‘It Must Be Gibberish’: David Friedman’s Anarchist Poem

ANARCHY IS NOT CHAOS

Anarchy, n. 4. a theory which regards the union of order with the absence of all direct or coercive government as the political ideal. 5. confusion in general; disorder.

THE AMERICAN COLLEGIATE DICTIONARY

  • Government produces all order.
  • Under anarchy there is no government.
  • Therefore anarchy is chaos.

Q.E.D.

 

In Washington there isn’t any plan

With “feeding David” on page sixty-four;

It must be accidental that the milk man

Leaves a bottle at my door.

It must be accidental that the butcher

Has carcasses arriving at his shop

The very place where, when I need some meat,

I accidentally stop.

My life is chaos turned miraculous;

I speak a word and people understand

Although it must be gibberish since words

Are not produced by governmental plan.

Now law and order, on the other hand

The state provides us for the public good;

That’s why there’s instant justice on demand

And safety in every neighborhood.


From David D. Friedman, here.