Could the world 'work' without governments/politicians?

[RikkiGT-R]

Dunno why, but this thought came to me earlier today.

Even take a single country for example - I'll go with the UK/Ireland seeing as I live there (ok that's a few countries but just go with it).

I was getting petrol earlier, and currently it's £1.35 per litre. Now I'm sure something ludicrous like £1 of that is tax (perhaps more - I'm not trying to be exact). Would it be feasible that without governments to take tax I could pay the 35 pence per litre going straight to the shop and petrol company who supplies it?

I'd be ok with road tax; that could go straight to a non-government department of roads and so that would still be in order.

Now obviously without the government taxing the life out of everything, there would be no NHS, but could we survive without one? We could still have a mandatory national insurance as a health policy, which would all go towards an operational health service.

No government would also mean no military (as we couldn't afford it without all the billions in taxes), but if no country had governments, then no country could afford a military so there would be no wars in the first place. Maybe the odd fist-fight on the border; a bit of handbags between a Frenchman and a Spaniard.

I could go on forever here, but I'd like to hear your thoughts on what you think the world would be like if every single government and politician disappeared overnight.

 

[risuku13]

I guess an ordered or enlightened anarchy would work. It's a slow process and everyone should cooperate (self-regulation, realization and control) and have a clean start (which is the really hard part). Right now, things that you (we) hate, such as bureaucracy, excessive taxes, corruption, abuse of power, etc. would still be present and just creep up to the private or corporate groups or equivalents.

 

[Slash]

Probably but it would be horrific until we all got our acts together.

 

[RikkiGT-R]

I meant to add that in this utopian fantasy of mine, there is still police forces and court systems.
The only thing removed is governments and ruling bodies like royal families etc.

 

[Lizard]

I meant to add that in this utopian fantasy of mine, there is still police forces and court systems.
The only thing removed is governments and ruling bodies like royal families etc.

How do you control the police and Courts?

You would have unfair punishments everywhere.

 

[TyrrellRacing]

So the police are run by whom ? An elected leader who determines laws etc. ?

Or would there be different private police forces with bounty hunters and hired "law enforcers" and the likes, leading to a massive criminal underworld and corruption.

No wars ? What's to stop a country banding together to violently overthrow other countries squabbling between themselves and instil a Government there ?

Anarchy seems great in theory but when you think it about it, it can't possibly work.

 

[RikkiGT-R]

How do you control the police and Courts?

You would have unfair punishments everywhere.

This is good. This is the sort of debate I'm trying to get going.
Would it not be possible to have a non-governmental police and courts ombudsman to ensure equality in the system?

 

[Nicksfix]

I'd like to hear your thoughts on what you think the world would be like if every single government and politician disappeared overnight.

Major League partying in the streets.

Anarchy seems great in theory but when you think it about it, it can't possibly work.

This. 👍

 

[RikkiGT-R]

I know it's not possible, but you can't just say "it's a nice thought, but it isn't possible..."
Tell me why not, or tell me the sort of things that would happen if all governments vanished overnight. Tell me what would need to change/happen/be put in place (apart from simply a new government!) for it to work.

I never intended this to be easy.

 

[TyrrellRacing]

What would happen if the Government disappeared overnight : Widespread violence and looting. People would have to form gangs for protection. Maybe some villages would conform to the idealistic form of anarchy, until they are attacked. Basically, Mad Max scenario.

Possible idea how anarchy could work : I think it could work if everyone conformed to a same religion which preached equality and morales, so long as non-believers who could threaten the existence of it were detested by the believers and subsequently removed. It would basically be just a brainwashed society which instead of complying to a Government, comply to a deity blindly. As long as the believers were the majority, I don't see why this wouldn't work.

 

[Liquid]

I know it's not possible, but you can't just say "it's a nice thought, but it isn't possible..."
Tell me why not, or tell me the sort of things that would happen if all governments vanished overnight. Tell me what would need to change/happen/be put in place (apart from simply a new government!) for it to work.

I never intended this to be easy.

Tell us how you plan of getting rid of the current systems and governments.

 

[Bopop4]

If people got rid of goverments after a while they would decide that they needed order and after a while it would be the exact same thing as what we have now.

 

[RikkiGT-R]

Tell us how you plan of getting rid of the current systems and governments.

It's a hypothetical question, not a foundation for an actual plan.

Just supposing we wake up tomorrow to find all ruling bodies have vanished, how would mankind survive?

 

[aadil717]

I don't think it'd work. Without a ruling body, any idiot can take control or be let loose without consequence. People are greedy.

However I do wish the government/politicians weren't so greedy. The world would be such a better place...

 

[RikkiGT-R]

Let's say the people that are left behind aren't greedy in nature and decide to work together for a better world, could we do it?
Do we need government to wipe our asses? You can put any 'just supposing' spin on this that you want...

*brain explode*

 

[aadil717]

Let's say the people that are left behind aren't greedy in nature and decide to work together for a better world, could we do it?
Do we need government to wipe our asses? You can put any 'just supposing' spin on this that you want...

*brain explode*

Personally, I don't understand how that'd work for more than a few years.

People are too complex to act like sheep or live normal day to day lives - what's normal to some isn't normal to others - which proves my point.

I just think the general public given the responsibility to run the world on their own wouldn't work. There needs to be order and law IMO for society to work.

 

[CMvan46]

Let's say the people that are left behind aren't greedy in nature and decide to work together for a better world, could we do it?
Do we need government to wipe our asses? You can put any 'just supposing' spin on this that you want...

*brain explode*

Except one flaw to this. People in general are greedy by nature.


My answer to the whole thing is no. And I have one excellent example described in one word:

Somalia.


As was said everybody is different and in ANY group you have leaders and followers. Anybody who played sports knows this and a natural bonding process occurs where a "pecking order" of sorts is unofficially determined even without formally appointing people. Without governments some people would gravitate to leadership roles to get things done and others are not comfortable doing so. Just the way people are.

 

[Liquid]

Just supposing we wake up tomorrow to find all ruling bodies have vanished, how would mankind survive?

In my opinion, we wouldn't. Think Lord of the Flies. There'd have to be some sort of deus ex machina otherwise we'd end up killing each other pretty quickly.

 

[aadil717]

Except one flaw to this. People in general are greedy by nature.

He got it. 👍

In my opinion, we wouldn't. Think Lord of the Flies.

I immediately though of Piggy. Even though I don't remember anything about the book anymore. 👎

 

[Roger the Horse]

If everyone was nice to each other, then yes. If one person was a nasty piece of work, then you'd expect problems to arise. Except of course the nice people would all club together and try to stop the nasty people. Anarchy would work for a while (unless of course the nasty people outnumbered the nice people), and then the nice people's clubbing together would lead to... government. It would be a cycle.

 

[Lizard]

Every time we seem to suggest a problem your solution seems to resemble a government more and more.

 

[aadil717]

Here's a thought:
At least without out governments and politicians we could maybe have the chance to end world poverty and famine. 👍

 

[RikkiGT-R]

Every time we seem to suggest a problem your solution seems to resemble a government more and more.

I do realise the irony. I just wanted to pick your brains a bit; see what you guys could come up with in the face of such extreme circumstances.
All I'm really getting is "it wouldn't work" and "we'd all kill each other". Is that it? We're simply not capable of surviving without corrupt fat cats bleeding us dry and ruling our lives for us?

.....................................................................

Side note, but on the subject of governments and taxing

This is something that amazes me, but is also obvious when you think about it: every single penny you spend goes to the government eventually. All of it.
As an example, I'll try to simplify it (not using exact figures)...

1. You buy a sofa for £500. £400 goes to the shop, £100 in tax.

2. Of that £400; the shop pays tax of £80 and also £200 to the builder/supplier.

3. This leaves clear profit of £120 for the shop. this is spent on various things including wages and so on, all of which are taxed, and then anything the wages are spent on by the employees are also taxed (repeating step 1 + 2 for any other shops the wages are spent in until the money is gone as it gradually reduces with tax).

4. The supplier gets £200, £40 of which is taxed, the rest is spent on materials, wages and so on, all of which are taxed.

5. This process repeats continually until the amount is so small that the last 10 pence is taxed for 2 pence, then the remaining 8 pence is taxed for 1.6 pence and so on and so forth.

So even though the tax rate in the UK is 20%, it is actually 100%, eventually...

 

[Northstar]

Here's a thought:
At least without out governments and politicians we could maybe have the chance to end world poverty and famine. 👍

It's impossible to eliminate poverty and you can't control the weather which means you can only control harvests so much.

 

[aadil717]

It's impossible to eliminate poverty and you can't control the weather which means you can only control harvests so much.

Scientists are developing wheat and other crops (GM'ing them) that are non perishable in climates.

And I'm sure they can develop systems like a huge greenhouse housing all the crops and watering them etc (yes we could also eventually provide people with unlimited water).

It's not impossible - have faith.

This free the world of poverty thing is of course hypothetical, but I'd think it would happen if you eliminate the politicians.

 

[CMvan46]

*An essay on economy*

Well hey you just figured out how nearly all economies work.

It's quite possible at some point all money in the USA has touched Bill Gates bank account at some point.

Of course all money will go to the government at some point but that is eventually injected back into the economy via any number of government funded services. That could be paying a paving company for road work, teachers, healthcare.... And so on.

 

[RikkiGT-R]

Well hey you just figured out how nearly all economies work.

"Essay on economy"

It's quite possible at some point all money in the USA has touched Bill Gates bank account at some point.

Joke, or serious?

Of course all money will go to the government at some point but that is eventually injected back into the economy via any number of government funded services. That could be paying a paving company for road work, teachers, healthcare.... And so on.

I've already mentioned a non-governmental road tax (or road charge/whatever), and mandatory health insurance. Teachers though, hmmm... Some kind of payment similar to health insurance, but for education?

 

[XoravaX]

I'm afraid that without military or a strong police force people could form paramilitary groups which are a huge risk to the stability of the whole society - with the weapons they could use power to their own will, thus establishing a totalitarian government.

Not that economy wouldn't work on its own, but the stability of the society and the willingness to obey laws would be difficult to maintain without governmental police force or military. I don't have trust in the whole humankind and its sense of ethics and moral alone, as there are always people who would like to profit from a given situation.

We wouldn't necessarily need any government-assisted healthcare or schooling, but that'd rule the poor people out from them. Road network is a system that'd pretty much require a some kind of a government, as it'd otherwise fall on individuals to maintain.

Also, along with a police force and a court we would need a third party, a system of some sort to pass on new laws, as both the police and court could arbitrarily control the whole society if either of them got the right to do so, they could just do it to their own will and then penalise people as they like.

 

[Northstar]

Scientists are developing wheat and other crops (GM'ing them) that are non perishable in climates.

And I'm sure they can develop systems like a huge greenhouse housing all the crops and watering them etc (yes we could also eventually provide people with unlimited water).

It's not impossible - have faith.

1) I was talking about the actual growing of crops and livestock. If there is a drought water dries up due to evaporation which means plants die which means livestock doesn't eat(than dies). Things like greenhouses can only make up for so much.

2) Where do you think the funding for this research is coming from? A majority of scientific research is government funded.

This free the world of poverty thing is of course hypothetical, but I'd think it would happen if you eliminate the politicians.

It's also a pipe dream, you will always have people with a lot of money, people with none and a majority of people inbetween.

That is also ignoring the fact that without government there would be no currency.

 

[XoravaX]

That is also ignoring the fact that without government there would be no currency.

Well, banks could easily establish a common currency.
If you've ever visited Northern Ireland, you'd know that all their banks press their own banknotes that have a common value in Pounds Sterling, so there are many different-looking £10 notes, for example. In addition to that, both Bank of England and Bank of Scotland (I'm not completely sure on BoS) notes are naturally eligible. It doesn't seem to be a problem that the notes don't share a common look.