[| I, CWAS |]

Interesting, a shame as usual that greedy opposition used force to overwhelm the thriving experiment. As with nascent states defense is needed, I don't hear anarchists discuss the issue too often, I would go so far as to say defense should be the #1 priority. Not to say anarchism has such an inherent weakness, because states overrun states all the time. But if one is to make the argument that Anarchism won't dissolve into city states, the defense issue should be addressed.

Excerpt

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When Blackwell found out the true state of affairs in Pennsylvania) his state-bound soul was understandably appalled. Here was a thriving trade based on continuing violations of the navigation laws. Here, above all, were no taxes, hence no funds to set up a government. As Bronner puts it: "He [Blackwell] deplored the lack of public funds in the colony which made it impossible to hire a messenger to call the Council, a doorkeeper, and someone to search ships to enforce the laws of England. He believed that some means should be found to collect taxes for the operation of the government."3 His general view, as he wrote to Penn, was the familiar statist cry that the colonists were suffering from excessive liberty: they had eaten more of the "honey of your concessions… than their stomachs can bear."

Blackwell managed to force the Council to meet every week during the first months of 1689, but his suggestion that every county be forced to maintain a permanent councillor in Philadelphia was protested by the Council. Arthur Cook led the successful resistance, maintaining that the "people were not able to bear the charge of constant attendance."

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Pennsylvania's Anarchist Experiment: 1681-1690

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[Red Star]

Interesting - I have never heard of this. Thanks for the info.