The anarcho-capitalist vision of security: war as a tool of state domination

Abstract

Background: The subject of the research is the anarcho-capitalist vision of external security. This includes an analysis of how anarcho-capitalists perceive the role of the state in generating armed conflicts, and their critique of the state as the primary entity responsible for waging wars. The study also considers the consequences that the existence of states and war has for global security, including nuclear threats.

Research purpose: The purpose of the research is to examine whether the anarcho-capitalist concept of external security, based on the non-aggression axiom and the proposition of eliminating the state as a source of violence, can be a viable alternative to the state-centric security perspective. The study aims to assess whether this vision has practical applicability in the real world or remains a purely utopian theory.

Methods: The analysis of texts by representatives of anarcho-capitalist thought, with special emphasis on Murray Rothbard.

Conclusions: Anarcho-capitalists criticize the state as a source of conflict, emphasizing that the monopoly on violence leads to the escalation of wars. They argue that wars serve only to strengthen the power of elites, not society. They particularly focus on nuclear threats, advocating for disarmament because nuclear war has no winners. Although their vision is often considered utopian, anarcho-capitalists, led by Murray Rothbard, believe it offers a realistic alternative to the state-centric security model, grounded in voluntary relations and non-aggression.