What would society be like if there were no laws, no government and no police?

I have to draw create a cartoon illustrating what life would be like in these conditions. Do you guys have any ideas what I could draw? Doesn't have to be complex. This is for my A level class.

I've already touched upon themes such as separatism and anarchism. I also thought about drawing the evolution of man backwards but I'm not sure.

Any thoughts?

Reply 1

xoxAngel_Kxox

21

Like a pack of fighting dogs I'd imagine. If we lasted that long. No laws I assume extends to no requirement to pay for items so no need to work etc? No work = nothing being produced; so essentially back to cavemen. Or cavedogs.

Reply 2

Cutmeloose

15

nasty, brutish and short.

Reply 3

meenu89

19

Somalia comes to mind.

Reply 4

whyumadtho

14

People would self-organise to fulfil their collective interests more efficiently, which would bring about the creation of rule and order.

Reply 5

sugar-n-spice

1

I'd also attempt to impose use of sugar and spice as legal tender.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 6

AH94

10

Original post by Cutmeloose

nasty, brutish and short.

As Hobbes would say...

And I'd say it would be like anarchy - or maybe democracy (in time)?

Reply 7

RandomChap

Original post by xoxAngel_Kxox

Like a pack of fighting dogs I'd imagine. If we lasted that long. No laws I assume extends to no requirement to pay for items so no need to work etc? No work = nothing being produced; so essentially back to cavemen. Or cavedogs.

Original post by Cutmeloose

nasty, brutish and short.

Do you guys really think there wouldn't be some kind of civic order - vigilantes, communitarian watchmen, etc?

Would you want criminals roaming your neighbourhood? Do you think your neighbours would? Do you not think you wouldn't band together to protect your residencies?

Not saying it would be more effective than the State, and there would be other issues like resolving more complex disputes, but there really is no reason to believe in a complete social collapse.

Also, without all the red tape and bureacracy, policing would be more effective in a sense.

Original post by meenu89

Somalia comes to mind.

Ironically, the only place in Somalia where there is a lot ofviolence is Mogadishu - the only place where there is still a centralised government of sorts.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 8

sugar-n-spice

1

Original post by RandomChap

Do you guys really think there wouldn't be some kind of civic order - vigilantes, communitarian watchmen, etc.

Would you want criminals roaming your neighbourhood? Do you think your neighbours would?

Not saying it would be more effective than the State, and there would be other issues like resolving more complex disputes, but there really is no reason to believe in a complete social collapse.

Also, without all the red tape and bureacracy, policing would be more effective in a sense.

Vigilante mobs would be organised but they tend to be only slightly better than the criminals, sometimes worse.

Reply 9

RandomChap

Original post by sugar-n-spice

Vigilante mobs would be organised but they tend to be only slightly better than the criminals, sometimes worse.

Like I said, it isn't necessarily preferable, I'm just asking you guys to think a little more outside the Statist box!

You might be interested in this:

http://praxeology.net/GM-PS.htm

Reply 10

TheSelfAcknowleged

6

Who is to say there would be a society to come upon?

Reply 11

Doglamlico

16

Original post by Wall of sound

I have to draw create a cartoon illustrating what life would be like in these conditions. Do you guys have any ideas what I could draw? Doesn't have to be complex. This is for my A level class.

I've already touched upon themes such as separatism and anarchism. I also thought about drawing the evolution of man backwards but I'm not sure.

Any thoughts?

Original post by xoxAngel_Kxox

Like a pack of fighting dogs I'd imagine. If we lasted that long. No laws I assume extends to no requirement to pay for items so no need to work etc? No work = nothing being produced; so essentially back to cavemen. Or cavedogs.

Rules and classes would very quickly form, as seen (a rather unacademic example, but nonetheless a very good one) in the Dark Knight Rises :smile:

With people killing each other, agreements would soon be made not to kill each other, not to steal etc. as economically and socially this 'moral' code benefits society as a whole. This is why I belief morals are not set in stone, but rather the optimum set of rules to bring maximum benefit to a society.

Reply 12

Innadi

It'd depend on the region and the conscience of it's people. If people of a region had an evil mindset, that region would definitely be in tyranny while a region with people with balanced perspectives and ideals will be habitable without much hassle. However, everyone would be gullible and vulnerable to change in their fundamentals. The cycle would go on until a catalyst would try to convince the tribe to think as a whole. This would eventually lead to some sort of a law. In a nutshell, any such situation will subsequently lead to the establishment of order. This order may be archaic or a rule based on collective opinion.

Reply 13

anarchism101

17

Original post by Wall of sound

I have to draw create a cartoon illustrating what life would be like in these conditions. Do you guys have any ideas what I could draw? Doesn't have to be complex. This is for my A level class.

I've already touched upon themes such as separatism and anarchism. I also thought about drawing the evolution of man backwards but I'm not sure.

Any thoughts?

Would do fine. The Zapatista rebels in Mexico live in a stateless society and they're fine.

Black Hawk Down.

I instantly thought of Somalia too. :tongue:

I think its kind of an oxymoronic statement. For a society to work there must be rules, there must be some kind of social etiquette. To decide these and to develop these you need some form of hierarchy, else how is the decision ever made? Even in a complete democratic process, someone has to count the votes or organise the voting process. This is a primitive government of sorts. These rules or whatever are useless someone is there to enforce them, ie a police force of sorts.

I can't see how any society could work with out some form of rules and governance and hence any society would tend toward these as it develops.

Reply 16

NR09

10

The Fallout series without the radiation and genetic mutations.

Reply 17

Joinedup

20

Original post by anarchism101

Would do fine. The Zapatista rebels in Mexico live in a stateless society and they're fine.

well people could voluntarily band together under a uniting ideology and it might be a lovely little commune.
I don't think it means you could just suck the organs of state out of a country overnight and everything would be rosy.

Reply 18

Inseriousity.

I don't think much would change once the initial panic is over. The laws/police/government do not stop the criminals anyway so instead the law-abiding people would just fill the void (vigilantes, maybe a few Batmans here and there) that they'd leave behind. It'd be 'moral justice' I imagine. Sure there are no laws but it'd be a case of "that is wrong so you will be punished." The problem would therefore be that justice is therefore subjective and would vary from group to group, which I imagine would cause some problems and a lot of confusion. Then again, America does it with different states having different laws but they have the institutions to back that up. Only one way to find out for sure... VIVA LA REVOLUTION.

As for drawing it, I'm the worst drawer ever. I'd just use stick(wo)men - see at least we'd still be politically correct. :P

Reply 19

Cannotbelieveit

15

Chaos.

(edited 11 years ago)

What would society be like if there were no laws, no government and no police?

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