Neither State Nor Market: An Anarchist Perspective on Social Welfare

Thanks for posting about this. I hadn't read it before.

I like the opening Kropotkin quote:

"The absorption of all social functions by the State necessarily favoured the development of an unbridled, narrow-minded individualism. In proportion as the obligations towards the State grew in numbers the citizens were evidently relieved from their obligations towards each other."

I've heard similar said about donating money to charity - it's a way to relieve responsibility for direct action/support so it becomes someone else's problem.

Interesting to think through what the conditions might be to eliminate the welfare State. In the UK, Tories are currently trying to do it and the cost of living crisis may perpetuate its destruction so anyone who has relied on social security or who doesn't quite reach the threshold for State support will struggle and need an alternative.

Picking out one theme towards the second half of the paper, I think it's interesting to think through where professional expertise comes in outside the State. Bakunin has written about how to deal with relying on someone's expertise, the "continual exchange of mutual, temporary, and, above all, voluntary authority and subbordination" (What is Authority?). Also free education will be essential.

For some basics of mutual aid, you don't need to be a certificated expert. Cooking, cleaning and other essential care are skills that loads of people have even if not formally trained. For other areas it's harder, like healthcare (like surgery... or even resetting fractures) - but maybe that falls outside the welfare state and the problem this article addresses. Also basic infrastucture for mutual aid outside the State is collecting and redistributing money, letting recipients spend as best for them. I liked the discussion of decentralised control.

Some scattered thoughts...

If everyone gets what they need for free provided by people because they want to help society then maybe we can elimet welfare and be better off. Maybe but that would need all of us to contribute what ever we can.