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Beyond the Government-Haunted World: A Comic Guide to Voluntaryism, Free Markets, and the Non-Aggression Principle
(Updated in 2018 with a completely revamped chapter six.) What would the world be like without government? Can you even fathom such a world? Does such a world seem liberating to you or scary? Well, in Beyond the Government-Haunted World, author, artist, and philosopher Zander Marz, using the unique form of a comic book, examines the world of government and what waits beyond. Marz shows that the world of government is one where an imaginary entity called the state has a monopoly on the initiation of force…whereas a world free of government is one where the initiation of force is completely unacceptable. Many of the ideas Marz proposes are quite challenging to conventional thinking. Yet, the ideas are nonetheless quite simple and primarily revolve around the simple idea that the initiation of force is logically unacceptable. As Marz points out, if you support the initiation of force in human interaction, then you’ve set up the condition for your own potential demise. Marz eventually takes the reader on a tour of a hypothetical world free of government. He shows that a world free of government is one of rules but without rulers where the rules are very the initiation of force is unacceptable and thus all human interaction must be voluntary. By the end of the book, Marz expands his critique of government to the entire universe and adds yet another layer of challenging ideas to rattle the reader. Whether you end up totally agreeing with Marz or not, you will nonetheless likely be left haunted with a sense that he’s right. Table of 0-The Ghost 1-Slaves and Masters 2-Raising Slaves 3-War 4-Corporatism versus Customerism 5-A Day in a Free World 6-What is Truth? 7-Freedom in an Unfree World
194 pages, Paperback
First published March 11, 2013
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April 5, 2020
The book delivers what the title advertises.
It's a nice introduction into voluntaryist thinking, and a collection of many of the most repeated arguments, and ideas among libertarians - which is both the strength and the weakness of this book. Because as much as I agree with the better part of the ideas expressed in this book, others tend to ignore human nature. I mean, they're all very rational, but humans aren't always too rational.
But if you're new to voluntaryism, this is the book for you.
Personally, however, I have moved away from libertarian purism of whatever variety. And not, as the purists, no doubt, would claim, because I'm a "statist" now. I'm not. On the contrary.
But libertarian purists are, and I say that with affection, a bunch of weirdos, and as long as they behave the way they do, they're not going to change anything.
Pragmatism isn't betrayal of the libertarian philosophy. Pragmatism worked for the left, it can work for us. Just don't lose sight of who you are, and what the real goal is.
And don't waste so much time infighting over minor details. It's a luxury we can't really afford. And it has the opposite effect of what we want to achieve.
It makes libertarians look stupid. And it strengthens the state. Just imagine what could be achieved with all the time and energy libertarian purists waste on (for now) irrelevant details instead of focusing on the big picture.
And please, don't just memorize and repeat a bunch of slogans. Libertarians generally rely WAY too much and slogans. And, contrary to what this book implies, that's not how to win every discussion. But it is an easy way to look like a mindless drone.
Try, instead, to understand the underlying principles, and think for yourself.
Reading this book is a good start, but, like all such books, it's only a start.
My advice: read much, and read broadly. And don't just read libertarian authors. Try to learn across viewpoints. And read stuff that isn't political, too.
It's a nice introduction into voluntaryist thinking, and a collection of many of the most repeated arguments, and ideas among libertarians - which is both the strength and the weakness of this book. Because as much as I agree with the better part of the ideas expressed in this book, others tend to ignore human nature. I mean, they're all very rational, but humans aren't always too rational.
But if you're new to voluntaryism, this is the book for you.
Personally, however, I have moved away from libertarian purism of whatever variety. And not, as the purists, no doubt, would claim, because I'm a "statist" now. I'm not. On the contrary.
But libertarian purists are, and I say that with affection, a bunch of weirdos, and as long as they behave the way they do, they're not going to change anything.
Pragmatism isn't betrayal of the libertarian philosophy. Pragmatism worked for the left, it can work for us. Just don't lose sight of who you are, and what the real goal is.
And don't waste so much time infighting over minor details. It's a luxury we can't really afford. And it has the opposite effect of what we want to achieve.
It makes libertarians look stupid. And it strengthens the state. Just imagine what could be achieved with all the time and energy libertarian purists waste on (for now) irrelevant details instead of focusing on the big picture.
And please, don't just memorize and repeat a bunch of slogans. Libertarians generally rely WAY too much and slogans. And, contrary to what this book implies, that's not how to win every discussion. But it is an easy way to look like a mindless drone.
Try, instead, to understand the underlying principles, and think for yourself.
Reading this book is a good start, but, like all such books, it's only a start.
My advice: read much, and read broadly. And don't just read libertarian authors. Try to learn across viewpoints. And read stuff that isn't political, too.
Displaying 1 of 1 review