A society organized and run on the basis of complete non-violence would be the purest anarchy….
Mohandas K. Gandhi
Articles, links, etc. that will make clear that a free society is a peaceful society; that peace is not possible in a society that is not free. Exploring the dynamic inter-relation of liberty and non-aggression/peace/non-violence.
The following topics about liberty and peace will be explored more fully in my book in progress CONSCIOUSNESS AND COMMUNITY: Transcending God and State. This is a temporary page. The final page will provide more short form information and supporting sources and links to my and others works.
ETHICS: (What values we should pursue, how we should act towards one and other) Most religions teach that once we know the truth of our nature and purpose, the way we should act in pursuit of that will become clear; that only by “walking in the way” will we experience our version of salvation. In the new world view we recognize we must value first and foremost the evolution of human consciousness and act to create that which nurtures and advances it.
Ethical action is based on the libertarian view that the individual should be free to do as s/he pleases as long as s/he does not aggress upon others. This is another variation on the “golden rule”: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Freedom implies and requires voluntarism, cooperation, non-violent conflict resolution. Going further, charity, voluntary redistribution of wealth and mutual aid act as “safety” nets which protect freedom.
POLITICS: (How we will enforce our ethics in the larger society)
The ethical system above rejects the use of force, except in defense of self or others from physical attack. Limitations on individual freedom are only imposed though contractual agreements between parties or through consensus oriented decision making. This is the only way to protect minorities from the majority–and to make sure that small minorities, “special interests”, do not wrangle control of supposedly majoritarian decision-making processes. Enforcement of contracts or consensual agreed upon community standards would be through voluntary compliance and “non-violent coercion” like publicity, picketing, and boycott.
Most individuals will decide to live in community. And each decides, based on personality, experience and desire, what kind of community or communities to create, join, or associate with, and lives within these communities’ rules or guidelines. Communities may network and confederate on regional levels to deal with common problems but they will remain committed to resolving all disagreements non-violently.
Today’s great nation states have been created and maintained by military and police violence. Our adoption of non-violent politics, of true liberty and cooperation, would lead to the inevitable dissolution of nation states through non-cooperation and secession.
We must replace nation states with networks of self-governing communities. And in these freely formed and non-violently maintained communities, humans will begin to experience the kind of learning and loving, the higher consciousness and human unity, for which we have evolved ourselves.