Anarcho-capitalism...

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featured on Wikipedia.

A quote:
"Somalia has no functioning government, and therefore no regulations or licensing requirements for businesses, and no taxes on businesses or individuals. Those wishing protection from bandits may voluntarily pay warlords or security guards, and private courts resolve disputes. Since the collapse of the government, businesses have been doing much better. Though Somalia continues to be a poor country, the number of individuals living in abject poverty has diminished— surpassing its neighbors in this respect."

Want to help the poor? Get rid of the governnment!

Comments

  1. Anonymous2:08 AM

    Gene,

    By the way, as a member of the ancap intelligentsia, how do you feel about the claim made by the Wikipedia article that "[t]he first well-known version of anarcho-capitalism to so-identify itself was developed by Austrian School economists and libertarians Murray Rothbard and Walter Block"? Obviously, Rothbard's role was huge, and Block is nice, too, but does it really make historical sense to single out Block instead of Friedman, the Tannehills, LeFevre, etc.?

    ReplyDelete
  2. gcallah3:38 AM

    No disrespect for Walter, but I don't think so.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous5:26 AM

    I wrote about Somalia a while back at http://www.20six.co.uk/juliusb/archive/2005/02/24/1y20f7tlqwbdj.htm
    and at http://www.theliberalonline.com/news.display.article.asp?Id=75

    The problem with writing about Somalia (either from an ancap or statist perspective) is that it is so hard to get reliable information.

    On the one hand, Mogadishu does seem to be a complete hell hole.
    On the other hand, reports from elsewhere in the country seem a lot more promising. Why Mogadishu has fared so much worse than other regions (if it has), is unclear.

    Anyway, until some enterprising journalist does a thorough job, it is difficult to know whether Somalia is a corroboration or a refutation for we libs.

    ReplyDelete

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