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Single Idea 21521

[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 2. Anarchism ]

Full Idea

The greatest degree of liberty is not secured by anarchy. ...[22] The results of anarchy between states should suffice to persuade us that anarchism has no solution to offer for the evils of the world.

Gist of Idea

Anarchy does not maximise liberty

Source

Bertrand Russell (Political Ideals [1917], 1)

Book Ref

Russell,Bertrand: 'Political Ideals' [Spokesman 2007], p.21

A Reaction

I've heard Russell described as an anarchist, but this clearly wasn't true in 1917. Presumably liberty has to be protected. That we were watching anarchy between states in 1917 is a vivid observation.

The 14 ideas with the same theme [self-rule by citizens, and abolition of government]:

539 Nothing is worse for mankind than anarchy [Antiphon]
5968 Diogenes masturbated in public, wishing he could get rid of hunger so easily [Diogenes of Sin., by Plutarch]
23163 In an anarchy universities, research, books, and even seaside holidays, would be impossible [Russell]
23168 A state is essential, to control greedy or predatory impulses [Russell]
21521 Anarchy does not maximise liberty [Russell]
23809 Our only social duty is to try to limit evil [Weil]
23870 Decentralisation is only possible by co-operation between strong and weak - which is absurd [Weil]
18642 Individual rights are so strong that the state and its officials must be very limited in power [Nozick]
20450 The state, law, bureaucracy and capital are limitations on life, so I prefer federalist anarchism [Critchley]
20452 Anarchism used to be libertarian (especially for sexuality), but now concerns responsibility [Critchley]
20487 A realistic and less utopian anarchism looks increasingly like liberal democracy [Wolff,J]
20488 It is hard for anarchists to deny that we need experts [Wolff,J]
20578 Anarchists prefer local and communal government [Oksala]
9391 Why do anarchists drink herbal tea? [Sommers,W]