Ancapistan – Being Libertarian

Ancapistan is a Facebook group with a membership count which towers way past the landmark 20,000 number and into a haven for shitposting and memes. The group centres on the anarcho-capitalist ideology and gives the politically minded of us a chance to laugh at a number of jokes that have spawned from the ideology.

Anarcho-capitalism is essentially a belief which is founded on the theories of economists Hans-Herman Hoppe and Murray Rothbard which advocate the elimination of the state in favour of market-based solutions. Due to their support for the elimination of the state, and the somewhat clumsy way in which anarchists detail their solutions to crime, those from other sets of ideals pile in to this Facebook group to mock and ridicule anarcho-capitalists. This is primarily done through the use of a 90s clip-art smiley which is edited to display the ancap colours and is juxtaposed to a hyperbole scenario in which massive corporations such as McDonalds descend into hilarious warlord scenarios. The contrast of a meme featuring an innocent slice of the Internet wearing sunglasses becomes significantly darker when it is featured with text which elaborates on how child slaves would be bought and sold and trained to be soldiers.

The group itself has developed a cult status and amassed a few popular names such as The Rebel journalist and infamous provocateur Lauren Southern and the equally notorious Martin Shkreli.

So, with the dastardly devils of the online underbelly clinging on to a Facebook group, what can one expect? All of the usual suspects can be found lurking and posting in Ancapistan; communists, fascists, antifascists, socialists, other anarchists, the occasional feminist, a handful of minarchists, a sprinkling of the libertarian community and of course the anarcho-capitalists.

So, given that Pandoras black and yellow box has been subtly opened by Lauren Southern on her Facebook page, and has been unleashed through Stefan Molyneux, one can deduct that those in the mainstream libertarian and political culture are being inundated by ancap communities. The invitation to join anarcho-capitalism is further accentuated through their open mockery of themselves.

No one likes fun police.

So, it would only make sense that those that wish to abolish the police should learn to kick off their loafers* after a hard day at work* and practice the fine art of self-deprecation. *Editors note: communists should feel free to replace loafers with potato sacks tied around ankles and work with state sanctioned forced labour camps.

In an interview with the man behind the machinations, he disclosed to me the impact that humour has made in the growing spread of far-right libertarians and anarcho-capitalism.

The main admin (Madmin) refused to have his name disclosed, although he offered an insight into the concerns he has with anarcho-capitalism, and the ways in which it has prevented itself from being embraced by traditional libertarians.

You can see those who call themselves libertarian, such as Austin Petersen, mocked for even suggesting any involvement of the state in the lives of its citizens as well, with Petersen being booed at the LP conference for suggesting that heroin should not be sold to underage children. he explained. I wouldnt say that theres really an ancap cause so to speak, but we certainly have exposed some of the basic flaws in its ideology.

The other admins and myself find sympathy in libertarian ideals, but a complete removal of the state is, in my eyes, an idiotic move. It would result in the warlords and the hyperbolic situations that we joke about, albeit to a lesser extent, he added.

Madmins admirable administration to such a massive group is assisted by a number of other administrators that have all found the ability to gather in unity and have a laugh at the expense of those in favour of abolishing the state and letting the free market do its work.

Should you wish to join a cavalcade of jokes about unregulated nuclear weaponry, selling heroin to children, the legalisation of child slaves for prostitution or war, the following link will take you to the Facebook group: Ancapistan

I say without any hint of sarcasm that the anarchist movement has been greatly perpetuated by the humour of those involved and the determination to allow free speech to flow and critique their own ideals. By demonstrating that one can take a joke, a precedent is set for a libertarian future.

This post was written by David McManus.

The views expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect our views and opinions.

David McManus has an extensive background in youth politics and of advocacy with regards to the libertarian and anarcho-capitalist movements. David draws his values from the works of Stirner, Hoppe and Rothbard. He is currently a student in Australia with a passion for writing, which carries into a healthy zest for liberty-based activism. Despite an aspiring career in politics, he considers himself a writer at heart with a steady niche for freelance work.

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Ancapistan - Being Libertarian