Anarchism.

Philosophical anarchism maintains that government is unnecessary, and if only people were to take responsibility for themselves and their affairs, government wouldn't be necessary. I personally think that is rather simplistic, because if a number of human beings want to undertake some joint enterprise, then some kind of organisational apparatus is necessary. Also it seems to me that philosophical anarchism does depend on a sort of Rousseauistic (that is to say over-optimistic) view of human nature. The influence of Rousseau has been very good in many ways, but I think in certain respects it's been absolutely pernicious, inasmuch as Rousseau was responsible for the spread of the idea that man was fundamentally good (which he might be in an ultimate metaphysical sense) but Rousseau meant it in a lesser sense. That if only there was no such thing as government, if only he removed all the kings, priests, officials, and so on and so forth, and just dismantled the whole hierarchical governmental apparatus, well then you would just have man in his perfection Rousseau almost suggests man as he was before the Fall, and then you would have a heaven upon Earth. We know now that it isn't as simple as that. But having said that, one must admit that in some ways anarchism does have a point. Many of our difficulties in our social and political life come from the fact that people do not take responsibility for themselves, and obviously the more people can take responsibility for themselves in then clearly the less of government will be necessary.

You can read Sangharakshita’s thoughts and reflections on:
Nietzsche, Milton, Handel and artistic inspiration.
Nietzsche, Goethe and the enemy.
Nietzsche, Zen and Sudden Enlightenment.
Kant, the Buddha and the limits of reason.
The limits of space and time.
Baudelaire and awareness of others.
Spiritual friends.
Giving style to one’s character.
Anarchism.
Schopenhauer and the will to live.
Schopenhauer and aesthetic appreciation.
Mozart and pauses.
Mozart and the unpredictable.
Mozart and the concentrated mind.

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Dernière mise à jour:
04 avril, 2007.