Two cheers for democracy

I have been plugging Anarchism a lot lately, so I feel that I should make clear its defects. They can be summed up in two points:

1) Capitalism seems to be the least worst system of economic organization. Anarchism, socialism, and communism all suck compared to the economic organization of the free-market (subject to qualifications; such as not killing people, making them miserable, or destroying the environment). This is hard to admit sometimes, but it seems true.

2) To be governed by the norms of your community (as advocated by Anarchists), rather than by laws (as advocated by everyone else) would likely be far more restrictive and oppressive, as George Orwell rightly pointed out. This is because people often seem, unfortunately, to be stupid bigots.

I think anarchism is important though because of its subversive spirit and its relentless criticism of the action of the state. Anarchism would be the best form of government if we were all perfect, but we're not. Not even me. So in the words of E.M. Forster:

"...two cheers for democracy: one because it admits variety and two because it permits criticism. Two cheers are quite enough: there is no occasion to give three."


Buh-bye!