In recent years, there has been an increase in people who promote ideologies which they wrongly associate with anarchism and libertarianism. Much of this has to do with an increase in the number of people who claim to be "anti-government", but who actually aren't against the state and who are for systemic things like capitalism which can't survive without states. We'd like to shed some light on these people, groups, websites and projects which claim to be anarchist and/or libertarian, but are everything but.
How To Spot Fake Anarchists?
- They say they aren't feminists or post derogatory memes about feminism. Anarchists are feminists. Some of the fake anarchists have ties to the men's rights movement (MRA), which is notoriously anti-women.
- They post memes or comments opposing Black Lives Matter or any protest over racism and police brutality lead by people of color. Anarchists support Black Lives Matter. Anti-racism is central to anarchist ideas and practice.
- Yellow and black flags, graphics, and color schemes. These are the trappings of "anarcho-capitalism" which is a contradiction in terms. As anarchists have pointed out for 150 years (as well as many economists), you can't have capitalism without the state. Real anarchists are opposed to capitalism and states. This has been the case for 150 years.
- Fake anarchists show little interest in worker organizing. While many anarchists have critiques of big unions, fake anarchists show little solidarity for working people.
- Fake anarchists never post news about activist campaigns that anarchists are involved in. They never post about anarchist prisoners.
- Fake anarchists complain about taxes, big government, regulations and other middle class priorities that aren't any different than your typical Reagan conservative.
Fake Anarchists
Anarcho-Capitalists
Anarcho-capitalism is an oxymoron, which all anarchists dismiss as an absurd contradiction and ignorance about anarchism. An Anarchist FAQ explains at length why anarcho-capitalism is not a form of anarchism. Anarchist are anti- state and therefore against capitalism, which cannot exist without the state. Generations of anarchists over the past 150 years have all been anti- capitalist. Anarcho-capitalists are not activists and don't engage in the forms of activism and protest that most anarchists organize and participate in. Anarcho-capitalists will frequently talk about voluntaryism, markets and the non-aggression principle.
The Free Thought Project has a Facebook page with lots of fans, which it supplies with a steady feed of memes critical of the police and the government. They also frequently post memes about various conspiracy theories. They don't often present themselves as anarchists, more as libertarians. But don't be fooled by their fake libertarian messages. These folks are anarcho-capitalists. They are more concerned with promoting Bitcoin and the gold standard over anti-racism, feminism, anti-capitalism or any kind of activism.
Anarchy is Love has all of the trappings of an anarchist page/blog. Lots of red and black graphics, anarchy symbols, and militant fists. But they may dress like anarchists, but they feed their fans with a stream of anarch-capitalist nonsense, Bitcoin promotion and just all kinds of nonsense. Regularly posts comments that are hateful towards women, people of color, and LGBTQ people. Can't stand Black Lives Matter, a movement that is supported by anarchists. Should be considered a troll page.
Here is an example of Anarchy is Love sounding exactly like any right wing bigot you'd find on Twitter. It's often hard for right wing trolls to hide their own opinions when it comes to Black Lives Matter or anything having to do with patriotism.
If you see the yellow and black color scheme, they are probably fake anarchists.
A very basic page with the name Anarchism, but the yellow/black color scheme is an obvious sign that anarcho-capitalists are busy in their mom's basements.
National Anarchists
Anarchists are against nationalism, fascism and racism. If you are against states, then you are logically going to oppose nationalism, which is the worship of states. National anarchists are very few in number, but they often espouse white supremacist, fascist and similar ideas, often cloaking their real agenda in stuff that looks anarchist.
Alternatives
If you are anti-capitalist and are interested in market alternatives as the basis of your economics, you might want to check out mutualism and the Center for a Stateless Society.
Fake Libertarians
In most of the world, when you ask people what a libertarian is, they will say that a libertarian is the same as an anarchist. Many anarchists call themselves left libertarians to illustrate that anarchism is the same as libertarianism. Anarchists are for liberty, from the state, corporations, the patriarchy, white supremacy, and all authorities and powerful, coercive institutions. In the U.S., over the past half century, some we call Big 'L" libertarianism has grown, often identified with the Libertarian Party, which runs candidates for government office. Their actual politics and economic affiliation could be described as "Republican Lite," in that they are pro- capitalist, favor small government, but usually don't affiliate with the crazy social agenda of the Republican Party.
Libertarian Party
The Libertarian Party is a long-running alternative political party in the United States. Some people refer to the LP as "the party for Republicans who like to smoke pot." Libertarian Party libertarians tend to agree with Republicans on economic and foreign policy positions, but aren't on board with the recent Republican domestic policies. One exception is that LP types often are opposed to U.S. wars.
The Libertarian Party is for a limited state, but they aren't anti- statist or anti-capitalist. They run candidates for political office, which means that they seek to create new politicians who may say they are for less government, but are still part of that government. They aspire to get government positions that have power over people, which is something real anarchists and libertarians oppose.
