a more efficient and moral method for funding our town. The documents you are looking at now consist of estimated costs for services and a checklist for what you might like us to do. There are some basic town infrastructure items that will need to be met, but, beyond those items, I feel it would be more fair to move to a subscription basis. The budget for public roads, water, sewer, parks and the transfer station amount to roughly $200 per year per homeowner based upon this years projection. Scrolling down the page you will see the estimated costs per homeowner for additional services such as peace officers, fire department personnel, the town school and more.

 

As you by now well know, I have always considered “taxes” a euphemism for theft. I do not wish to steal from you, friends and neighbors, and we will no longer be collecting taxes as such.

 

In addition to the chaos we've seen up in Glenville, we simply cannot afford the additional costs of enforcing tax liens, tax abatement lawsuits, the personal risk to our peace officers, and general ill will among the public for perceived unnecessary services and unjust treatment. To my mind, if you are responsible enough to own and maintain a property in Braybury, you are responsible enough to contribute at your own free will for the maintenance and flourishing of our community.

 

Those homeowners who contribute to the basic infrastructure needs of Braybury will be given a flag to display on your home, signaling your support for our community. Those who contribute for additional services will be given endorsements on his or her flag corresponding to those services subscribed to. A full list of subscribers and non-subscribers will be printed in the Braybury Gazette, displayed at the town square, and kept on file here at town hall. The non-subscribers will not be aggressed against but, of course, will be plainly visible for all to see.

 

Fellow citizens of Braybury, with this new freedom also comes new responsibilities, but you are not children and I do not desire to treat you as such. Since our services are strictly based upon the funding of voluntary subscribers, we will not be able to offer services to those who have not made the appropriate contributions.

 

I also wish not to act unilaterally on such matters and before we proceed with these ideas, we would need unanimous consent. What say you?

 

 

And with the raised hands of consent, the flags of Braybury flew as the first Voluntary community of many more to follow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Daniel Unplugged]

Just a simple little story trying to outline some basic libertairan ideas and how they might be practically(?)  accomplised in a small town setting. Not perfect Ancap but....comments & criticisms wanted!

 

 

 

The Flags of Braybury

 

1. ... you will see the estimated costs per homeowner for additional services such as peace officers, fire department personnel, the town school and more.

 

2. ... I have always considered “taxes” a euphemism for theft.

 

3. Those homeowners who contribute to the basic infrastructure needs of Braybury will be given a flag to display on your home, signaling your support.

 

4. A full list of subscribers and non-subscribers will be printed in the Braybury Gazette, displayed at the town square, and kept on file here at town hall. The non-subscribers will not be aggressed against but, of course, will be plainly visible for all to see.

 

5. I also wish not to act unilaterally on such matters and before we proceed with these ideas, we would need unanimous consent. What say you?[/i]

Nice work

 

I don't know how to do a multi quote so I'll the points in the order I posted them.

 

1. The costs per homeowner will of course change if not everyone pays, which is near certain. There will be a freeloader problem.

 

2. If this is true, then he was being hippocritical/violating his own principles when he was accepting his wage.

 

3. As a (very, very, very) ancap, the idea of flying a government flag is not at all appealing to me. I suppose though, that what you are talking about is not really a government, since it is voluntary, but I still can't shake it.

 

4. I don't like the idea of naming and shaming non payers. It's not a violation of NAP, but I still think it's a bit wrong. Also, without violating privacy, how would he know the names of the residents?

 

5. I assume that consent refers to the elimination of taxation and in no way obliges someone to pay. A unanamous decision in a vote of many voters is incredibly unlikely. Does a mayor even need any consent at all once he has been elected?

[Tom P]

Nice work

 

I don't know how to do a multi quote so I'll the points in the order I posted them.

 

1. The costs per homeowner will of course change if not everyone pays, which is near certain. There will be a freeloader problem.

 

2. If this is true, then he was being hippocritical/violating his own principles when he was accepting his wage.

 

3. As a (very, very, very) ancap, the idea of flying a government flag is not at all appealing to me. I suppose though, that what you are talking about is not really a government, since it is voluntary, but I still can't shake it.

 

4. I don't like the idea of naming and shaming non payers. It's not a violation of NAP, but I still think it's a bit wrong. Also, without violating privacy, how would he know the names of the residents?

 

5. I assume that consent refers to the elimination of taxation and in no way obliges someone to pay. A unanamous decision in a vote of many voters is incredibly unlikely. Does a mayor even need any consent at all once he has been elected?

 

Thanks Daniel, I appreciate the input.

 

1. You're quite about the per capita costs depending on the total number of "subscribers." I was trying to avoid getting too technical.

 

2. You're right again. That seems hypocritical, I'm going to rework that idea.

 

3. I'm as Ancap as they come too. I see this as a transition from "government" to something more like a home-owners association. Home-owners association flags!

 

4. I'm not crazy about the idea either, but shaming is better than outright violence. The names of the residents are already known from the former tax roles. I agree land owners names should be kept private in a free society.

 

5. Yes. Perhaps I'll change that part too..

 

The biggest problem with our (Ancap) vision is, how the hell are we going to make this transiton? What practical steps could be taken by modifing our current institutions? I know Stef is doing great things promoting peaceful parenting, which is awesome, but I don't want to wait 100 years! I 100% agree with Stef that making the moral case vs the economic case is the most expedient way to go.

 

Thanks again!

[powder]

That's a good post Tom.  I think that any time you try to tackle the practical side of these types of things it is challenging to imagine how it will all come together.  

 

Overlapping your voluntary community formula over the existing top down political structure is the main thing that makes me shudder a bit.  You still have a 'leader' telling everyone how things are going to work.  

 

I know it sucks to have to wait for enough people to be raised peacefully for society to transform away from coercion, but it may not take as long as all that.  Who knows what events will turn the tide.  I also think the people will organize and create unimaginable ways of getting along and prospering that we cannot see from the dark place we are in and I wouldn't want to get in the way of that.  It would be like asking a medieval person to create wireless communication, they just aren't there.  

 

Important stuff to think about for sure.  thanks for sharing.  

 

 

[Daniel Unplugged]

The biggest problem with our (Ancap) vision is, how the hell are we going to make this transiton? What practical steps could be taken by modifing our current institutions? I know Stef is doing great things promoting peaceful parenting, which is awesome, but I don't want to wait 100 years! I 100% agree with Stef that making the moral case vs the economic case is the most expedient way to go.

 

Thanks again!

I second all of that.

 

Stefan's plan is great, but I think 'guaranteed to work' is perhaps a bit strong. Still, until I come up with a better plan (I assure you I've been trying) I'm going along with pushing peaceful parenting. Ending the State is not my only motivation of course, peaceful parenting is an end unto itself.

 

Actually, I suspect the State in it's current form will collapse in on itself before peaceful parenting can lead to a smooth transition to freedom. I'm doubtful that such a collapse would even be a step towards freedom. History tends to suggest that something worse will rise in it's place. Hopefully, by the time the State collapses, we will have had enough influence that the people will be willing to give freedom a try. I think we are well behind where we need to be. One thing that gives me some hope is how many (remember just one effective leader can change everything, think Hitler) inteĺligent, principled and persuasive anarchists seem to be around, especially young ones. Each of these people will, in the event of a power vacuum, attempt to steer the sheep towards freedom instead of tyranny. Not to mention that their self confidence and public credibility will be greatly increased in such an event. Perhaps a lot of responsibility lies with a few enlightened people.

[Justus Ranvier]

The biggest problem with our (Ancap) vision is, how the hell are we going to make this transiton? What practical steps could be taken by modifing our current institutions? I know Stef is doing great things promoting peaceful parenting, which is awesome, but I don't want to wait 100 years! I 100% agree with Stef that making the moral case vs the economic case is the most expedient way to go.

 

Maybe it's not necessary to worry about how to enact societal change, when changing one's personal situation is so much easier.

 

I've spent the last two years changing my lifestyle to one that minimizes the effects of the State on my life.

 

I work remotely, over the 'net, for my job. This means I can live almost anywhere in the world without it affecting my ability to earn a living. I'm paid in bitcoins so that I'm not dependant on the banking system. At the moment, I live in extended-stay hotels rather than renting or buying a house. This makes me a lot more flexible and removes a large number of things I'd otherwise have to worry about, like homeowner's associations.

 

In order to get to this point, I needed to shift from mostly physical property to mostly digital property, but the resulting flexibility has enormously beneficial.

 

It's difficult to worry, except in a very general sense, about what the government is doing, because if conditions appear to be deteriorating I'll just move somewhere else.

 

How is the rest of society going to transition to anarchism? I don't know - it's not my problem to solve.

[Tom P]

I appreciate the input everyone!

 

Justus, just wondering what sort of business you have?

 

I've had two so far. One was capital intensive but not necessarily geographically dependent. The other (my current profession) is not capital intensive at all, but is very geographically dependent. I'd like to be free like you!