Where does the moral authority to govern come from?

[HonestJoe]

As an anarchist, I don’t believe that governments should be a thing. No individual, or group of individuals, have the right to govern ME! I don’t understand where this supposed authority comes from.

I think the key is recognising that "the government" isn't some outside force but something we're all essentially part of. Government comes about when a group of people get together to form a large social group since when such a group gets big enough, it requires some form of organisational and governing structure. This existed in tribal groups and animal packs long before the concept of government was in any way formalised. The authority comes from the fact that we all implicitly agree to live within this structure.

You can (in theory at least) remove yourself from this, but you can't just remove yourself from the negative (in your point of view) you also need to give up the positives of being part of this structured grouping. In modern terms, you're free to leave your country and thus leave the authority of the government. A few people have even done it though they tend to end up forming their over governments, if only informally.

Government has authority over me because I let it, with the understanding that it has the same authority over everyone else around me and that we all have some say in how that authority is applied. It is complex, messy and imperfect in practice, especially at scale, but that is the underlying principle all the same.

 

[Koldo]

As an anarchist, I don’t believe that governments should be a thing. No individual, or group of individuals, have the right to govern ME! I don’t understand where this supposed authority comes from. I’ve heard a few reasonings as to why government has that authority. Friends have told me that government is inevitable, for example. I don’t agree with that statement. Even if government is inevitable, that doesn’t give them the moral authority to assume governance of me. Do people believe in the social contract? If you’re a statist, why do you feel like the state has the authority to govern you?

I also find it inevitable. Therefore whether it has some sort of moral authority seems like an unimportant point to me.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Well, one might be able to find some isolated, out of the way spots to settle. I agree it's possible to maintain a low profile and remain unnoticed, especially if one lives "off the grid" so to speak. But technically, they would still be under some government's jurisdiction wherever they go. Even Antarctica is governed by international treaty.

Technically? Sure. They would be.
Practically? Not so much. I've lived in a basically lawless land.

 

[Stevicus]

Technically? Sure. They would be.
Practically? Not so much. I've lived in a basically lawless land.

I remember you've said previously that you spent some time in Papua New Guinea. Is that what you're referring to?

 

[Aupmanyav]

All societies have rules which help it to be peaceful and prosperous. Democracy, however faulty, represents the majority. Are you truly an anarchist? Can you suggest the anarchist way of life?

 

[an anarchist]

A government is a government because it can actually govern; that is force your obedience and punish disloyalty when necessary. Power and morality are two very different things.

Nothing to do with morality.

There is no "moral authority" to govern. There is, however, a functional
necessity for it.

If it is generally seen that government does not have moral authority, well I just supposed anarchism would be a more popular thought. Perhaps not. It makes sense I guess, people just generally accepting who’s in charge and getting on with their lives. But what if no one accepted the government, due to their lack of moral authority!?
Perhaps government isn’t necessary; it’s necessity is simply an illusion propagated by government itself.

 

[an anarchist]

Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,

Well they don’t have my consent

 

[an anarchist]

All one can do is to hope that one's government is moral.

We can do so much more than this. Well I’d argue that government itself is immoral so there is no hoping for a moral government. I feel like as a species, we can evolve beyond the inevitability of government. We just need to collectively choose not to participate.

 

[ChristineM]

Perhaps government isn’t necessary; it’s necessity is simply an illusion propagated by government itself.

It depends what you want out of life, personally i am quite fond of a good transport infrastructure, cooperation between localities and countries, a good, varied supply of food. You know, little things like that.

Of course of you are happy to stay in your own little world and ignoring everyone outside a walking distance radius of home and live off turnips all your life then who needs government anyway?

 

[Koldo]

If it is generally seen that government does not have moral authority, well I just supposed anarchism would be a more popular thought. Perhaps not. It makes sense I guess, people just generally accepting who’s in charge and getting on with their lives. But what if no one accepted the government, due to their lack of moral authority!?
Perhaps government isn’t necessary; it’s necessity is simply an illusion propagated by government itself.

Someone would rise up to seize the power one way or another. The absence of a formal government wouldn't entail being free to live your life however you wish.

 

[an anarchist]

It depends what you want out of life, personally i am quite fond of a good transport infrastructure, cooperation between localities and countries, a good, varied supply of food. You know, little things like that.

Food, community, infrastructure, transportation, etc.. Those things don’t need government to exist. The government would like people to think that they are necessary for those things, though.

Of course of you are happy to stay in your own little world and ignoring everyone outside a walking distance radius of home and live off turnips all your life then who needs government anyway?

That sounds ideal

 

[epronovost]

Perhaps government isn’t necessary; it’s necessity is simply an illusion propagated by government itself.

How could you have a society without systems of power to solve problems and resolve conflicts within the members of a society? I guess I need to say it, but anarchism isn't opposed to government; it's opposed to social hierarchies.

 

[PureX]

If it is generally seen that government does not have moral authority, well I just supposed anarchism would be a more popular thought. Perhaps not. It makes sense I guess, people just generally accepting who’s in charge and getting on with their lives. But what if no one accepted the government, due to their lack of moral authority!?
Perhaps government isn’t necessary; it’s necessity is simply an illusion propagated by government itself.

History has shown humanity that it must learn how to govern itself or languish as dumb animals. We have not yet learned how to successfully govern ourselves but I do think we're progressing in that direction. Unfortunately, our technology is progressing faster than we are, and we may destroy ourselves before we can achieve the goal.

Keep in mind that morality is determined by ethical imperative. When the imperative is selfishness. the result is competition and strife. When the imperative is collective well-being, the result is cooperation and prosperity.

 

[ChristineM]

Food, community, infrastructure, transportation, etc.. Those things don’t need government to exist. The government would like people to think that they are necessary for those things, though.

That sounds ideal

They actually do need government to finance and coordinate planning. Without it just would not happen and and we would be back in the dark ages.

 

[osgart]

Every human being must contend with vices and face up to the virtues in order to form any kind of civilization. The ones that do it the best will succeed to the degree they face up. It all depends on the majority with means to power and influence how they want to build or tear apart society.

 

[Twilight Hue]

As an anarchist, I don’t believe that governments should be a thing. No individual, or group of individuals, have the right to govern ME! I don’t understand where this supposed authority comes from. I’ve heard a few reasonings as to why government has that authority. Friends have told me that government is inevitable, for example. I don’t agree with that statement. Even if government is inevitable, that doesn’t give them the moral authority to assume governance of me. Do people believe in the social contract? If you’re a statist, why do you feel like the state has the authority to govern you?

I think the common good is valid up to a point, but it's equally if not more important to never forget its individuals that are at the source of any common good.

To affect that source negatively is a cancer IMV.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Well they don’t have my consent

They don't need it.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Food, community, infrastructure, transportation, etc.. Those things don’t need government to exist. The government would like people to think that they are necessary for those things, though.

That sounds ideal

They pretty much do. How do you think that they could exist without government? And yes, if you use them with your attitude that does make you a hypocrite.

 

[Subduction Zone]

We can do so much more than this. Well I’d argue that government itself is immoral so there is no hoping for a moral government. I feel like as a species, we can evolve beyond the inevitability of government. We just need to collectively choose not to participate.

How? If you want to claim it is possible you have to show how.

 

[Augustus]

As an anarchist, I don’t believe that governments should be a thing. No individual, or group of individuals, have the right to govern ME! I don’t understand where this supposed authority comes from. I’ve heard a few reasonings as to why government has that authority. Friends have told me that government is inevitable, for example. I don’t agree with that statement. Even if government is inevitable, that doesn’t give them the moral authority to assume governance of me. Do people believe in the social contract? If you’re a statist, why do you feel like the state has the authority to govern you?

I'd say the key factor for most people is safety/security.

People with an absence of this will usually happy give near any authority to a government that provides it.