I don’t pledge allegiance to the American flag anymore. I pledge allegiance to a different flag. In part 1 and 2 of this series, I discussed the meaning of the pledge of allegiance and whether it resembles American’s modern society.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of anarchy. Many people are quick to assume that all anarchists are violent people. The best expression of ignorance is defining people or things with stereotypes. It’s the laziest way to educate yourself and others.
The word, anarchy, comes from the ancient Greek word, anarchia, which means without authority.
Many people will refer to this definition to assume that an anarchist society will become chaotic within hours. Anarchy doesn’t just suggest a society without government, but it suggests a society that replaces government with voluntary institutions.
While there are multiple types of anarchism, anarchists share the belief that government is either undesirable, unnecessary, or harmful. I subscribe to anarcho-pacifism. It’s an anarchist philosophy that rejects the use of violence to effect social change and abolish government.
Anarcho-pacifists view government as symbols of organized crime. Often, the government will defend their position by stating that it’s the law. The law is flawed. As a result, people are fined, assaulted, imprisoned, and/or killed for not following unjust laws.
Leo Tolstoy, the leader of the biggest anarcho-pacifist movement, said that a great weapon for undermining government is to refuse to cooperate with it. You can undermine the government with civil disobedience, but you risk being imprisoned for your disobedience.
Alternatively, you can hope for a government shutdown. Although, the best thing to do is remove yourself from the society. Government is still the world’s most popular institution. However, there are a few ways to live more like an anarcho-pacifist, even if you live in an authoritarian society.
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