*The Official Anarcho-Capitalism Debate and Discussion Thread. 4/27/07

[jman220]

This is the official thread for debate and dicussion of Anarcho-Capitalism, and the necessity or lack thereof of a governing state.

Links to Former Anarcho-Capitalist, and discussion of "statism" Threads:

How Would an Acist suggest I act?

Somali Freedom Fighters

ACers on an Island

pvn would be proud.

[loose passive]

Here is question I wanted to see answered by the AC folks.

In the AC island thread it was stated....

[ QUOTE ]
Mind you: the initial population are all rational, non-theist, non-statist people with a solid understanding of fundamental and technical knowledge of reality

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Is this necessary for an AC system to work?

If yes, then how do you get this to work in any modern society we have today?



Also, what is "technical knowledge of reality"?

[Msgr. Martinez]

hmk posted in another thread about how the "first step" is a return to the gold standard. Personally, I don't see what's so great about it. Gold has very little intrinsic value compared to its perceived value. Plus, Gold is subject to inflation/deflation just like fiat currency.

[calmB4storm]

I was gonna start a new thread, but figured I could just pose my question here first to see if it gets answered...

In AC-Land, wouldn't innovation / progress be extremely limited? Government-assisted monopolies (through patents, regulations, etc.) obviously have an incentive to improve their existing products and services, as well as create new ones. They stand to profit a great deal due to the potential of gaining monopoly control of the market. Without any government, however, won't most of the significant barriers to entry be eliminated? Won't this discourage innovation and economic progress?

I've recently adopted most of the basic views/opinions of anarcho-capitalists, but I've had trouble wrapping my mind around this idea in particular. Thanks in advance...

[AlexM]

[ QUOTE ]
I was gonna start a new thread, but figured I could just pose my question here first to see if it gets answered...

In AC-Land, wouldn't innovation / progress be extremely limited? Government-assisted monopolies (through patents, regulations, etc.) obviously have an incentive to improve their existing products and services, as well as create new ones. They stand to profit a great deal due to the potential of gaining monopoly control of the market. Without any government, however, won't most of the significant barriers to entry be eliminated? Won't this discourage innovation and economic progress?

I've recently adopted most of the basic views/opinions of anarcho-capitalists, but I've had trouble wrapping my mind around this idea in particular. Thanks in advance...

[/ QUOTE ]

Personally, I think patents and copyrights would still exist in AC, so this wouldn't be a problem. Some disagree.

[nietzreznor]

[ QUOTE ]
Personally, I think patents and copyrights would still exist in AC, so this wouldn't be a problem.

[/ QUOTE ]

Copyrights might exist, but I highly doubt patents would. (And I would hope that they wouldn't, since they are wholly unlibertarian.)

[nietzreznor]

[ QUOTE ]
Plus, Gold is subject to inflation/deflation just like fiat currency.

[/ QUOTE ]

Inflation under a gold standard wouldn't even begin to approach the kind of inflation we've seen since the introduction of the Fed.

[AlexM]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Personally, I think patents and copyrights would still exist in AC, so this wouldn't be a problem.

[/ QUOTE ]

Copyrights might exist, but I highly doubt patents would. (And I would hope that they wouldn't, since they are wholly unlibertarian.)

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, I think the duration on them would be much, much shorter. Like maybe 5 years.

[Dane S]

How could patents exist without a central gov to enforce them?

[AlexM]

[ QUOTE ]
How could patents exist without a central gov to enforce them?

[/ QUOTE ]

This is like saying "how could property exist without a central gov to enforce it."

Society agrees that X is A's property. B tries to use X without permission. Courts say no.