Should all transactions between humans be voluntary?

I experienced a strange revelation today...

It occurred to me that I want to live in a world where I can assume that most people are honest, good, forthright, and hard-working - and this does not imply perfect.

The "perfect world" would mostly be populated by psychopaths, and I would not want to live there.

I would like to live in a community inspired by optimism and freedom, but not a place where 'liberty' becomes license to cheat, steal and abuse your fellow human being - belief that such a world could exist might be optimism in the extreme.

I want to live in that strange world where I could assume that most people would not toxify their neighbors land, burn their farms and steal their crops, poison their water, or reduce their access to a healthy food (I'm talking to YOU MONSANTO!). A world where it is "more likely than not" that most people would try to "live and let live" - but even more so, would seek out opportunities to help and provide for those in need. And, the voluntary charity or venture-humanism would be common and not at all remarkable.

I dream of a "Lost World" or, perhaps, a world that has never existed. As stated above, this feels almost like a dangerous idea - if only because it seems impossible.

Make no mistake: I am not proposing a 'utopia' and in my ideal world men and women would be allowed to own guns, this makes sense to me. Trusting is one thing, being oblivious to the darkness of human history is another.

To provide for one's own defense, and the defense of those one loves, is no vice - to be willing to protect oneself and one's neighbors is a virtue if done safely and with respect.

In the hopeful world, we would trust the honor system and assume that all parties would do their best to bind the relationship.

Sure, it sounds insane to propose "owning a business" in a world of mutual-consent and liberty, but, ultimately, don't we depend upon the "good will" of others more than the fickle respect for "the law"?

In such a world, a truly free-world, what would a contract really be?

What would it mean to "set a price"?

The payment must and can only be by choice, and if someone fails to pay you can choose NOT to do business with them in the future - sending thugs, armed with bi-cycle chain and pillow cases filled with d-cell batteries, may be an attractive "conflict resolution" strategy for the statist, but I would prefer something less violent, less thuggish.

Imagine a world where "markets" or "pricing casinos" simply suggested payouts for bets or for products - but nothing bound you in payment, nor in providing service or goods. A stock market of suggestions - that funded itself through donations.

I would not charge you - it is your right "to not pay", and it is my right to avoid business transactions (or any transactions) with you in the future. This seems rational and optimistic, and only punitive in the most sensible way.

I will say the issue of "property rights" is a tough subject...

On the one hand, the whole voluntary transaction thing could be misinterpreted as providing some crude rationale for forming neo-feudal thug armies and to go about, willy-nilly, on the mission of "stealing peoples shit"...

But on the other hand...

What if property is something you hold onto by mutual consent? I know this sounds weird, but in a way it isn't. It implies the absolute democracy of the natural world. We may not like it - but the majority does often rule. My assumption is that a free society, where the voluntary concept of all human relations is recognized, solves for all the abuses - it is the basic rule: "all human affiliation, transaction, financial restitution and reparations are, inherently, voluntary and so is the recognition of ownership, in many ways".

I don't know...

But I will tell you that EVEN IF I conceded the notion of absolute ownership of land, I would be hard-pressed to find cases in history where that RIGHT didn't eventually lead to abuses and the sins of over-lordship and slavery.

Simply put: a lot more thought is required on the part of those who believe in Agorism, or voluntary community, concerning "land" and "property". Without a government, the only person who will ultimately "protect your stuff", other than your neighbors watching out for you, IS YOU. Your property rights ultimately begin and end at the barrel of a gun.

Sure, the main topic of this post is not private property - but I needed to at least tread a short distance into that subject, if only to provide backdrop to the core issue: can folks be trusted to reimburse, for products or services, without force being applied? I don't mean everyone would be honest, but could enough people be trusted to make this approach equivalent to formal pricing, or might it even have a slightly better return financially?

If I ever start a business, I am going to make all contract pricing purely voluntary. In some cases, I might be OK with ZERO, in others I may ask for a donation of a certain amount. But, unless I take the money up-front, I still depend upon your honor to get paid.

As strange as this may seem, I am thinking that all financial transactions are really donations from one institution to another. What we are saying if we do PAY a FAIR price is "I loved the car you built", "I think flying your airline keeps me sane", "you make an awesome hamburger and a great vegan-brat.." - and in that voluntary moment we are saying that humans are mostly awesome, mostly friendly, mostly loving, and mostly OK...

I probably order too much Pagliacci Pizza...

I have been classified by them as a "frequent pier" (sort of sad).

A few weeks ago I ordered a pizza, and the delivery guy said, "dude, this time it is on us" - the pizza was free. I could have taken the pizza, and ignored the moment. But, instead, I took the whole amount I would have paid and gave it to the delivery guy. In that moment, I was also saying - "sure, you want to give this to me, for free, but I will go your 'good attitude' one step further, I will give a 25 dollar tip to the delivery guy".

Perhaps I am crazy, but it seems like the world becomes a better place if we treat these "financial transactions" as relationships between humans - and it is good to treat each other with respect (and you can't pass a law to make this happen).

So, yes, I would love to own a business one day and to operate in a world where worrying about being paid is mostly not a concern.

And, yes, I would like to live in a community run that way as well...

This is not Utopia...

Will there be crime? Murder? Rape? Abuse? - probably.

But communities would organize, voluntarily, to deal with these and other realities of social life. I believe most people will voluntarily do the right thing to protect children from abuse. I might be crazy, I think if people knew it was up to them, they would take greater care as members of a community, instead of assuming "their taxes are paying for someone else to care".

So, yeah - financial transactions and any other transaction between humans should be voluntary, and ownership should not be forcibly taken, once held. Murder will be dealt with, but it might not be necessary to have an FBI, or some other fascist police force, to do so (sarcasm).

Other nation states might threaten us, but it is plausible we would, by choice, if given the evidence of the threat, VOLUNTARILY organize to protect our homes, our children, our lives. And, in all likelihood, the outcomes would be better for all involved. I cannot imagine fighting a war, commanding slaves, where I forced them to fight and die for some "cause" (whatever the fuck the flavor of the week is). But we must protect a free society and that should be the primary mission.

So, be voluntary in everything - including your banking, your grocery, your fast-food. Donate what is reasonable, let the business publish its suggestions, and take it on faith that your fellow man will mostly avoid taking advantage of you.

Yes, indeed, I might be crazy...

But my heart wants to believe that I might be right.