I don't like spending this much time arguing against campism but they just keep talking at me.

A picture of Gus Friv captioned "I'm cool with communism because I don't believe it has to be authoritarian; you're cool with communism because you don't mind if its authoritarian; we are not the same."
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[–] 9 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Exerting force ≠ authoritarian. These words have completely different meanings. For example, community defence against an authoritarian state can involve the exertion of force, but would be categorically anti-authoritarian.

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  • [–] 3 points 19 hours ago (2 children)

    Sorry, I should have said intruders as well as internal bad faith actors.

    There will still be psychopaths and sociopaths and serial killers and pedophiles in a communist or anarchist society.

    Communities will still need to deal with those malignant people, whether by outcasting/exiling/deporting them or inflicting punishment + delivering rehabilitation. Those activities will be authoritarian over the bad actors.

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  • [–] 0 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 child)

    No, those activities would not be authoritarian over bad actors. Authoritarianism specifically involves concentrated hierarchical power that operates without accountability or consensus. Anarchist communities would handle bad actors in a bottom-up manner, even from the perspective of the bad actor.

    Also, your use of the terms "psychopath" and "sociopath" are harmful. These are medical conditions and should not be stigmatized. People with these conditions can lead normal lives if they get the help that they need.

    Edit: Apologies if I come across as a bit of a pedant. I just think it's important that these terms are used correctly. <3

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  • [–] 1 point 7 hours ago

    I was meaning authoritarian as in the sense of authority being commonly understood as the legitimate power of a person or group over other people. And my argument was that even communist and anarchist societies will use power over other bad actors inside that society if those bad actors pose as threats to the prevailing political system.

    If a bad actor seeks the pain and suffering of others, regardless of their mental health, or even if a bad actor seeks to persuade a society's peoples away from the prevailing political principles, such as someone advocating for hierarchy in an anarchist society or a capitalist advocating for private property in a communist society, then those societies will still use their power to self preserve those modes of political power.

    To the bad actors, those societies will appear authoritarian.

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