Voluntary Society (ボランタリー・ソサエティ)
- noun
A term used in right-libertarianism to describe a community, city, or social entity where all property and services are provided through "voluntary means," encompassing private or cooperative ownership.
In a voluntary society, as articulated by thinkers such as David Beito, Peter Gordon, and Alexander Tabarrok, ownership is distinguished from monopolistic privatization supported by state subsidies or state-controlled public resources. Instead of traditional state services, courts might be supplanted by dispute resolution organizations, police by volunteer-based community defense or private security agencies, and transportation authorities by community road associations.
Proponents, particularly anarcho-capitalists, argue that voluntary societies could resolve conflicts between advocates for government non-interference in areas like non-violent drug use, free stores, and communal sharing, and those supporting government regulation of such activities. The concept was notably explored in the book The Voluntary City, which examines various services in this context.
Example Sentence:
In a voluntary society, dispute resolution organizations and pollution insurance companies would work together to prevent problems such as pollution, promoting a cleaner and more cooperative environment for all residents.