Autarchism
Encyclopedia
Autarchism is a political philosophy
that upholds the principle of individual liberty, rejects compulsory government
, and supports the elimination of government in favor of ruling oneself and no other. Advocates of the philosophy are autarchist (from Greek
, "one who believes in self rule"), while the state in which everyone rules themselves and no one else is called autarchy (from Greek
αὐταρχία autarchia, "state of self rule").
, a "self-proclaimed autarchist" recognized as such by Murray Rothbard
, distinguished autarchism from anarchism
, whose economics
he felt entailed interventions contrary to freedom, in contrast to his own laissez faire economics of the Austrian School
. In professing "a sparkling and shining individualism
" while "it advocates some kind of procedure to interfere with the processes of a free market
", anarchism seemed to LeFevre to be self-contradictory. He situated the fundamental premise of autarchy within the Stoicism
of philosophers such as Zeno
, Epicurus
and Marcus Aurelius, which he summarized in the credo, "Control yourself". Fusing these influences together, he arrived at the autarchist philosophy: "The Stoics provide the moral framework; the Epicureans
, the motivation; the praxeologists
, the methodology. I propose to call this package of ideological systems autarchy, because autarchy means self-rule." LeFevre stated that "the bridge between Spooner
and modern-day autarchists was constructed primarily by persons such as H. L. Mencken
, Albert Jay Nock
, and Mark Twain
".
Ralph Waldo Emerson
, although he did not call himself an autarchist, is considered to have espoused autarchy. Philip Jenkins
has stated that "Emersonian ideas stressed individual liberation, autarchy, self-sufficiency and self-government, and strenuously opposed social conformity.". Robert D. Richardson
stated that the anarchy Emerson had in mind "would be 'autarchy', rule by self".
The essay "Autarchy, or, the art of self government," published in 1691 in London
and listing the author as "G.B.," is attributed to George Burghope by NUC and to both Burghope and George Bright by Donald Goddard Wing
.
Political philosophy
Political philosophy is the study of such topics as liberty, justice, property, rights, law, and the enforcement of a legal code by authority: what they are, why they are needed, what, if anything, makes a government legitimate, what rights and freedoms it should protect and why, what form it...
that upholds the principle of individual liberty, rejects compulsory government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
, and supports the elimination of government in favor of ruling oneself and no other. Advocates of the philosophy are autarchist (from Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
, "one who believes in self rule"), while the state in which everyone rules themselves and no one else is called autarchy (from Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
αὐταρχία autarchia, "state of self rule").
Autarchists
Robert LeFevreRobert LeFevre
Robert LeFevre was an American libertarian businessman, radio personality, and primary theorist of autarchism.-Early life:...
, a "self-proclaimed autarchist" recognized as such by Murray Rothbard
Murray Rothbard
Murray Newton Rothbard was an American author and economist of the Austrian School who helped define capitalist libertarianism and popularized a form of free-market anarchism he termed "anarcho-capitalism." Rothbard wrote over twenty books and is considered a centrally important figure in the...
, distinguished autarchism from anarchism
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
, whose economics
Anarchist economics
Anarchist economics is the set of theories and practices of economics and economic activity within the political philosophy of anarchism.-Early views:...
he felt entailed interventions contrary to freedom, in contrast to his own laissez faire economics of the Austrian School
Austrian School
The Austrian School of economics is a heterodox school of economic thought. It advocates methodological individualism in interpreting economic developments , the theory that money is non-neutral, the theory that the capital structure of economies consists of heterogeneous goods that have...
. In professing "a sparkling and shining individualism
Individualism
Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that stresses "the moral worth of the individual". Individualists promote the exercise of one's goals and desires and so value independence and self-reliance while opposing most external interference upon one's own...
" while "it advocates some kind of procedure to interfere with the processes of a free market
Free market
A free market is a competitive market where prices are determined by supply and demand. However, the term is also commonly used for markets in which economic intervention and regulation by the state is limited to tax collection, and enforcement of private ownership and contracts...
", anarchism seemed to LeFevre to be self-contradictory. He situated the fundamental premise of autarchy within the Stoicism
Stoicism
Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the early . The Stoics taught that destructive emotions resulted from errors in judgment, and that a sage, or person of "moral and intellectual perfection," would not suffer such emotions.Stoics were concerned...
of philosophers such as Zeno
Zeno of Citium
Zeno of Citium was a Greek philosopher from Citium . Zeno was the founder of the Stoic school of philosophy, which he taught in Athens from about 300 BC. Based on the moral ideas of the Cynics, Stoicism laid great emphasis on goodness and peace of mind gained from living a life of virtue in...
, Epicurus
Epicurus
Epicurus was an ancient Greek philosopher and the founder of the school of philosophy called Epicureanism.Only a few fragments and letters remain of Epicurus's 300 written works...
and Marcus Aurelius, which he summarized in the credo, "Control yourself". Fusing these influences together, he arrived at the autarchist philosophy: "The Stoics provide the moral framework; the Epicureans
Epicureanism
Epicureanism is a system of philosophy based upon the teachings of Epicurus, founded around 307 BC. Epicurus was an atomic materialist, following in the steps of Democritus. His materialism led him to a general attack on superstition and divine intervention. Following Aristippus—about whom...
, the motivation; the praxeologists
Praxeology
Praxeology is the study of human action. Praxeology rejects the empirical methods of the natural sciences for the study of human action, because the observation of how humans act in simple situations cannot predict how they will act in complex situations...
, the methodology. I propose to call this package of ideological systems autarchy, because autarchy means self-rule." LeFevre stated that "the bridge between Spooner
Lysander Spooner
Lysander Spooner was an American individualist anarchist, political philosopher, Deist, abolitionist, supporter of the labor movement, legal theorist, and entrepreneur of the nineteenth century. He is also known for competing with the U.S...
and modern-day autarchists was constructed primarily by persons such as H. L. Mencken
H. L. Mencken
Henry Louis "H. L." Mencken was an American journalist, essayist, magazine editor, satirist, acerbic critic of American life and culture, and a scholar of American English. Known as the "Sage of Baltimore", he is regarded as one of the most influential American writers and prose stylists of the...
, Albert Jay Nock
Albert Jay Nock
Albert Jay Nock was an influential United States libertarian author, educational theorist, and social critic of the early and middle 20th century.- Life and work :...
, and Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
".
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American essayist, lecturer, and poet, who led the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century...
, although he did not call himself an autarchist, is considered to have espoused autarchy. Philip Jenkins
Philip Jenkins
Philip Jenkins is as of 2010 the Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of Humanities at Pennsylvania State University . He was Professor and a Distinguished Professor of History and Religious studies at the same institution; and also assistant, associate and then full professor of Criminal Justice and...
has stated that "Emersonian ideas stressed individual liberation, autarchy, self-sufficiency and self-government, and strenuously opposed social conformity.". Robert D. Richardson
Robert D. Richardson
Robert D. Richardson is an American historian, and biographer.-Life:He was brought up in Medford, Massachusetts and Concord, Massachusetts.He graduated from Exeter, in 1952,and from Harvard University, with a PhD....
stated that the anarchy Emerson had in mind "would be 'autarchy', rule by self".
The essay "Autarchy, or, the art of self government," published in 1691 in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and listing the author as "G.B.," is attributed to George Burghope by NUC and to both Burghope and George Bright by Donald Goddard Wing
Donald Goddard Wing
Donald Wing, an Associate Librarian at Yale University from 1939 to 1970, is best known for his publication of the bibliographic work A Short-Title Catalogue of Books Printed in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and British America and of the English Books Printed in Other Countries, 1641-1700 ,...
.
External links
- Politics by Ralph Waldo Emerson - In it, he advocates the practice of self-government as the most rightful way to organize individuals in society (1844).
- The Nature of Man and His Government by Robert LeFevre - an introduction by Rose Wilder LaneRose Wilder LaneRose Wilder Lane was an American journalist, travel writer, novelist, and political theorist...
(1959). - On the Other Hand by Robert LeFevre - Rampart Journal of Individualist Thought Vol. 2, No. 2 (Summer, 1966): 83–88
- Self-Government by Donald J. Boudreaux - The Freeman: Ideas on Liberty - September 2000 Vol. 50 No. 9
- The Center For Self Rule - Educational organization advocating Autarchism