Anarchism as Merely Nineteenth Century Liberalism Taken to Its Logical Extreme

In this essay, the author

• Argues that individualist anarchism is classical liberalism to its logical extreme.
• Compares individualist anarchism and liberalism. both believe in the primacy of the individual and are highly atomistic.
• Compares hobbes and locke's'reason guided creatures' with anarchists who hold a more positive view of human nature.
• Explains that anarchists believe that people are reason guided to know what is right or wrong for themselves.
• Explains that anarchists believe everything can fit into place and emerge if left alone. hobbes and liberals regard the need for a state to prevent ‘a war of all against all’.
• Explains that anarchists believe that any state is punitive, corrupt, sovereign, etc. and poses a threat.
• Compares the views of paine and proudhon on the state as coercive, compulsory, punitive, sovereign and does not allow freedom for the individual.
• Explains that liberals believe in constitutionalism, consent, and the social contract theory, while anarchists argue that social contract theory is a façade and gives the myth that we are
• Analyzes how godwin criticises the sct and argues that if left alone, we as humans will benefit and no one will suffer.
• Explains that anarchists believe that we can only be truly free when the state has been abolished. classical liberals support representative democracy, albeit limited.
• Argues that representative democracy is a faade and an attempt to disguise the oppressive and exploitative state and nature of political authority.
• Argues that liberals believe in the principle of consent, while anarchists argue that representation is no better than any other system dependent on a sovereign state and political authority.
• Argues that the market should be completely free to let it do as it wants without any interference from a state. liberals believe that some public goods need to be supplied by the state, while anarchists argue that even private goods can be provided.
• Argues that anarchism can be seen as 19th century liberalism to its logical extreme.
• Explains that all governments are bad in anarchist point of view, and that collectivist anarchism is far from being similar to liberalism.
• Explains that collectivist anarchism is a positive view of human nature.
• Argues that individualist anarchism can be considered as an extreme form of liberalism, but with some key distinctions.