: Well there are the two kind of classic anarchist responses to this in my experience (perhaps Farinata/Gideon could enlighten us further):: A) Summary Justice, Kneecap the bastards, direct action, mob retribution, retalitory anti-criminal violence, in a way this works, the guys who have had their legs removed in Northern Ireland with 12 bore shotguns arent likely to be joy riding again but is this really any kind of 'torture free' alternative to incarceration?
It's certainly not torture free; in fact, it's probably a lifelong disability with lifelong pain and discomfort. Also, the thing about rough justice is that the justice meted out is measured by the passions of those involved, and if those involved are particularly angry, the "justice" will reflect that. Consider all hot- and cold-blooded justice. When your child decides to burn the contents of your wallet in order to see the pretty colors, your first angry response might be to knock his head off, but when you simmer down, the punishment will be more measured, and hopefully more effective both as a deterrent, and as rehabilitation. Outraged citizen posses don't engage in this kind of reflection, and neither do they consider any facts which might mediate the punishment. Thanks, but I'll stick with a judge who must abide by the written law.
: B) There isnt going to be any crime post-revolution, now I just think this is naive, you can say 'the kingdom of god is at hand' or the 'the revolution has changed all' but the fact is it doesnt.
Agreed. People have emotions: emotions can run hot, and hot-running emotions can lead to crime. People are irrational: irrationality can lead to impetuous and reckless decisions which harm others...crime again.
: : As for how any society can function without some form of group consensus and rules, i.e., government, enlighten me please (really).
: Well, I've always thought that the really smart Anarchists have realised the need for some lind of executive authority, like the Trade Union or Council Communist Congress or Central Union or Anarchist Flying Columns, but have demanded that such authority, if it is to be legitimate, be tempered by libertarianism and popular control and established through trial and error, which is something I could agree with couldnt you?
Certainly, and I believe that this can be achieved thru the democratic process under a system with clean campaign finance laws.
You still haven't told me if you've ever heard of Lurgan, N. Ireland. My wife has relatives there, and her mom's going there soon.
: This was the approach of D A de Santillan the Syndicalist theorist of the Spainish Anarchist Contingent in the Civil War, who advocated the jailing rather than mass execution of facists because it was more in accordance with libertarian principles (which I regard as remarkable, possibly far too, generous considering that reports where coming out of Facist prisons that sometimes the rooms where a foot deep in blood because of all the mass slaughter of reds that was going on), but then maybe D A de Santillan doesnt count because a US syndicalist anarchist commented once that he was also at the forefront of the '20th century reform not 19th century revolution' movement that held that FDR etc. where pretty much Socialism achieved.
