Liberty on the Rocks, Summary of Discussion

So, I went to the Liberty on the Rocks event in Casey's Irish Pub in Downtown LA, and had a rousing bout of discussion. Naturally, the other attendees (about 15 of them, the largest crowd for this group so far) were mostly Libertarian. I did connect with some anarchists, and those who are almost anarchist, but wish not to use that label to avoid stigma.

I met a socially charming woman who studies law. She's more minarchist and thought that its a good thing we have a centralized system of Law and Order. I've been there believing the same thing myself, because top-down-tree organization with precedence is just so... right, so organized. The mental model is so natural. Plus the many years of learning state-based law in a state-sanctioned school. I think she may never have discussed alternative systems, and automatically assumed that without a court-of-last-resort, it would be anarchy! I cannot blame her for this neatness fetish, for I used to have it myself (and still do in some areas).

But then, about a year and a half to two years ago, I ran into some videos by David Friedman and learned about polycentric law. And found out that competing legal systems have so much more flexibility. And I don't mean that a judge gets to make up arbitrary rulings, because they would certainly lose their clientele, and fail in the legal market. Rather, I mean it in the sense that the laws no longer restricted to appeal to precedent. So rulings can adapt to cultural norms and expectations of the legal combatants.

Pretty much everyone there agreed that the government isn't needed for roads! And Andrew, the newly self-appointed organizer for the Liberty on the Rocks gathering for Orange County, gave me a neat joke: "What's the difference between a libertarian and an anarchist?" "About six months."

I did meet some detractors, who think that anarchism is untenable or unstable. That it wouldn't work unless everyone thought that way because all it takes is for one guy to raise an army, push people around, and take over. It's a legitimate fear, that I think David Friendman adequately addresses. But, even if events turn out that way, Anarchy is still worth a try anyhow. Because it's worst outcome is what we have today: Government, and that's a TAX.