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Panarchy



         


Panarchism is a political philosophy advocating the peaceful co-existence of all political systems, where each individual may voluntary adhere to the system of their choice, free to join and leave the jurisdiction of the governments he sees fit (modulo contractual obligations). International law would be used to settle possible conflicts between individuals having chosen different systems of government.

The word panarchy was invented and the concept proposed by a French political scientist, Paul Emile de Puydt in 1860. He used panarchy as a solution to wasteful revolutions.

Anarcho-capitalists argue that panarchism is an alternative way of presenting the same system as they advocate. Yet another way of considering the same system is voluntaryism, whereby people are related by voluntary contractual relations and natural law, excluding any forceful political compulsion. But some critics argue that it is self-contradictory as some political systems reject peaceful co-existence.

The word panarchy fell out of use in political science, but was resurrected with an updated meaning by international relations scholars like Mark Salter and Paul B Hartzog. The modern usage of panarchy is best summed up by a quote from James Rosenau:

"A new form of anarchy has evolved in the current period -- one that involves not only the absence of a highest authority but that also encompasses such an extensive disaggregation of authority as to allow for much greater flexibility, innovation, and experimentation" (Rosenau, 1995).

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