Language and theory in market advocacy

William Gillis recently made some damned good points about language and the struggle to be understood in anarchist economic theory discussions:

Instead of referring to the behavior and dynamics of the free market, I refer instead to “a freed market.”

You’d be surprised how much of a difference a change of tense can make. “Free market” makes it sound like such a thing already exists and thus passively perpetuates the Red myth that Corporatism and wanton accumulation of Kapital are the natural consequences of free association and competition between individuals. (It is not.)

Read the whole thing.

Ultimately, it’s all a simple point, really, even in Marxian terms… Oppressive kapitalism is ALL ongoing “primitive accumulation” (i.e. statist theft). Reciprocal exchange, per se, is blameless.

Pity that such points get harder and harder to make when the likes of Jeffrey Tucker insist on combining all of the right theory with all of the wrong values (and no sense of context). Tucker has a piece on LewRockwell.com entitled “How To Handle Getting Fired“, which isn’t perhaps as knuckle-headed of a title as the headline used to promote it on home page of the site — “Getting Fired Is Good for You“. This is the sort of misapplication of theory that makes freed market advocacy sound not intensely liberating, but more like a deranged, brainwashed S&M cult. “Hurt me! Hurt me, please!

Tucker is correct that a change of employment can be a career growth opportunity. Tucker is also correct that it is best for relationships, including employment relationships, to end when they stop being mutually beneficial. Tucker works so hard to make these points, though, that he loses sight of how devastating such a financial upheaval can be for the ordinary person.

There is a sort of unreal, “through the looking glass” feeling that comes with reading the work of someone who seems to exist in some sort of Disneyland where the biggest potential problem with getting fired is merely a bruised ego. In the case of most people, getting fired results in a palpable sense of fear — and I don’t mean some vague, existential threat of the unknown and moving into uncharted territory that merely needs to be bravely confronted by our intrepid individualist hero. I refer to the immediate and nigh primal human fear of not being able to pay your rent or not being able to feed your kids. Nowhere in the piece does Tucker even acknowledge any problem with that set of common circumstances accompanying job loss, and more’s the pity from a libertarian perspective, due to the role of the State in creating those circumstances.

Taxes pay for torture

With slogans like “taxes pay for torture” and “is it right to work for the IRS?“, the New Hampshire Underground crowd is doing their thing. I wish we had a million like ‘em. You folks — and you know who you are — are heroes, and have my most profound respect and admiration.

Digg the Keene Free Press article, linked above, here.

Followup material: Feds Arrest Activists at Keene IRS Building | Digg

Humor: South Park Brad

If we keep this up, people can collect the whole set. Get yours here.

South Park Brad

Stop the NAU: Anarchists mobilize to protest SPP

The right-populist crowd likes to think of the NWO globalist elitists they rightly despise as “leftist” and “socialist”. They’re wrong. The radical left hates them to. From an authentically libertarian perspective, also, NAFTA and all of the related junk are a statist monstrosity — even though the fake Beltway “libertarians” have a tendency to munch on the dog turd of corporatist state capitalism with relish as long as the elite does them the courtesy of labeling it as “free trade” ice cream. It’s not free trade, but state managed trade under a mammoth set of rules skewed to benefit the elite.

The right calls this tyranny “socialism”. The left calls this tyranny “capitalism”. Ultimately, in some senses, there is no capitalism and there is no socialism. There is only Liberty or Tyranny.

From all across North America and beyond, anarchists are making personal sacrifices to travel to Quebec and take the risks involved in making a stand against the latest obscenity from the super-statists, the so-called Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP).

This August, George Bush, Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon will be just 90 minutes from Montreal, in Montebello, Quebec.

They are meeting at the Chateau Montebello, as part of the so-called “Security and Prosperity Partnership” (aka the “Three Amigos” Summit).

They talk about “security” and “prosperity”, but their agenda really means insecurity and misery for working and oppressed peoples in the Americas.

In brief, the “Security and Prosperity Partnership” (SPP) combines the destructive neo-liberal policies of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the fear and paranoia of post 9-11 “Homeland Security” policies. The SPP is firmly rooted within a colonial and capitalist framework.

The SPP is described by its proponents as a “NAFTA 2.0″, and is promoted and supported by corporations and their lobby groups, like the Canadian Council of Chief Executives.

Anarchists are preparing to take it to the streets. Even if you’re not an anarchist, you ought to support them because they’re fighting the good fight in ways you might not dare. Across web sites and email lists to numerous to count, on posters and photocopied flyers posted on utility poles in the ghettoes and bulletin boards at college campuses, the call goes out — mobilize!

Communique follows:

Mobilize and Protest against Bush, Harper et Calderon (August 19-21, Montebello, Quebec)

This August, Stephen Harper, George Bush and Felipe Calderón will be just 90 minutes from Montreal, in Montebello, Qc! Protests are being organized against Bush, Harper, Calderon and the SPP by anti-capitalist social justice activists in Quebec and Ontario, under the framework of the People’s Global Action (PGA) Network (http://www.agp.org).

- This August, Stephen Harper, George Bush and Felipe Calderón will be just 90 minutes from Montreal, in Montebello, Qc!

– Mobilize and Protest against George Bush, Stephen Harper and Felipe Calderon at the meeting of the “Security and Prosperity Partnership” (SPP)

::::::::::
AUGUST 19-21, 2007
MONTEBELLO, QUEBEC
(Between Ottawa and Montreal)
::::::::::

–> A main Day of Action against the SPP will take place on MONDAY, August 20 at 3pm at the Chateau Montebello (or as close as possible to Montebello). We encourage everyone to mobilize to Montebello by 3PM on August 20.

Montebello, Quebec is a tourist village between Ottawa and Montreal, on Highway 148, on the Ottawa River.

( To view a small map, click here: http://www.psp-spp.com/?q=fr/carte&size=_original ; or download a more detailed map of the region in .pdf format here: http://www.psp-spp.com/files/grande_carte_Montebello.pdf )

Actions will also take place from August 19-21. An “anti-capitalist camp” will be set up in the area, as early as August 8, for all protesters who want to be in the region early to help plan actions and raise awareness. More details forthcoming. Visit http://www.uncampement.net frequently for updates.

Protests are being organized against Bush, Harper, Calderon and the SPP by anti-capitalist social justice activists in Quebec and Ontario, under the framework of the People’s Global Action (PGA) Network (http://www.agp.org).

Ottawa and Montreal — on either side of Montebello on the Highway 148 – will act as organizing hubs for protests, including local protests and actions.

::::: GET INFORMED. GET ORGANIZED. GET INVOLVED. :::::

For up-to-date information, subscribe to our announcements list by visiting: https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/psp

Please phone or email for more info, or to get involved with organizing efforts (popular education, mobilization, logistics, transportation, fundraising and more!):

E-MAIL: info@psp-spp.com
WEB: http://www.psp-spp.com (visit frequently for updates)
TEL: 514-848-7583

TRANSPORTATION: Transportation is being organized from Montreal & Quebec City to Montebello for August 19&20. To offer transport, or to request transport, please contact TransportMontebello@gmail.com

PLANNING CONSULTA: A Consulta – open to all delegates of groups who are interested in actively mobilizing against Bush, Harper, Calderon and the SPP — will be held in MONTREAL on SATURDAY, JULY 21, from NOON-5pm (Location TBA).

We strongly encourage all groups to attend this Consulta (ie. preparation meeting), one month before the SPP, so that we can together finalize our plans to protest and disrupt the Bush visit.

Please confirm your attendance (or request housing, for out-of-town delegates) by e-mail at: bloquezlempiremontreal@resist.ca

::::: BACKGROUNDER :::::

This August, George Bush, Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon will be just 90 minutes from Montreal, in Montebello, Quebec. They are meeting at the Chateau Montebello, as part of the so-called “Security and Prosperity Partnership” (aka the “Three Amigos” Summit).

They talk about “security” and “prosperity”, but their agenda really means insecurity and misery for working and oppressed peoples in the Americas.

In brief, the “Security and Prosperity Partnership” (SPP) combines the destructive neo-liberal policies of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the fear and paranoia of post 9-11 “Homeland Security” policies. The SPP is firmly rooted within a colonial and capitalist framework.

The SPP is described by its proponents as a “NAFTA 2.0″, and is promoted and supported by corporations and their lobby groups, like the Canadian Council of Chief Executives.

A group of 30 corporate executives from the NAFTA countries comprise the North American Competitiveness Council, which was set up “to fully incorporate the private sector into the SPP process” (to cite the SPP’s own words). Moreover, because the SPP announces itself as a “dialogue based on shared values,” it is secretive process, subject to no formal public scrutiny or open debate.

There is no mystery to the SPP agenda: murderous wars and occupations abroad; border militarization; increased detentions and deportations; attacks on indigenous peoples, the poor, migrants, and working people; ecological destruction; mega-projects in the service of corporate greed; and unfortunately, much more and worse.

The SPP reinforces the idea of “Fortress North America”, whereby the rich and privileged live in gated communities and gentrified cities, protected by police and security, with easy movement for capital between borders; for the rest, there’s border fences, detention centers, prisons, surveillance, and increased precarity.

This August, protests are being organized by anti-capitalist social justice activists in Ontario and Quebec, within the framework of the People’s Global Action (PGA) Network. With organizing hubs in Ottawa and Montreal, on either end of Montebello on the Highway 148, we are preparing to resist the upcoming SPP meeting.

We are not going to lobby the SPP leaders or governments to be nicer. Justice and dignity is achieved through grassroots mobilizing and struggle, not the charity of rich philanthropists, rock-stars or politicians complicit in a destructive system.

When George Bush, Stephen Harper and Felipe Calderon try to meet at the Chateau Montebello, we are going to protest and try to disrupt their meeting. There will be activities from August 19-21, with a call for a convergence on Montebello (or as close as possible to Montebello) on 3pm on MONDAY, AUGUST 20. An anti-capitalist camp will be set up in the Montebello region in early August, as a convergence space for activists who want to gather early to plan popular and actions.

More info at: www.psp-spp.com

Our protests are rooted in our ongoing mobilizing efforts and day-to-day organizing: for indigenous sovereignty and self-determination in the Americas, for immigrant justice and free movement, against deportations and detentions, against war and imperialism, for workers justice, against poverty, for ecological and environmental justice, for the liberation of all political prisoners, in solidarity with social justice movements worldwide.

On January 1, 1994, the day that NAFTA took effect, the Zapatistas began an uprising in southern Mexico, declaring NAFTA a “death sentence” on indigenous peoples. With the SPP, the politicians, bureaucrats and corporations of North America have renewed their death-sentence on all of us.

The inspiration of the Zapatistas still resonates, 13 years later, as we make links between our struggles and issues, and unify to confront the SPP at Montebello, and beyond.

—–
E-MAIL: info@psp-spp.com
WEB: http://www.psp-spp.com (visit frequently for updates)
TEL: 514-848-7583

Anarchism and Christianity

Although not religious myself, it seems right and fitting for people of faith to explore their commitment to both their faith and anarchism, how one relates to the other and so forth. So, without further ado, let me plug the Jesus Radicals and their upcoming conference:

Swords into Plowshares: Anarchism, Christianity and Principles of Peace

August 10-11, 2007
Loras College
Dubuque, Iowa
Contact: jesusradicals AT jesusradicals.com

Peace is more than the absence of war. It is more than temporarily restraining physical abuse and ending only human oppression. In this fifth annual conference, we will explore our struggle for peace in all of its forms from anarchist and Christian perspectives.

Together, we will explore different facets of peacemaking — peace with creation, our neighbors and our enemies. In addition to sessions such as Practical Ecology, Contemporary Anarchisms and The Problem with Prisons, we will also have opportunities for open discussion and skill-sharing. Get detailed session and housing info, and register to attend.

These folks are from the conceptually “anti-capitalist” side of the circle-a house, but then capitalism and “a free market” aren’t the same thing, so don’t let that bother those of you who, like myself, are Rothbardians or the Konkinite sub-species of the former. Although this may seem like an oversimplification to some, a lot of the nuts and bolts of anti-statist “libertarian socialism” can be summarized in rightist language as simply building civil society — and you’ve always been in favor of that, right?

Refer also to an old favorite: Jesus Is an Anarchist

ADDENDUM: As one can see below, the comments on this post went far afield from the original topic.

I’d urge people to read the whole thread for full context, but after comment #27 from Devon:

He doesn’t hold a theory of property at all if he doesn’t think a person ceased to own something just because they’re not using it. Property by definition is owned. To own something is to have absolute control over it. True ownership has absolutely no conditions attached to it. If he doesn’t believe in ownership, then he doesn’t believe in property.

If an arbitration system does not uphold transactions “considered repugnant” then that arbitration system does not support a free market. It would be making exceptions to free market ethics.

And comment #28 in reply from me:

Dr. Reisman (or his metaphorical clone), I don’t wish to censor your comments but I also don’t care to provide you a forum for your incessant desire to argue in circles at the expense of my own time to debunk you. I’m sorry, but you “jumped the shark” when you started arguing in favor of chattel slavery. This comment thread is closed.

I received the following email from Devon:

“I wouldn’t uphold a contract for “chattel slavery.” I thought I already made it clear that I’m opposed to an absolutely free market. I would allow people to break contracts that I believe are too exploitative. This is out of self-interest, because I don’t want to be held to extremely exploitative contracts either. I’m just pointing out that to allow the breaking of contracts, even if they are exploitative, is not free market. It’s an exception to a free market. Benjamin Tucker pointed out the same thing.

Anyway, I doubt I’ll be contributing to or reading your blog anymore. Anarchism is just to silly and not worth the effort talking about. It’s not going to happen in this lifetime, and probably never, so there’s no point. I used to be an anarchist but moved on. Maybe you should do the same.

BTW I’m in no way connected with Reisman, nor am I familiar with his material. I think I may have read one essay by him, which I think was linked to on your blog actually.

So long. Please delete my account.”

First, I hope I can be forgiven for confusing devon with Dr. Reisman, although it’s not entirely clear which of the two might have been slighted more by the comparison. It’s just that their modes of argument are so eerily similar. That Reisman, as a non-anarchist advocate of “capitalism”, could easily be mistaken for an anti-market ex-anarchist who still presumably sees themself as supposedly “anti-capitalist” seems like fertile ground for intellectual exploration in the future.

With regard to the following, in particular:

“I’m just pointing out that to allow the breaking of contracts, even if they are exploitative, is not free market. It’s an exception to a free market.”

Contra Devon, repudiation of repugnant contracts (even when not overtly a direct result of coercion or fraud) in arbitration proceedings would tend to be a feature of free market law. If Tucker said otherwise, I disagree with Tucker on that point. Specifically, arbitration voluntarily paid for by both disputants would tend to generally reflect values of the community if it is to have any value (as a dispute resolution service) worth paying for. Devon thus erects a strawman by asserting that any use of discretion by arbitrators is a deviation from free market thinking. I happen to disagree with Carson on some specifics of what ought to constitute such a repugnant contract or transaction in the case of land property theory — but that’s okay. We can do that. Legal scholars will continue to disagree on theories, principles and points of application of law in the future stateless society Carson and I are both working for. The human race will also continue to muddle along just fine.

When voluntary arbitration avoids unnecessary bloodshed over disputes, it will be said to work. When it works, people will be willing to pay for it as a valuable service — and, yes, that service can include an arbitrator saying something like “this contract is pure bullshit and can not be upheld by any court pretending to a civilized standard of decency“.

As Carson noted here:

“It’s interesting that critics portray such practical discretion as backtracking or inconsistency, when no system could exist without it.”

Finally, in response to this:

“Please delete my account.”

Devon, your account has been suspended.

Insurgent History: The Polish Underground State and Home Army

In the second half of July, we are closing in on the 63rd anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising conducted by the The Polish Underground State and Home Army organized clandestinely under Nazi occupation of Poland. While obviously not anarchist or even particularly libertarian, I personally find their story of anti-fascist resistance inspiring.

Read and remember.

Agorism.info versions in French and Portugese

Very simple “stub” sites for French and Portugese versions of Agorism.info are now online, featuring French and Portugese PDF versions of the translations of Samuel Edward Konkin III’s strategic vision for achieving a stateless society, New Libertarian Manifesto.

Many thanks on my part to Jesrad for the French and Erick Vasconcelos for the Portugese translations of NLM. Please contact the translators directly if you’d like to offer them thanks or compensation.

As of July 17th, all of your stuff belongs to the king

No, really. As of July 17th, all of your stuff belongs to the king.

“Executive Order: Blocking Property of Certain Persons Who Threaten Stabilization Efforts in Iraq

Fact sheet Message to the Congress of the United States Regarding International Emergency Economic Powers Act “

As noted by shpilk on Daily Kos

“No courts involved.
No legislation to control it.
No redress of grievances available.”

One word… revolution.

Rothbard on the Irish tuath system

Lila Rajiva recently posted a recommended excerpt from Rothbard’s book For a New Liberty in which he discusses the stateless polycentric legal system of medieval Celtic Ireland.

Keep in mind that Rothbard was not proposing literal recreation of the tuath system down to an honorary ceremonial priest-king and “freeman” status only for landowners, professionals and craftsmen. Rather, he was using the thousand year more-or-less stateless epoch in Ireland in an attempt to illustrate the principles that could also make a stateless legal system work in the future.

Spokane update: Police video shows anarchists did not provoke attack

A few days ago I blogged about 18 anarchists in Spokane getting arrested in a demonstration against police brutality that ended in police brutality — sort of proving their point. In the immediate aftermath, police contended that they were responding to an assault on a police officer by one of the protestors. Eyewitness accounts by protestors indicated the police were lying their asses off about that.

The usual reactionary (i.e. statist biased) elements naturally assumed the police were the ones telling the truth. As usual, the usual reactionary elements were wrong…

Report: Video shows no crime

“A police video of the July 4 arrests in Rivefront Park shows no evidence of criminal behavior by protesters before arrests began, a city attorney’s review of the incident says.

In a report delivered Monday to Mayor Dennis Hession, City Attorney Jim Craven said his review of video shot by a police officer does not depict events described in police reports written after 17 people were arrested in the park.”

Hat tip: Infoshop News

To donate via Paypal to the defense fund for those arrested, use the Paypal donation button at the bottom of my original post on the Spokane arrests.

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