Anarchy, The Past and Human Nature 

            On some level, conscious of it or not, we all hold some belief in a “human nature” (the state of being that humans are born with, and which is subsequently shaped by one’s socialization and environment).  Beliefs in human nature vary along a continuum which contains somewhere along it the belief of “animal instinct” human nature or the “good vs. evil” human nature.  Wherever one’s beliefs may reside, the idea of human nature is often based on past human behavior.  If our human nature is characterized by the way humans have lived in the past, then anarchy characterizes the internal instinct of human beings – our nature – since humans have lived in a state of anarchy for hundreds of thousands of years.

            If one applies the definition of “anarchy” to humans living before 10,000 years ago, one can see that they all embody several characteristics of anarchy: they exist without a government or state; are socially, politically, and economically egalitarian; power and authority are diffused to everyone, although temporary “leaders” may arise due to special skills or knowledge; they have consensus-driven decision making techniques; and practice general reciprocity, i.e. gift giving and mutual aid.  This fits anarchy’s definition exactly, and these characteristics were exemplified by most societies existing for 99.9% of our human history.

            Likewise, for 99.9% of our human history, we were gatherer-hunters living in a state of anarchy.  Much anthropological and archaeological evidence supports this claim, as well as the claims that gatherer-hunters were generally more peaceful, egalitarian, and healthier.

            Taking these facts into account, egalitarianism, cooperation, mutual aid, and sociability must be included in our “nature” as human beings.  Ten thousand years ago, we were all anarchists – but something happened to add egocentrism, authoritarianism, the thirst for power, and competition to that list.  These additions have a traceable past linked to the domestication of plants, animals, and human beings themselves.

            All evidence shows that with the dawn of agriculture (and the dawn of civilization, as well) came the creation of the State, centralized power, social inequalities, poverty, malnutrition, degenerative and chronic diseases, and environmental destruction never before seen on this planet.  With agriculture came the despot (priest, king, president – or what have you) who was able to suppress, with his tyrannical weight, the freedom of the anarchist and change the fate of humanity and the earth forever.  This marked the end of the free human being – the anarchist.  Except for a few unadultered temporary examples, humans would forever be chained to the seed.  However this did not come without a struggle.  There has always been resistance to, or rebellion against, the despotic and egocentric possibilities of humanity, which means that there is still the struggle between the newly arisen despot of civilization and the natural anarchist fighting to be free inside us all.