Terms

Below is an in-progress list of terms commonly used and the definitions I apply to them on the site. If I’ve made an error, I would very much appreciate any constructive criticisms to improve my understanding.

aggression — an act (or an objectively provable impending threat) to initiate the use of coercion

agorism — the consistent application of libertarianism in which one takes voluntary action outside the strictures of government to create a libertarian society

altruism — a code of ethics which states the welfare of others is the standard of an individual’s own value and an individual’s sacrifice as his or her greatest good

anarchy — a society without a dominant political institution capable of imposing its authority

anarchism — an opposition to political authority

autarchy — a society in which each individual rules him- or herself and no other

authority — the supposed legislative or moral jusification to compel obedience of a peaceful person, through force if necessary

axiom — an irreducible statement that one assumes true in the very act of trying to refute it

capitalism — the complete ownership (in the absence of government intervention) of the means of production predominantly through a system of private property

coercion — an act by an individual against the will or without the permission of another human being with respect to that which the human being has rightful control, such as his or her body or property

collectivism — a belief that an individual exists to serve the well-being of a group or that political autonomy (or sovereignty) rests in a group to which he or she identifies

collectivist anarchism — a stateless society whereby the means of production are owned and operated collectively by workers by abolishing (presumably by force) private property

common good, the — the collectivist premise of mistaking the metaphorical concept of society as a rational, volition being

consensual crime — an arbitrary government dictate to violently punish mutually consensual acts

conventional politics — traditional means of trying to reform the poltical system, i.e., electoral politics, lobbying and petitioning

counter-economics — the study and practice of participating in all peaceful economic activities forbidden by the state

citizen — an individual who owes allegiance to a government in exchange for an obligation of protection by the government

crime — a violation of an individual’s liberty

direct action — actions that sidestep regulations and representation to accomplish goals directly, i.e., agorism, mutual aid, education, strikes, and boycotts

electoral politics — seeking to achieve political goals by campaigning to elect favorable candidates for political office

ethics — a branch of philosophy that studies how an individual should act

force — see “coercion”

free market — the metaphorical venue for the consensually regulated exchange of goods and services

government — the individuals and their actions as representatives of the state

human nature — the distinguishable characteristic of a distinct being with a volitional consciousness who possess the faculty of reason

ideology — a set of beliefs

individual — a natural person, his or her rightful agent or agents, or a voluntary group of individuals and their rightful agent or agents

individualism — the belief that individuals retain the highest political autonomy within society or that each individual has values of his or her own, which he or she is entitled to consensually achieve and maintain

individualist anarchy — a stateless social system whereby equal liberty can be most widely attained through abolishing authority and state privilege

injustice — not treating others as their actions reflect they deserve to be treated

justice — the absence of injustice

libertarian — one who support the maximum possible protection of individual liberty

liberty — the absence of coercion

market anarchy — an anarchic social system whereby justice and defensive services are provided by privately owned enterprises

minarchism — a social system whereby the only purported role of the state is the defensive protection of individual rights

morality — see “ethics”

mutualism — an anarchic social system whereby property ownership is only legitimate to the extent that it is occupied or in use by the owner

natural law — the application of the principle of natural rights based on the the universal, constant, discoverable, and tangible nature of human beings

natural rights — a social theory which prescribes the congruent necessary condition (the absence of aggression) for individuals to most beneficially cooperate with others in society

non-aggression principle — a deontological ethical stance which states that the initiation of force as inherently illegitimate but which makes no value claim on retaliatory force

non-violent crime — see “consensual crime”

ownership — the rightful control of an object one values

peace — the widespread absence of coercion from society

politics — the branch of philosophy that studies the principles by which an individual ought to function with respect to others

property — a form of ownership in which objects are under the exclusive and complete control of an individual so long as that claim remains rightful; wealth that is possessed

retaliatory force — the use of force to defend against an initiation of coercion

right — a morally unbreachable obligation when entering society to refrain from initiating force against another individual

rightful control — the ability to use in any way an object one produces or trades for

social contract (compact) — a purportedly implicit agreement by individuals in society that obliges them to commit certain acts

state, the — an individually nonconsensual and territorially monopolistic political organization that coercively claims a monopoly on the legitimate use of force

stateless society — a society without a state

statism — the believe that sovereignty (or political autonomy) rests in the state or that individuals exist to serve the well-being of the state.

trade — the voluntary act of exchanging ownership rights

vice — a seemingly immoral act which does not violate the rights of another individual