Ants and Entrepreneurs

--- In spacesettlers@y..., Ian Woollard wrote:

> All rather astounding really. Makes you wonder what could
> happen in space situations where the rule of law is not
> necessarily enforced externally.
>
> Sky Dancer wrote:
>
> > Much as I hate to get involved in a political discussion, I'd like
to
> > mention that libertarianism isn't the same thing as anarchism, and
that
> > anarchism isn't the same thing as anarchy.
> >
> > I guess the real problem with libertarianism, at least in the form
that
> > currently seems to be fashionable, is that it runs up against
human social
> > psychology, and probably against human biology as well. Humans
aren't ants,
> > we're primates, and if there's one thing social primates seem to
share, it's
> > a penchant for making little cliques and pecking orders. Maybe
our most
> > enduring biological inheritance is the mentality of the civil
servant.
>
> I wouldn't bet. ;-)
>
> > So I'd expect that any group of humans, wherever they are, would
end up
> > generating a bureaucracy of some kind even if they don't call it
that. It's
> > what happens invariably with chimpanzee societies, and I very much
doubt if
> > humans are much different.
> >
> > This is the kind of thing that would be interesting to test out in
a space
> > colony though, if it could be done ethically. Would a separate,
> > self-contained human society inevitably create a bureaucratic
structure as a
> > result of its internal group dynamics, or not? It would be
fascinating to
> > find out, and maybe someone will, one day.
> >
> > Kathryn
> >

I see no ethical problems. I think if we wait long enough almost
every possiblity will be voluntarily tried.

I can see some sort of anarchy set up and tried with carefully
selected people.

I think the people chosen will be the key. After all, both Heaven and
Hell are absolute monarchies.

Rick