Anarchy Quote by Larken Rose
““But who would build the roads if there were no government? You mean to tell me that 300 million people in this country and 7 billion people on the planet would just sit around in their houses and think “Gee, I’d like to go visit Fred, but I can't because there isn’t a flat thing outside for me to drive on, and I don’t know how to build it and the other 300 million or 7 billion people can’t possibly do it because there aren’t any politicians and tax collectors. If they were here then we could do it. If they were here to boss us around and steal our money and really inefficiently build the flat places, then we would be set. Then I would be comfortable and confident that I could get places. But I can’t go to Fred’s house or the market because we can’t possibly build a flat space from A to B. We can make these really small devices that enable us to contact people from all over the word that fits in our pockets; we can make machines that we drive around in, but no, we can’t possibly build a flat space.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: The Anarchist Manifesto, 2020
Without government, people would still create infrastructure through cooperation, but current systems hinder efficient collective action.
In simple terms: People can build roads without a state, yet face coordination challenges.
Key Takeaway
Encourage decentralized collaboration.
Themes
anarchism
infrastructure
cooperation
Mood
critical
thought‑provoking
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- community projects
- open‑source mapping
- local transport initiatives
Key Concepts
collective action
technology
public goods
self‑organization
Questions to Reflect On
- What incentives could replace taxes for road building?
- How can technology aid decentralized infrastructure?
A Different Perspective
Assumes all groups can self‑coordinate effectively.
