Ideological Commentary |

J. C. Lester and David McDonaugh: Anarcho-Capitalism for Liberty and Value

February 5, 2013

The following ideas represent our own current views on anarcho-capitalism. Other anarcho-capitalist libertarians would disagree with some of what follows, and minimal-statist libertarians would disagree with much more. Anyone interested in finding out more can write to the Libertarian Alliance at [address]. Anarcho-capitalism (or market-anarchism) is the view is that a self-regulating market is possible… read more »

George Walford: Notes for Correspondents

February 3, 2013

IC seeks to encourage responsible discussion. It does not make statements it knows to be false, misleading or inaccurate, and it does its best to avoid printing such statements by other people, even (perhaps especially) when they are about things said in IC. If you are sending a letter intended for publication, please be careful… read more »

Nicholas Walter: In Defence of Reason

February 3, 2013

This letter is reprinted, by permission of the author, from the TLS of 1-7 April, 1988. It draws attention to two features of current society, of great importance to all who seek to effect substantial changes, for which s.i. provides a rationale. Fist, that the rationalists possess mainly mental power, the coercive forces of society… read more »

George Walford: Of Apples and Arithmetic

February 2, 2013

When, in the course of argument, one asks for an example of universal truth, the proposition that one and one make two usually comes up. A little thought reveals exceptions. One heap of sand added to another heap of sand does not make two heaps of sand, the same applies to puddles of water and,… read more »

George Walford: Alive or Equal?

February 2, 2013

Would you rather be alive or equal? The right wing tend to think it an achievement that five thousand million people should be alive, regarding equality as certainly unattainable and probably undesirable. The reformers and revolutionaries tend to pursue equality (or the suppression of socially-imposed inequality), taking the maintenance of the population for granted. In… read more »

George Walford: The General Individual

February 2, 2013

‘The individual is the only real thing in nature and in life. Neither the species, the genus nor the race actually exists; they are abstractions, terminologies, scientific devices, useful as syntheses but not entirely exact.’ (Quoted, with approval, from Pio Baroja, in issue No. 10 of THE EGOIST, published irregularly by S. E. Parker, [address],… read more »

Martin Marsh: Letter

February 2, 2013

I read with interest the exchange with George Hay in IC32. Perhaps I may offer a third position? (i) As I understand the relationship between specific ideation and ideological category, general public disinterest in the overall theory need not have much to do with whether or not a specific idea or term propagates through society –… read more »

George Walford: Editorial Notes (35)

January 30, 2013

Readers of IC who have been in touch with s.i. from its early days will already know that Harold Walsby left a quantity of papers, some concerned with ideology, some with other subjects, such as his dialectical algebra. With the approval of his widow these have now been deposited with the International Institute of Social… read more »

George Walford: The (Anarcho-) Socialist Party of Great Britain (34)

January 28, 2013

IC holds out a continuing invitation: We undertake to print any statement of up to 1,000 words carrying the approval of this party, or one of its branches. Letters from individual members will appear if they are cogent, interesting and concise, and if space permits. If you want your letter to appear unedited or not… read more »

George Walford: To Start You Thinking

January 28, 2013

Margaret Chisman, Opening the Mind’s Eye; Exercises in Truth, Beauty and Goodness. London, Institute for Social Inventions, 1988, wrappers, pp 40, illus., £2.50 A series of 59 exercises which ‘will give social permission to explore, discover and discuss various outlooks, ways of life, belief systems, mores, morality and aesthetics.’ To give one (slightly abridged) example:… read more »