Anarchy is Order
Anarchists believe that the state creates instability and violence. They argue that, without a state, people can live peacefully together. Instead of relying on organisation and planning, anarchists think that natural order will emerge after a revolution ends the state. They trust that individuals can take care of themselves and coexist harmoniously. Social order occurs naturally and spontaneously, emerging from human nature, and is the key to the belief in a peaceful, stable, stateless society
Rather than a descent into Hobbes’s war of all against all, a society without government suggests to anarchists the very possibility for creative and peaceful human relations. Pierre-Joseph Proudhon neatly summed up the anarchist position in his famous slogan: “Anarchy is Order.”
Anarchists see the state as both harmful and unnecessary. William Godwin aimed to prove this by challenging the popular idea of social contract theory, which justifies the state. Thinkers like Hobbes and Locke argued that without a state, society would fall into chaos, where everyone would fight for themselves. They believed that human nature is inherently selfish and aggressive, and only a strong government can control these impulses and maintain order. Godwin argued that existing social contract theories assumed that human beings were inevitably flawed he instead saw humans as perfectible and there is no intrinsic limit on the development of human understanding and enlightenment.
Godwin viewed humans as fundamentally rational. He believed that with proper education and understanding, people could live peacefully and organize their lives without government interference. In his opinion, it is the government and its laws, rather than any flaw in human nature, that leads to greed and violence. Therefore, he argued that government is not the answer to maintaining order; it is the problem. Anarchists often resonate with Rousseau’s idea that while humans are born free, they end up constrained by society however they reject Rouseau's conclusion that the 'general will' should guide human liberty.
Anarchists support the idea of 'anarchy is order' by arguing that humans, when developed by education and progress will naturally cooperate. They believe human nature can adapt based on the social, political, and economic conditions people face. While laws, government, and the state often lead to domination, other institutions can promote respect, cooperation, and harmony. Collectivist anarchists advocate for shared ownership and mutualist systems, while individualist anarchists prefer market solutions, and while they would advocate very different kinds of society they both see the result as a new order of liberty and prosperity.
William Godwin 'The natural perfectibility of human beings'
Godwin's Radical Optimism
Possibly the first comprehensive account of anarchist principles was William Godwin’s 'Enquiry Concerning Political Justice (1793).' Godwin was a liberal, although he abandoned the classical liberal view of natural rights and a state of nature. He argues that humans are social beings, are moulded by their environment and are imbued with a capacity to reason. True happiness, as far as Godwin was concerned, lies with the development of individuality.
All individuals have a right to private judgement. Everything understood as an organisation is ‘in some degree evil’ and he argued that communal institutions, even theatre and musical performances, could be seen as an invasion of our individuality. Society should be regarded as a ‘luxury’, rather than a ‘necessity’, and can never be more than the sum of its parts (Vincent, A. (1995) Modern Political Ideologies Oxford: Blackwell 125). Compulsory restraint violates a privately determined pursuit of happiness. Godwin sees the state as vicious, evil and tyrannical, but his view of human nature is militantly individualistic and optimistic. This atomistic and optimistics view of the individual contrast with Hobbes who's radical pessimism leads to insecurity and arbitrariness, while in Godwin it generates the ‘unspeakably beautiful vision of a world’ in which individuals freely exercise their private judgement (Hoffman, J. (1995) Beyond the State Cambridge: Polity 114).
But what is order?
Anarchism is closely tied to the idea of utopianism, which allows for imagining a society unlike our own. Anarchists believe people can coexist peacefully without enforced rules. Their ideas explore how social order can emerge and thrive without traditional systems of law. This exploration typically happens in two connected ways. First, anarchists analyze human nature to support the idea of natural order instead of political order. Collectivist anarchists focus on our ability to be social and cooperative, while individualist anarchists emphasize the role of human reason.
Some anarchists link the potential for harmony in human nature with the belief that nature and the universe tend to favor natural order. This has led them to draw inspiration from non-western religions like Buddhism and Daoism, which highlight connectedness and unity.
Another source of natural order is found in ecology, especially in the social ecology ideas of thinkers like Murray Bookchin. However, anarchism doesn’t just focus on positive aspects of human nature. Anarchist views on human nature are often complex and recognize that conflicting potentials exist within people.
MurrayBookchin was a radical anti-capitalist and always favored the decentralisation of society. His writings on libertarian municipalism, a theory of face-to-face, grassroots democracy, had an influence on the Green Movement and anti-capitalist direct action groups such as Reclaim the Streets.
Anarchy is often mistaken for chaos, but this is incorrect. Most anarchists seek a well-ordered society because they believe that order helps ensure freedom and safety. Many anarchists view private property as a disruptor of social order. They argue that it leads to inequality and social conflict. This belief drives anarchists to advocate for shared ownership of property and fair distribution of resources produced by the community. Promoting equality helps prevent divisions and tension within society.
Even those who identify as individualist anarchists aim for order, hoping it will enable individuals to work together for mutual benefit. Anarchists believe that true order cannot be forced; it must arise naturally from the goodwill of the group. Bakunin believed that larger communities could achieve this order, while Malatesta and Kropotkin supported smaller communities, questioning whether Bakunin’s larger federations could operate without rules. Their views were influenced by a watchmakers’ commune in the Swiss Jura mountains, where workers managed without government intervention and shared profits equally.
Anarchists also support the concept of natural order by highlighting social institutions that encourage positive human behaviour. They believe human nature is adaptable, influenced by social, political, and economic conditions. While laws and government often create power imbalances, other institutions can promote respect, cooperation, and harmony. Collectivist anarchists favour common ownership, while individualist anarchists advocate for free markets. However, the idea of a stable, peaceful society without a government is often seen as the weakest part of anarchist theory. Critics argue that if negative traits are fundamental to human nature rather than just signs of corruption, the idea of natural order is unrealistic. This is why the vision of a perfect society is stronger in collectivist anarchism and less evident in individualist anarchism, with some anarcho-capitalists dismissing utopian ideas entirely.
Anarcho-capitalists oppose the state and seek to privatize any useful service the government presently provides, such as education, infrastructure, or the enforcement of law. They see capitalism and the free market as the basis for a free and prosperous society
Murray Rothbard advocated the abolition of government control of society and the economy. He considered the monopoly force of government the greatest danger to liberty and the long-term well-being of the people. He called the state a "gang of thieves writ large — the most immoral, grasping and unscrupulous individuals in any society".
Rothbard thought that all services provided by monopoly governments could be provided more efficiently by the private sector. According to him, many regulations and laws passed "for the public interest" were self-interested power grabs by scheming government bureaucrats to make themselves look important. These schemes were not subject to market disciplines.
Government services were not efficient and would get eliminated if the services could be provided by competition in the private sector
Another vision of order comes from modern anarcho-capitalists like Murray Rothbard and David Friedman. They argued for maintaining capitalism while significantly reducing state power. They believed that capitalism could function well without state regulation. Private organisations could take over roles like law enforcement, contract enforcement, and consumer protection. They claimed that as long as there was demand, the free market would provide, leading to a balanced and ordered society based on competition.
Friedman descibes a form of anarcho-capitalism where all goods and services including law itself can be produced by the free market. Friedman advocates an incrementalist approach to achieve anarcho-capitalism by gradual privatization of areas that government is involved in, ultimately privatizing the law itself. He states his opposition to violent anarcho-capitalist revolution.