“Why Doesn’t Anarchy Work?” (Quora)

Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Why doesn’t anarchy work?“

A society with no governing body cannot survive. It needs a head that determines and a body that executes.

Anarchy states that there should be no head.

In any system, however, there is a head and a body. What would a head do without a body, or a body without a head? What would activate the body? Our problem is that we cannot build such ideal and correct systems where the head knows what benefits the body, and the body knows how to communicate with the head.

The problem we encounter today is that the head part of society has self-interest at heart. It is because the human ego (the desire to enjoy at the expense of others) is in control. Until you extract the ego from everyone, remaining without the divisive and destructive force, you could never build a harmoniously functioning society.

So what should we do? What does a harmoniously functioning society require?

As we grow increasingly egoistic, society becomes increasingly needy of a system that would keep it sustained in a state of balance. Balance in society requires us to consistently nurture positive connection above the growing ego and the divisiveness it brings.

Human nature is anarchic. At its foundation, it is ready to destroy everything for self-aimed enjoyment, and this is the source of all division and conflict.

However, through the environment, we can influence human nature to positively direct its desires and needs for collective betterment.

Therefore, the body is not to blame for its shortcomings. It is governed by the head. Thus, the head needs to know the laws of nature, how to balance society, to bring society into increasing balance above the constantly growing ego, and to constantly work to fulfill the yearnings and desires of the collective of society.

The head cannot be anarchic: it needs to see where it leads the body according to nature’s tendency, and then we will certainly reach, in a positive, pleasant and healthy way, more and more states nature has paved for us. The head needs to function similarly to Sanhedrin, constantly discussing and sharing with the people how they bring the laws to them.