Question

Could the world be better off in a condition of anarchy?

Answer 1

The condition of anarchy doesn't specifically describe the qualities of any world. Anarchy is fundamentally the world of possibility. It is everything that we are not... everything that can not be or refuses to be ruled. Anarchism values this wild freedom for innumerable reasons; but, ultimately for the constant chance to make life better according to the will of those who, in association, can create that world. It is the ideal of diverse individuals, conditioned as they may be, coming together and chasing the pursuit of happiness without bounds. It is De Sade as much as it is Rousseau: the respect of both individuals and groups striving to find personal and communal fulfillment on a planet of finite resources and billions of people. Anarchists can create both hell and heaven; but, for the anarchist this is at least liberty. And, for those faithful in the determined desires of humanity, this is ideal. Any perspective from the ideal of 'the world' will ultimately hate anarchy.. but for those lovers of honesty - the worst pain is in-consequent to the greatest liberty.

Answer 2

I see anarchy as a means by which civilization can attain a more effective system and an individually benficial environment.  No rulers or bosses, no social classes.  Fairness replaces justice.  Understanding and creative thinking replace education.  People work together or separate themselves because they choose to because of their values and convictions.  There is no law telling others what is right or what to do or what not to do.   There is no money to determine what we can have and what we cannot have and no longer dictate the decisions we make.

This is my dream and within anarchy my dream can only exist because it allows everyone to live the way they want to live because that is all that I want.

Comments

Its a very difficult question because anarchism means different things to different people. A lot of anarchists does not believe that anarchism would work in any form, but still thinks its the most reasonable position to critique the society from. There's other anarchists that do believe that there could be ways of re-ordering the world, and that this could improve things.. and how that society would work is also a very broad questions with broad answers.
Personally I would say that there definitely is good things to be taken from anarchism.

Answer 3

Yes it could.

This is evidenced through a number of historic examples (Jewish kibbutz movement or republican Spain during the revolution and civil war)  and also in terms of contemporary, small-scale communes, collectives, barter networks, and other decentralized social and economic arrangements. There is good reason to think people  would be better off if they managed their own affairs and were able to enjoy the full benefit of their labor, rather than always losing a cut to the ruling class.

A second reason I say yes is because it is difficult to imagine anarchy could be worse than the insidious system of slavery we have now.