In a message dated 11/30/2003 8:46:04 PM Eastern Standard Time, cobwebstrange@xxxxxxxxxxx writes: > My problem with anarchy is that for it to work, people have to do not what > is best for themselves, but what is best for everyone (and that will NEVER > happen). Otherwise, you would have a complete breakdown in civilization. I > > suspect that in a state of anarchy, we would go straight to a nationwide > riot / looting situation. That's not really how it works. People, in the absence of a central ruling authority, are pefectly free to persue whatever happiness they like just so long as it doesn't involve the subjugation of others. I think that, to a very large degree, the conditions that lead to riots, robbery, murder, rape etc. are a creation of societal opression. This site goes into much more detail: <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/1931/secAcon.html";>http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/1931/secAcon.html</A> As for the US government, I think that we have, essentially, been governed by an aristocratic elite of career politicians, Republicrats and Democans, who are far more beholden to corporate interests than the interests of individuals for a very long time. I also think that we are pretty well on the way to a totalitarian state and that the wars on drugs and terrorism are being cynically used by our government to bring this about, while we are all kept numb, fat, dumb and happy by a host of excesses, amusements and inanities. I'd cite the Miami incident of a couple of weeks ago as a prime example of what lies in store for dissenters in our "brave new world." <A HREF="http://www.sptimes.com/2003/11/30/Columns/Miami_crowd_control_w.shtml";>http://www.sptimes.com/2003/11/30/Columns/Miami_crowd_control_w.shtml</A> CH