[Archon_Wing]

Ah yes, the politics forum is a real zoo and honestly I keep my posting level there at the same level as I would at BBV because any extra effort seems to be a waste of time due to the random people nitpicking at others and calling each other names (OMG You liberal!, OMG you fascist!) [but such is politics], but here's what I got:

I think the idea is the issue of choice. That is, you could still have some kind of structure run by the community, but it is entirely optional-- one does not have to fund it or participate in it if they don't want to. The state does not let you opt out and uses force to prevent people to opt out. Another notion is that bureaucracy is inefficient compared to the free market; indeed government provided services are subpar because the government can create its own monopoly and can stamp out the competition, so there's no need for improvement. Ac'ist also believe that the government has no accountability, except to itself. One thing I do find interesting is that the AC'ists do assert that their concept of a society is not a perfect world, it's simply a better alternative than the status quo, so it's not lalalla dream land.

As for why people are into these ideas, at least in the US, probaly has to do with the increasing government interference with personal freedom (War on Terrorism, Patriot Act, Drug War, UIEGA, etc)