The same mass murdering psychopathic element still exists today, as it did in the 1700s, as it did in the 1800s, and as it existed indeed in the last century, however it is momentarily quelled by this settling of power that sees the USA unquestionably on top. The infection is not limited to governments, it is present in people at large, but obviously governments can project more power. I agree that the witch hunts against the people listed are in a different class to genocide, but they are byproducts of the same disordered worldview and trending current.

We may see a return to the darkest of its expressions within our lifetimes I fear, but it might be necessary to exit this quagmire once and for all.

I do think the lack of an ancap society anywhere is a strike against it. Having a functional ancap place (with say competing defense/insurance agencies) would be a huge step towards proving the model is workeable. The SU collapse had the Western “capitalist with some social democracy” model to try and copy. Whereas of right now we don’t really have a working ancap society to model after in case of USG collapse or replacement.

Hence the enthusiasm of some for Patri’s Seasteading or charter cities in third world countries.

Of course, libertarians could reply that they prefer a non-state agency to prevent violence (make it costly) and complain about state’s monopoly on aggression (monopolies tend to be less efficient). But state’s monopoly on aggression is analogous to owner’s monopoly to his property. And because libertarians are basically lockeans they see property rights as first while in reality state’s monopoly on aggression must come first because it creates conditions for property rights.

Libertarians are liberals and believe in freedom and equality.

The Cathedral is a spontaneously coordinated effort to take over the mechanism of the state through skipping “getting elected” and replacing it with “get the loyalty of a majority of voters through various means”.

If an anarcho-capitalist state retained “consent of the governed” as its justification it would be vulnerable to the Cathedral – it would just have to develop different means of attack – which it certainly would. There’s too much value in capturing the state for it not to try.

They’d throw sand in the gears of protective agencies and demagogue the results. They’d set up conflicts where their pets could look like the victims of bullying and try to make association with protective agencies that defy them radioactive, etc.

The Cathedral is the result of a structural weakness in the system of government and the long corrosive action of the past work of the Cathedral.

And in the 21 century.