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Instead of Politics: (Civilization 101) Paperback – November 17, 2010
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I. Natural Government
II. The Artifice of Monopoly
III. The Blackened Market
IV. The Faces of Tyranny
V. The Heart of the Beast
B. Property and Order
I. The Nature of Property
II. Pollution = Collectivism
III. The Mysteries of War
IV. Elements of Security
V. Escape from Utopia
Politics is an unnecessary evil. An intrusive and corrupt institution that sharply opposes the unanimous and natural civilizing processes of a free society, its creature - the state - has amazingly been lugged all the way into the twenty-first century by its subjects.
This book, by displaying its hypocrisy, astronomical cost, and obsolescence, finally finishes it off, and drives the nails in its coffin.
Packed full of hilarious, thought-provoking cartoons by Rex May (Baloo), this book exposes myth after political myth and lays the farce of majoritarian and authoritarian politics bare for all to see. But it doesn't stop there. It shows how a civil society naturally emerges as these bureaucrat-wielding autocrats retreat, it shows how to make them retreat, and it offers a glimpse of what the world will look like once mankind finally lets go of leviathan.
These monopolizers of knowledge would have us believe that we are all just helpless sheep if we don't have them around as our big brother. While deep in our souls, we want them off our backs, we are conditioned by them to be afraid to let go. But as long as we keep feeding them, they will keep biting our hands.
Is it possible for us mere mortals to survive on our own - without politics? Indeed it is! If anything threatens our survival, it is politics itself - surrendering our ability to make our own decisions, while treating politicians as gods, giving them immunity from accountability for their own actions.
This book demonstrates that the road from a political society to a civil society is far less bumpy than the pothole littered alternative of staying the course. It's as easy as letting go. because the solutions present themselves as politicians get out of the way. The laws of nature can not be legislated, prohibited, or rewritten by politicians, no matter how "humanitarian" they claim to be. Maintaining the political parasite class never fails to do far more harm than good to us - the working class.
There is clearly life after politics. This book proves it.
- Print length436 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateNovember 17, 2010
- Dimensions6 x 0.99 x 9 inches
- ISBN-101453712690
- ISBN-13978-1453712696
Product details
- Publisher : CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (November 17, 2010)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 436 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1453712690
- ISBN-13 : 978-1453712696
- Item Weight : 1.28 pounds
- Dimensions : 6 x 0.99 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #6,801,871 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,410 in Free Enterprise & Capitalism
- #239,614 in Politics & Government (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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This well constructed tome regarding the free market is written out in enough detail to make clear how such a free market can work and work well. Toward the end the author dispels the typical claim that the people that desire a free market desire a Utopia by pointing out it would not be and those same critics, not seeing an improvement to our present government are the ones thinking they already have a Utopia ie; "This is as good as it gets!".
I've recommended this book to some of my closest friends and now I am recommending it here. This book can serve as both a fantastic introduction to the free market and reduced government as well as a comprehensive explanation and/or source for those that have been reading on this subject for some time.
It makes arguments by stating assumptions that are never proven. If the premises are provable, then I would have appreciated knowing where these claims were coming from. As it stands it is entirely unconvincing and even annoying.
The basic thesis of anarchy is fascinating. Sorry I wasted my time with this crappy book
Instead of Politics consists of one short introduction and two long sections. Each section is divided into five chapters. Each chapter is subdivided into multiple subchapters. Each subchapter is immediately followed by several cartoons (courtesy of cartoonist Rex F. May). The anti-state cartoons are reminiscent of the cartoons effectively employed in Walter Block's 1976 libertarian classic Defending the Undefendable.
Kosanke's Introduction quickly relates the purpose of the book: 'So in publishing this booklet, my goal is to expose politics for what it is, set the record straight, and thus permit mankind to see and prevent its own manipulation.' He then depicts his consequentialist method: 'By demonstrating the most elementary market principles, I will put the almighty state before the tribunal and jury of contemporary man.' The author concludes the Introduction with a resolute call for action: 'I will do my part to nudge my fellow bearers of light to join in my quest to forever affix this imposter--this "Caesar"--to his own Appian cross ... We will be his slaves no more, for we will no longer grant him the means to compel us.'
Section A, "Man versus State," builds the foundation for a free-market society. Kosanke demonstrates, via empirical evidence, that the civilizing forces of the free-market are incompatible with and contrary to politics. The author proves that the seemingly eternal struggle between man and state is wholly unnecessary.
In Section A Chapter 1, "Natural Government," Kosanke details the self-governing character of an unobstructed market, the nature of money as a medium of exchange, the positive role of technological advancement in the evolution of society, the value of advertising, the necessity of risk for progress, and the importance of non-compulsory insurance. He also explains the inefficiency of monopoly, the danger of a distorted price system, the decivilizing philosophy of the neoLuddites, the futility of regulation, the failure of collectivism to deal with catastrophe, and the deleterious consequences of the centralization of the U.S. banking system. An especially insightful discussion links medical competition to the adoption of healthy lifestyles.
In Chapter 2, "The Artifice of Monopoly," Kosanke explicates the symbiotic relationship between monopolists and states, the reasons states pursue prohibition, the connection between foreign aid and tyranny, how licensing increases prices, and the existence of the market for the elimination of the state. He promotes the abolition of various state evils, particularly anti-trust legislation, transnational subsidies, compulsory licensing, and censorship. A comparison of Marx's 10 planks for the communist state to current policies of the United States government reminds readers of the danger bureaucratic monopolization poses to civilization.
Kosanke utilizes Chapter 3, "The Blackened Market," to show the immediate negative effects of state legislation. He critiques prohibition, compulsory monopoly legal systems, central economic planning, and utopianism. A review of CIA/DEA involvement in international drug smuggling illustrates the inevitable hypocrisy of prohibition; discerning analysis of contracts, bribery, "fair" prices, and "equilibrium" economics is also supplied.
Chapter 4, "The Faces of Tyranny," is Kosanke's opportunity to pan "free trade" agreements, price controls, the minimum wage, collectivist unions, and "full" employment. To replace those political policies, Kosanke supports legitimate free trade and price/wage/employment competition. A brief explanation of the difference between discrimination and slavery is illuminating.
The highlight of Chapter 5, "The Heart of the Beast," is the author's dissection of the mechanics of global statist intellectual monopoly via a comprehensive analysis of disparate conspiracy theories. This chapter also explores free versus central banking, the causes of inflation, economic propaganda, and the interdependencies between finance and media and empire. Kosanke consistently chooses liberty.
Section B, "Property and Order," erects the superstructure of a free-market society. The author demonstrates that property rights create and maintain order. Kosanke proves, via empirical evidence, that the abolition of property rights destroys and corrupts order and must be prevented by rejecting statism.
In Section B Chapter 1, "The Nature of Property," Kosanke praises private security markets, non-state property ownership, population distribution based on cost of living rather than coercion, and the economic law of supply and demand. Conversely, he rebukes zoning, taxation, rent control, and, last but certainly not least, state-induced famine. A short discourse coupling lower property taxes to greater wildlife capacity is worth numerous readings.
Chapter 2, "Pollution = Collectivism," contains a brilliant passage challenging environmentalist dogma. The following sentence is my favorite: 'While it is inevitable that mankind will not be able to prevent the extinction of most existing species, he is their best and only hope.' Additional Kosanke targets include the substitution of criminal law for tort law, state "ownership" of property, "cap and trade" legislation, and federal control of transportation maintenance and improvement. Concepts positively reviewed by the author include conservation, for-profit hunting/game ranges/parks, strict pollution accountability, and user fees.
Chapter 3, "The Mysteries of War," condemns war, reflexive obedience to authority, tribalism, pro-war propaganda, the military draft, and the military-industrial complex. Kosanke exposes the horrifying consequences of statism to all societies by connecting, in my favorite portion of the book, Hitler's Operation Himmler, Reichstag Fire Decree, and Enabling Act of 1933 to Operation Northwoods to the Milgram experiment to the War on Terrorism, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Transportation Security Administration. Simultaneously, the author recommends skepticism, political heresy, the marketplace of ideas, reason, a "no first strike" military policy, and the abolition of foreign aid as strategies to minimize war.
Kosanke urges the adoption of private security, religious freedom, media deregulation, market-based crime prevention, and law reduction in Chapter 4, "The Elements of Security." He slams, in no particular order, imperialism, democracy, the Federal Communications Commission, prison violence, and "gun control." A brief examination of state and federal violations of the 4th Amendment confirms that the Founding Fathers were not as "paranoid" about state power as they should have been.
In "Escape from Utopia," the final chapter, Kosanke decimates any remaining justifications for the state by rejecting such philosophical absurdities as the social contract, democracy, elections, crony capitalism, "voluntary" taxation, political "reform," the political line scale, and collectivism. He also furnishes a fascinating review of modern Japanese fascism, reinforcing the fact that political injustice does not vary with geography or race or nationality. To end his tome, the author posits the following non-political alternatives: individual sovereignty, free trade, free markets, voluntaryism, civil disobedience, tax resistance, Civil Order Pacts, and private security/insurance/arbitration.
However, Instead of Politics is not, in my opinion, a work of perfection. My perusal of this opus (admittedly a Rothbardian deontological market anarchist perusal) unearthed three minor flaws. First, Kosanke's preference to concentrate on cause and effect excludes presentation of a deontological justification for liberty. Second, the decision to provide empirical evidence rather than proselytize prevents the clear identification of the author's preferred end (minarchism vs. market anarchism). Third, the statement in Section B Chapter 3 that suicide is "the purest form of selflessness" is a controversial idea disputed by many philosophers and bioethicists.
In conclusion, John Kosanke's new book Instead of Politics is a sweeping consequentialist plea for a free-market society. Kosanke expertly delineates the inevitable negative consequences of statism and the inevitable positive consequences of liberty. I recommend the purchase of this pro-freedom work, minor objections notwithstanding, and plan to use the author's reasoning to fortify my intellect with powerful utilitarian arguments for market anarchism.