The state is an abominable beast that has wreaked havoc on society for hundreds of years. Currently, as the masses continually see the failures they have brought to the world, people are slowly starting to question the nation state's existence. This article details five ways to disenfranchise the current rule of governance and bring a more decentralized system to the table for society to choose from.
Peaceful Parenting
First and foremost is Peaceful Parenting. Raising our children in a non-violent and non-coercive way is one of the best methods to advance the idea of a more voluntary world. Using force to apply discipline to our children is no different than the nation state's techniques towards global citizens. Teaching kids at a very young age that violence is not the answer within the family atmosphere follows alongside the lessons you give them concerning statism. Children who are raised with Peaceful Parenting techniques typically will opt to use discussion and conversation rather than coercive force as a means to get their ends. Over time these instructions will grow from the younger generation and keep spilling into the minds of generations before them. Additionally, other parents observing your methods of parenting will emulate this behaviour after they realize what a difference it makes. Peaceful Parenting is a huge part of building a truly voluntary society (probably the most effective) because it encompasses the minds of future leaders instead of future tyrannical rulers.
“The ability to challenge people with power is a sign independence and intelligence. It is a trait parents should nurture. It means that child does not want to be another obedient drone. Instead, that child wants to be a freethinker. A maverick. An anarchist. That child has a sense of freedom and courage that this world desperately needs.” — Sterlin Luxan, Psychological Anarchist
Counter-Economics
Agorism or counter-economics is another wonderful way to choke the state. Whether it be using black markets, utilizing alternative currencies like Bitcoin, or bartering and trading with your fellow human, it all goes a long way. Taxation provides the small group of sociopathic bureaucrats to fund imprisoning people for victimless crimes, the growth of the military-industrial complex, and the utter devastation of global markets. Avoiding the use of fiat currencies and staying clear of taxation methods will remove the power of their money indefinitely over time. The nation states money system is one of the root causes of how they get away with all the corrupt activities and fund them for years on end. The simple aspects of counter-economics are basically designed to provide alternative systems of trade and finance without using the money provided by the state and central banking system.
“Many thinkers have expressed the need for consistency between means and ends and not all were libertarians. Ironically, many statists have claimed inconsistency between laudable ends and contemptible means; yet when their true ends of greater power and oppression were understood, their means are found to be quite consistent. It is part of the statist mystique to confuse the necessity of ends-means consistency; it is thus the most crucial activity of the libertarian theorist to expose inconsistencies.” — Samuel Edward Konkin III
Not Voting and Opting Out of the Political Clown Show
Participants who help bolster the sociopathic leadership of the ruling class engage in the voting system. Unfortunately, this particular method of choosing representatives is a massive failure and makes global citizens believe they still have a 'say' in what government does. This is far from the truth as the ruling class basically does whatever it wants to do. By not participating in voting you selectively choose not to engage in the cycle of insanity. No matter who you choose to vote for, the wars will continue, injustices will thrive, and the oligarchs will remain in power. By opting out of choosing between two evils brings about a better sense of individualism and self-ownership. Some people would say that not participating doesn't give you a voice but in actuality, it is one of the strongest methods of disenfranchising the political powers that be. In fact, it is a vote in itself to completely end the game and the bolstering of its corrupt activities.
“The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship, you don’t have to waste your time voting.”
— Charles Bukowski
Networking With Other Anarchists, Abolitionists, and Anti-State Ideologists
Collaborating with other like-minded individuals helps the anti-state movement grow and gives people different ideas on how to accomplish the goals of ending the state. Everyone has their own opinion on how the roads would be built, how we would get along without a monopolization of police, and how people will take care of the poor and less fortunate. People with similar ideological concepts can build a better more voluntary society based on true consensus and actual collaboration. Currently, the network of free-thinking individuals is growing and in time it should eclipse the pseudo-religious worship of the state over time through education, emulation and living according to the principles of voluntaryism.
“A majority without an ideology is a helpless mob, to be taken over by anyone . . . . Political freedom requires much more than the people’s wish. It requires an enormously complex knowledge of political theory and of how to implement it in practice.”— Ayn Rand
Practice What You Preach
As said above in the last example doing the things you preach about will go a long way. It's easy to jump online and talk about avoiding taxation. But removing yourself from taxation in the real-world proves to be more challenging to people. When we actually start deploying the methods of anti-state behaviour over time others will follow when they see how beneficial this way of living is. If you believe in free-market enterprise, then participate in these markets. If you feel socialism, and communal living is the way for society to prosper then go out there and apply it to your everyday life. This works far better than bitching to others online that your method of philosophy is the way to go. Doing it and proving it works will convince others to copy your methods as opposed to just chatter. This isn't to say discussions are not useful but when you put your money where your mouth is it definitely proves by example in a far superior way.
“Too many people talk the talk, but very few actually walk the walk...practice what you preach; Action speaks louder” — Unknown Author
In Time The Nation States Will Fall
The death of the nation states will take years, but slowly it is taking effect. People have realized that representative governance is an idea of the past and most definitely a failed system. Technologies like the Bitcoin blockchain and other peer-to-peer applications are bringing forth new concepts with these innovative tools. Shoving your ideology down people's throats will not go very far, but the little things will go a long way. For instance, my Murray Rothbard shirt is a conversation piece and gets people wondering who he is and why my t-shirt says, “Anti-State, Anti-War, and Free Markets.” People ask me all the time about my t-shirt and it is a great way to have a healthy discussion about these topics.
There are many ways we can all participate in helping end the state, and these are just a few examples. All of us can come up with solutions to the problems the state has designed and in time a voluntary society is just around the corner. Won't you join me in challenging the belief of statism? I hope you will.
Jamie Redman is a journalist at Bitcoin.com and graphic artist at Crypto-Graphics.com. He has written hundreds of articles about decentralized technologies, peer-to-peer applications, and open source code. He has also been a member of the Art of Not Being Governed for many years and helps provide information on relentless liberty through technological breakthroughs. You can also follow him on Twitter @Jamiecrypto