By Cake Boy

A lot of leftist anarchists these days use the following sentence to describe anarchism. They say that anarchism is against all unjust hierarchies.

We have seen that the pluralist anarchism/federalism (whatever you want) I talk about is a little bit different.

The leftist anarchists base their views on Noam Chomsky’s ideas. My perception of anarchism is based on Benjamin Tucker’s ideas. My anarchism is individualist, while theirs is collectivist.

I say anarchism is the idea that al social interactions should be voluntary.

To me, anarchism is the same as ‘voluntarism.’ My perception of anarchism comes from the American individualist tradition. Not the European collectivist tradition. The pluralist project comes out of the American anarchist tradition.

I have a problem with the word ‘unjust hierarchy’: When is a hierarchy unjust?

Suppose someone can work in a cooperative (where decisions are made democratically), or for a hierarchical organization. This person chooses the hierarchical organization because he/she wants to make a career and become the company’s boss. Is this ‘wrong’? What should we do then? Arrest him/her?

Think of people who are in BDSM relationships. Is this an unjust hierarchy?

Think of a woman who wants to live with a macho/dominant man. Is this ‘unjust’? And if it’s unjust, what do you want to do about it? Tell her she should find another boyfriend. Why would she listen to you?

What about someone who joins a very hierarchical religion?

To me, it’s more about options. Can you actually choose between the cooperative, the commune, or the capitalist hierarchy? That’s the important question.

Can you actually leave the BDSM relationship? Is there a culture of consent, safe words, etc., in the whole BDSM thing?

Can you leave your macho boyfriend if you don’t want him anymore?

Can you leave the religion? Can you choose to rent from the landlord, or is there no realistic alternative?

Some of the leftist anarchists see the authority of the parents over the children as an ‘unjust hierarchy.’ We get into a creepy domain here. To me, the authority of the parents over the children, to a degree, is a just hierarchy.

The pluralist structures I wrote about are about a federation/land where everyone can choose a specific arrangement. The problem with both communism and capitalism is that they push one model on everyone. Everyone sort of has to be the same, has to live the same, in these systems. But people are different. Some people want to be competitive, and others want to be social. Some people want to do kickbox, and others practice ballet. People can also change their lifestyle or perspective. We are not one fixed identity (this is something the woke don’t understand)

If anarchism wants to be about individual freedom, it can’t protect people that much against themselves. Leftist anarchists often forget this. For example, they don’t like the idea of sexism, but they can’t force a woman to not be in a relationship with a sexist man. They can only tell people that sexism is bad, but they do not have the political power to change it.

They are against ‘transphobia’ but they can never force people to look at trans people in a specific way, they can’t force men to date transwoman, for example. They can’t force feminists to see trans women as real women.

They are against racism, but they can’t force people to live a multicultural live.

They are against macho behavior, but they can’t force men to behave more sensitively.

They are against capitalism, but they can’t really ‘forbid’ a capitalist company because they do not have a state (in theory)

They want a world without social hierarchies, but this is a fiction.

They want to push cultural change without a central bureaucratic body or force.

Anarchism can only create social structures in which individual freedom and choice have more meaning.

Pluralist anarchism means individual autonomy. It doesn’t mean radical egalitarianism.

The masses are ok with the idea of more choice and personal autonomy. But they don’t like the leftist push for radical cultural change and egalitarianism.

This is why pluralist anarchism could have meaning, while a leftist cultural Marxist/Antifa anarchism can never become bigger than a small ingroup/cult.