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Single Idea 23809
[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 2. Anarchism
]
Full Idea
Our only duty with regard to the social is to try to limit the evil of it.
Gist of Idea
Our only social duty is to try to limit evil
Source
Simone Weil (Gravity and Grace (9 extracts) [1943], p.143)
Book Ref
Weil,Simone: 'An Anthology' [Penguin 1986], p.142
A Reaction
This is one of Weil's occasional remarks that have an anarchist flavour. I increasingly sympathise with this less idealistic view as I get older.
The
14 ideas
with the same theme
[self-rule by citizens, and abolition of government]:
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539
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Nothing is worse for mankind than anarchy
[Antiphon]
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5968
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Diogenes masturbated in public, wishing he could get rid of hunger so easily
[Diogenes of Sin., by Plutarch]
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23163
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In an anarchy universities, research, books, and even seaside holidays, would be impossible
[Russell]
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23168
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A state is essential, to control greedy or predatory impulses
[Russell]
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21521
|
Anarchy does not maximise liberty
[Russell]
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23809
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Our only social duty is to try to limit evil
[Weil]
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23870
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Decentralisation is only possible by co-operation between strong and weak - which is absurd
[Weil]
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18642
|
Individual rights are so strong that the state and its officials must be very limited in power
[Nozick]
|
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20450
|
The state, law, bureaucracy and capital are limitations on life, so I prefer federalist anarchism
[Critchley]
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20452
|
Anarchism used to be libertarian (especially for sexuality), but now concerns responsibility
[Critchley]
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20487
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A realistic and less utopian anarchism looks increasingly like liberal democracy
[Wolff,J]
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20488
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It is hard for anarchists to deny that we need experts
[Wolff,J]
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20578
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Anarchists prefer local and communal government
[Oksala]
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9391
|
Why do anarchists drink herbal tea?
[Sommers,W]
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