As a fairly young adult, those of us in our twenties have probably gotten the chance to vote for president once or twice and have at least thought about voting in mid-term elections for our representatives. As we become acquainted with politics, we realize that there are certain groups of thought that are completely ignored in our public education curriculums and in our institutions. One of these is voluntaryism or voluntarism. However, this might be the most important group of thought for our generation as we continue to be underrepresented in our government. And with the internet, we can of course research anything we like on our own. So let's talk about it.

1. What is voluntaryism?

Google defines it as “a philosophy according to which all forms of human association should be voluntary as far as possible. Consequently, voluntaryism opposes the initiation of aggressive force or coercion.”

Voluntaryist.com defines it as “the doctrine that relations among people should be by mutual consent, or not at all. It represents a means, an end, and an insight. Voluntaryism does not argue for the specific form that voluntary arrangements will take, only that force be abandoned so that individuals in society may flourish.”

It focuses on the individual as more important than the collective society and also the state. The individual should be able to decide what they do, how they do it, and who they do it with, not the government as it currently stands. The individual should be able to decide if they want to participate in certain contracts or society at all.

2. What do voluntaryists stand for?

They stand for non-violence, non-aggression, individualism, true freedom, non-coercion, a free market, virtue/morality through choice (not having others' morals shoved down your throat), natural laws, using means that are consistent with the ends (you can’t fight a war for peace, etc.) and lack of government.

3. It's about consent.

Taxation without consent is theft, just like sex without consent is rape. I don’t want to pay for wars, for rich people's business subsidies, for a government that doesn’t represent my interests regarding the environment, women’s health, drug laws, or mostly anything, really. Do you want to pay for Trump’s paycheck? Because you currently are. And if you don't pay up you're considered a criminal. If you're not made uncomfortable by that, you should be.

4. So what about the government?

The individual decision comes before any governing system. If individuals want someone to govern them, they will have it. But they will pay for it privately and they cannot force government on others, sort of like how a church is operated. It’s not anarchy, although some anarchists support it because under the current law it’s illegal for them to practice their political beliefs and under voluntaryism they'd be able to refrain from government without repercussions. Currently, if you don't obey the government, you are jailed, ridiculed, fined, punished, or the like, no matter if the laws are just or if they go against right and wrong. This is not freedom. Voluntaryism makes governance an option. Voluntaryism also has basic human principles to be followed, which separates it from total anarchy. To understand more about how voluntaryists view the state and its relationship with individuals, watch this:

5. How does this benefit you personally?

You could choose to not fund the government if it does something you don’t like. This is good because it forces the government to serve us, or else it won’t exist. Currently, 57 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump. He hasn't had majority popular approval basically ever. Why in the world is he in office then? This is very wrong and does not represent democratic values or common sense. Our current system is backwards.

Under voluntaryism, if you like what a government is doing, you can pay your taxes and support it. Some will support, some wont. If you don’t support it, you also don’t get the benefits like welfare, police protection, or state services. This is perfectly okay. From my check for the past two weeks, $171.42 was taken out for taxes. With that money I could hire a bodyguard, put it away as my own safety net or donate it to a cause I think is worth funding. There are private services available for those who don’t support the government. It gives you more options and more freedom as an individual.

Plus, think of all the laws that are in place that you feel comfortable ignoring because you think they are wrong or generally not needed: seatbelt laws, laws against sodomy, speeding restrictions, anti-LGBTQ rules on marriage or other rights, marijuana restrictions, being topless in public and owning a certain number of pets. Though most people obviously don't support or care about these rules (they are regularly broken), they are punishable by law and restrict your freedom. You'd be free to ignore these in peace with widespread voluntaryism.

6. But why do we actually NEED it?

Because currently the people are not being represented. Only the rich are. If we were able to stop that by taking away our tax funding toward our leaders, the government would work better. They would have to represent us or not get paid. If you don't want a service, you don't pay for it right? Why should government be any different?

It's like assuming that just because I am born in a certain country, I consent to its laws. Well, turns out I do not. And there is no where else to go. Every bit of land on Earth is owned by someone who puts rules on their residents. We need to provide an escape for those who do not agree. We need to change our way of operating our institutions that allows them to work for us, not us for them. People are striking in masses around the world and terms like "wage slave" are sprouting up to represent the way we feel in relation to our rulers. Bad vibes, man.

We also need it because it promotes non-violence. By simply abstaining, you can change things. Think about the famous sit-in protests. They work if enough people are on board.

7. Who supports it?

Originally it was supported by those who wanted government to be a consensual gathering of like-minded individuals, such as the gathering in a church of those of the same faith. Some clashed with the Presbyterian Puritans and did not want to be forced to practice the religion. Their desire for religious freedom sparked their desire for political freedom. The Levellers were an organized group in the 1600s that supported voluntaryist principles. A quick skim of the voluntaryism wiki page will give a general outline of the movements throughout time.

In the past, voluntaryist principles have been written about by famous influencers and intellectuals, although the term was not always used directly. Some of these are Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Ayn Rand. Other like-minded people include Ron Paul, Robert LeFevre, Thomas Jefferson, Lysander Spooner, Ghandi, Max Weber, Carl Watner. Today, there are thousands of supporters. People are becoming aware of the injustices performed by their governments and they seek to change them, one way or another. Voluntaryism is seen as a logical force for change to some.

8. You can learn more.

If you want more online resources, feel free to start here. It's also important to note that there is a thin line between voluntaryism, minarchism, and libertarianism. Even if you're not a supporter, it's always important to be forever learning about others' ideas.