Ep 48: What would the police look like in a free society or ancapistan? Would they exist?

The mindcrime liberty show discusses what “law enforcement” would look like in a “free” society, ancapistan or what Hans Hoppe would call a private law society.  Would there be public law enforcement or police (or whatever parlance one wants to use) at all?  What would private security look like?  Would it be private corporate tyranny as many critics of ancapistan argue it is?  Would the warlords take over as private security companies and enslave/exploit the masses for profit?  Isn’t that what many left wing critics argue the already existing police already do/does? We at the mindcrime liberty generally agree with the standard anarchist and for that matter marxist critique of the police where the police exist to defend the property and status of the ruling class. Although it’s worth pointing out for all their signaling that most historical  actual existing Marxists societies had massive police states which were arguably even more secretive and exploitative then the “capitalistic” societies while being materially poorer. I’d rather deal with Minneapolis police than the Moscow police of the 30s or 70s (read Peter Hitchens chronicles about his time dealing with the Moscow Soviet police). Furthermore for all the anti police posturing social democrats and progressives throughout the developed world are arguably as big if not on some substantial level bigger defenders of the blue then the center right defenders such as PragerU when the police are going after hate speech, lockdown protests, people carrying weapons in capitol buildings, sexual “assaults” on campuses when most parties are drunk, family law courts and a litany of other offences. You could argue that social democrats and culturally left anarchists in a way might have a much longer list of what is illegal and thereby reasonable for public or private security forces to go after.  

 

We at the mindcrime libertyshow do think what is narrowly defined as property or violent crime will continue to exist even in an ideal society. That may sound like an oxymoron but in this regard we have a more pessimistic or skeptical view of what humans are.  Its worth pointing out to those on the left (as well as some liberal libertarians) who think that if poverty goes away theft will go away that people from great family or material circumstances who have everything still commit murder and theft!   They may commit them for different reasons such as boredom, thrill seeking or even jealousy but nonetheless we think murder and crime will continue to exist. Outside of certain pacifist groups namely the Amish and Mennonites we do think that some form of legal sanction would be required in order for conflicts to be dissipated. 

 

The mindcrime liberty show doesn’t think crime merely is a social construct or merely something which certain societies only have as “crimes.”  For one thing Liberalism of some variety (Marxism and anarchism not merely anarcho capitalism or Christianity) has spread around the world.  Anyone who thinks theft doesn’t exist or murder isn’t a crime needs to explain to us right libertarians whatever historical boogieman the left hates did wrong. All the Abrahamic religions have many commonalities when it comes to murder and property and of course are being “liberalized” or westernized.  Historical non western societies like the Aztecs or Chinese also viewed attacking the emperor or state property a a crime of some sort and aren't some paradise for any lefty or police critic.  So it appears there are very few “advanced” societies (maybe the primitivists are right?) without some form of legal system and to enforce those legal rules and the exceptions you need an organization to do so.  In the current existing society it is the tax funded police which increasingly makes no one happy.

We think the best solution is to have a private law society where the legal system is run for profit and is privatized.  It isn’t profitable to go on crusades against other groups when there isn’t a legalized privileged monopoly to maintain your revenue source and one has immunity. The state rarely if ever goes after the state itself and the cops are a classic example of this.   Maybe it might not work and result in tyranny but again its worth pointing out most people on the left, including left anarchists and Marxist, think the already existing system does that anyways so what is to lose?  Henceforth are they closeted conservatives who are defending the current system as being superior to our somewhat proposed hypothetical system which has some partial historical examples as well? If so then they are merely social democrats who as we pointed out back the blue just as much as the center right/neocons yet are much less honest and upfront about the matter. The police are the front lines of the state and we as ancaps want them privatized as well as removing their privileged position and we see no one else having any better alternative other than virtue signaling, more reforms or making a worse system.