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62-861: On Pohnpei, pre-colonial history is divided into three eras: Mwehin Kawa or Mwehin Aramas (Period of Building, or Period of Peopling, before ca. 1100); Mwehin Sau Deleur (Period of the Lord of Deleur , ca. 1100 to ca. 1628); and Mwehin Nahnmwarki (Period of the Nahnmwarki, ca. 1628 to ca. 1885). Pohnpeian legend recounts that the Saudeleur rulers, the first to bring government to Pohnpei, were of foreign origin. The Saudeleur centralized form of absolute rule

124-455: A social revolution . Upon joining the IWA, in 1869, Bakunin drew up a programme for such a Brotherhood, in which he infused the word "anarchy" with a more positive connotation: We do not fear anarchy, we invoke it. For we are convinced that anarchy, meaning the unrestricted manifestation of the liberated life of the people, must spring from liberty, equality, the new social order, and the force of

186-485: A common superior". They would be subject only to natural law , with otherwise "perfect freedom to order their actions". In depicting the "state of nature" to be a free and equal society governed by natural law, Locke distinguished between society and the state. He argued that, without established laws, such a society would be inherently unstable, which would make a limited government necessary in order to protect people's natural rights . He likewise argued that limiting

248-523: A corrupted form of direct democracy , although it later came to be conceived of as its own form of political regime, distinct from any kind of democracy. According to the traditional conception of political regimes, anarchy results when authority is derived from a majority of people who pursue their own interests. During the Middle Ages , the word "anarchia" came into use in Latin, in order to describe

310-593: A distorted resemblance to "true liberty" and could eventually give way to "the best form of human society". This positive conception of anarchy was soon taken up by other political philosophers. In his 1792 work The Limits of State Action , Wilhelm von Humboldt came to consider an anarchist society, which he conceived of as a community built on voluntary contracts between educated individuals, to be "infinitely preferred to any State arrangements". The French political philosopher Donatien Alphonse François , in his 1797 novel Juliette , questioned what form of government

372-406: A fight. In another version, Isokelekel had his lieutenant provoke a local warrior at a prearranged encounter. Other accounts hold that Isokelekel staged an insurrection after winning the trust of his hosts, and with help from the oppressed locals. Another version says that upon seeing the fortifications at Nan Madol, Isokelekel decided to withdraw, but was aided by a scorned and outcast woman from

434-507: A founding father of anarchism, Godwin himself mostly used the word "anarchy" in its negative definition, fearing that an immediate dissolution of government without any prior political development would lead to disorder. Godwin held that the anarchy could be best realised through gradual evolution, by cultivating reason through education, rather than through a sudden and violent revolution. But he also considered transitory anarchy to be preferable to lasting despotism , stating that anarchy bore

496-580: A free society without coercion or a state of chaos. When the word "anarchy" ( Greek : αναρχία , romanized :  anarchia ) was first defined in ancient Greece, it initially had both a positive and negative connotation, respectively referring to spontaneous order or chaos without rulers. The latter definition was taken by the philosopher Plato , who criticised Athenian democracy as "anarchical", and his disciple Aristotle , who questioned how to prevent democracy from descending into anarchy. Ancient Greek philosophy initially understood anarchy to be

558-609: A just and moral state of nature. Proudhon posited federalism as an organizational form and mutualism as an economic form, which he believed would lead towards the end goal of anarchy. In his 1863 work The Federal Principle , Proudhon elaborated his view of anarchy as "the government of each man by himself," using the English term of "self-government" as a synonym for it. According to Proudhon, under anarchy, "all citizens reign and govern" through direct participation in decision-making. He proposed that this could be achieved through

620-422: A new world, lawless and thereby free." Bakunin popularised "anarchy" as a term, using both its negative and positive definitions, in order to respectively describe the disorderly destruction of revolution and the construction of a new social order in the post-revolutionary society. Bakunin envisioned the creation of an "International Brotherhood", which could lead people through "the thick of popular anarchy" in

682-478: A reputation for offending Pohnpeian deities, sowed resentment among Pohnpeians. The Saudeleur Dynasty ended with the invasion of Isokelekel , another semi-mythical foreigner, who replaced the Saudeleur rule with the more decentralized nahnmwarki system in existence today. The earliest settlers on the island were probably Lapita culture people from the Southeast Solomon Islands or

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744-433: A society without authority , or hierarchy . Anarchy is also often defined synonymously as chaos or social disorder , reflecting the state of nature as depicted by Thomas Hobbes . By this definition, anarchy represents not only an absence of government but also an absence of governance . This connection of anarchy with chaos usually assumes that, without government, no means of governance exist and thus that disorder

806-534: A state containing the capital of the Federated States of Micronesia . Pohnpeian legend recounts that the Saudeleur rulers were of foreign origin, and that their appearance was quite different from native Pohnpeians . The Saudeleur centralized form of absolute rule is characterized in Pohnpeian legend as becoming increasingly oppressive over several generations. Arbitrary and onerous demands, as well as

868-463: A stateless society might lead to greater happiness for humankind and has been attributed the maxim "that government is best which governs least". Jefferson's political philosophy later inspired the development of individualist anarchism in the United States , with contemporary right-libertarians proposing that private property could be used to guarantee anarchy. Pierre-Joseph Proudhon was

930-593: A stratified title system denoting particular occupations, including chief adviser, food preparer, entrance guards, and dwelling guards. According to legend, the rulers of the Saudeleur Dynasty were never concerned with military affairs, and the era is generally characterized as peaceful, though native Pohnpeians suffered and grew dissatisfied with the administration. Religion during the Saudeleur dynasty featured megalithic temples and funerary sites, food offerings, and oracular divinations. The central cult of

992-421: A system of federalism and decentralisation , in which every community is self-governing and any delegation of decision-making is subject to immediate recall . He likewise called for the economy to be brought under industrial democracy , which would abolish private property . Proudhon believed that all this would eventually lead to anarchy, as individual and collective interests aligned and spontaneous order

1054-412: Is a form of society without rulers . As a type of stateless society , it is commonly contrasted with states , which are centralised polities that claim a monopoly on violence over a permanent territory . Beyond a lack of government , it can more precisely refer to societies that lack any form of authority or hierarchy . While viewed positively by anarchists , the primary advocates of anarchy, it

1116-583: Is a positive anarchy [...] it is the liberty that is the MOTHER, not the daughter, of order." While acknowledging this common definition of anarchy as disorder, Proudhon claimed that it was actually authoritarian government and wealth inequality that were the true causes of social disorder. By counterposing this against anarchy, which he defined as an absence of rulers, Proudhon declared that "just as man seeks justice in equality, society seeks order in anarchy". Proudhon based his case for anarchy on his conception of

1178-657: Is achieved. Proudhon thus came to be known as the "father of anarchy" by the anarchist movement, which emerged from the libertarian socialist faction of the International Workingmen's Association (IWA). Until the establishment of IWA in 1864, there had been no anarchist movement, only individuals and groups that saw anarchy as their end goal. One of Proudhon's keenest students was the Russian revolutionary Mikhail Bakunin , who adopted his critiques of private property and government, as well as his views on

1240-413: Is an unavoidable outcome of anarchy. Sociologist Francis Dupuis-Déri has described chaos as a "degenerate form of anarchy", in which there is an absence, not just of rulers, but of any kind of political organization. He contrasts the "rule of all" under anarchy with the "rule of none" under chaos. Since its conception, anarchy has been used in both a positive and negative sense, respectively describing

1302-427: Is characterized in Pohnpeian legend as becoming increasingly oppressive over several generations. Arbitrary and onerous demands, as well as a reputation for offending Pohnpeian deities, sowed resentment among Pohnpeians . The Saudeleur Dynasty ended with the invasion of Isokelekel , another semi-mythical foreigner, who replaced the Saudeleur rule with the more decentralized nahnmwarki system in existence today. For

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1364-427: Is not only prudent but also a moral and political obligation to avoid anarchy and submit to a state. Kant thus concluded that even if people did not desire to leave anarchy, they ought to as a matter of duty to abide by universal laws. In contrast, Edmund Burke 's 1756 work A Vindication of Natural Society , argued in favour of anarchist society in a defense of the state of nature. Burke insisted that reason

1426-447: Is viewed negatively by advocates of statism , who see it in terms of social disorder . The word "anarchy" was first defined by Ancient Greek philosophy , which understood it to be a corrupted form of direct democracy , where a majority of people exclusively pursue their own interests. This use of the word made its way into Latin during the Middle Ages , before the concepts of anarchy and democracy were disconnected from each other in

1488-461: The Age of Enlightenment contrasted the state with what they called the " state of nature ", a hypothetical description of stateless society, although they disagreed on its definition. Thomas Hobbes considered the state of nature to be a "nightmare of permanent war of all against all". In contrast, John Locke considered it to be a harmonious society in which people lived "according to reason, without

1550-493: The Vanuatu archipelago . According to Pohnpeian legend, the main island was created by a party of 17 men and women from a distant land to the south who piled rocks on the surrounding coral reef . The island was inhabited by natives who mixed with the newcomers. Their numbers grew, but their society was in a state of perpetual anarchy . The Saudeleur dynasty began with the arrival of twin sorcerers Olisihpa and Olosohpa from

1612-599: The eternal existence of the Christian God . It later came to reconstitute its original political definition, describing a society without government. Christian theologists came to claim that all humans were inherently sinful and ought to submit to the omnipotence of higher power, with the French Protestant reformer John Calvin declaring that even the worst form of tyranny was preferable to anarchy. The Scottish Quaker Robert Barclay also denounced

1674-660: The "anarchy" of libertines such as the Ranters . In contrast, radical Protestants such as the Diggers advocated for anarchist societies based on common ownership . Although following attempts to establish such a society, the Digger Gerard Winstanley came to advocate for an authoritarian form of communism . During the 16th century, the term "anarchy" first came into use in the English language . It

1736-524: The Europeans these islands were discovered first by Pedro Fernández de Quirós On 10 September 1825 Captain Row, in the brig John Bull passed within 40 miles from some islands at 6°47′N 158°1′E  /  6.783°N 158.017°E  / 6.783; 158.017 as he was sailing from New South Wales to Canton. He did not approach more closely as he sighted five boats that gave chase. John Bull

1798-475: The Life-Giving Turtle – to be eaten by the Saudeleur after they jokingly said they would sell her for a taste of the Saudeleur's dog meat. The dog held a further important position in Saudeleur society: the rules of the Saudeleur were enforced by mythical dogs called Ounmatakai ("watchmen of the land"). At Nan Madol, remnants of turtle and dog status foods have been found. The Saudeleur polity

1860-519: The Lord of Deleur"; also spelled Chau-te-leur ) was the first organized government uniting the people of Pohnpei island, ruling from c.  1100 -1200 CE to c.  1628 CE . The era was preceded by the Mwehin Kawa (Period of Building) or Mwehin Aramas (Period of Peopling), and followed by Mwehin Nahnmwarki . The name Deleur was an ancient name for Pohnpei, today

1922-627: The Saudeleur Dynasty was at Nan Madol , where offerings were made to the Thunder God Nahn Sapwe , or Daukatau, from whom the Saudeleur derived legitimacy. Nahn Sapwe was venerated natively by Pohnpeians. From Nan Madol, the cult of Nahn Sapwe spread to the other districts of Pohnpei. Other native cults included those surrounding freshwater eels and the deity Ilake . The Saudeleur made an unsuccessful attempt to introduce worship of their own deity, Nahnisohn Sapw , to whom Pohnpeians offered only token homage. The Saudeleur rulers made

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1984-430: The Saudeleur downfall. These offenses, as well as the oppressive land ownership and tribute system, drew the ire of gods, humans, and animals alike. Nahn Sapwe, offended by the Saudeleur lord, left Pohnpei for Kosrae (Katau). Having fled, he impregnated a barren human of his own Dipwenpahnmei (Under-the- breadfruit -tree) clan by feeding her a lime . This incestuous union produced the semi-divine Isokelekel , who in

2046-440: The Saudeleur, at Nan Madol . The land, its contents, and its inhabitants were owned by the Saudeleur ruler, who leased the land to landlord classes overseeing commoners harvesting the land. The commoners were required to present the ruler with frequent tributes of fruit and fish. Tribute consisted mostly of breadfruit during rak , the season of plenty, while it shifted to yams, taro, and fermented breadfruit during isol ,

2108-454: The absence of rulers . While anarchy specifically represents a society without rulers, it can more generally refer to a stateless society , or a society without government . Anarchy is thus defined in direct contrast to the State , an institution that claims a monopoly on violence over a given territory . Anarchists such as Errico Malatesta have also defined anarchy more precisely as

2170-581: The desirability of anarchy. During the Revolutions of 1848 , Bakunin wrote of his hopes of igniting a revolutionary upheaval in the Russian Empire , writing to the German poet Georg Herwegh that: "I do not fear anarchy, but desire it with all my heart". Although he still used the negative definition of anarchy as disorder, he nevertheless saw the need for "something different: passion and life and

2232-460: The development of anarchism , which advocates for the creation of anarchy through decentralisation and federalism . As a concept, anarchy is commonly defined by what it excludes. Etymologically, anarchy is derived from the Greek : αναρχία , romanized :  anarchia ; where "αν" ("an") means "without" and "αρχία" ("archia") means "ruler". Therefore, anarchy is fundamentally defined by

2294-408: The fate of the dynasty. The Thunder God Nahn Sapwe had committed adultery with the wife of the Saudeleur lord. In anger, the Saudeleur lord set out to capture Nahn Sapwe. The ruler also used the affair as a pretext to suppress the worship of Nahn Sapwe. Some versions include that the ruler had also incensed other gods of the Pohnpeian pantheon and divested the high priest of Saum who prophesied

2356-495: The fattest Pohnpeians and eat them . Another, Ketiparelong, is remembered for his gluttonous wife who was fed her own father's liver by suffering commoners at a banquet; she committed suicide, followed by Ketiparelong. Saraiden Sapw established the customary First Fruits practice on Pohnpei. Pohnpei was divided into three wei , or states, during the reign of the Saudeleur Mwohnmwei. Kohpwahleng ( Madolenihmw )

2418-505: The first person known to self-identify as an anarchist, adopting the label in order to provoke those that took anarchy to mean disorder. Proudhon was one of the first people to use the word "anarchy" ( French : anarchie ) in a positive sense, to mean a free society without government. To Proudhon, as anarchy did not allow coercion, it could be defined synoymously with liberty . In arguing against monarchy , he claimed that "the Republic

2480-460: The huge stones with the aid of a flying dragon. When Olisihpa died of old age, Olosohpa became the first Saudeleur. Olosohpa married a local woman and sired twelve generations, producing sixteen other Saudeleur rulers of the Dipwilap ("Great") clan. The founders of the dynasty ruled kindly, though their successors placed ever increasing demands on their subjects. Rule was maintained by one man,

2542-442: The last. Some common methods of recourse against oppression were defiance of orders and theft of property offered to the Saudeleur. A few Saudeleur were benign rulers: Inenen Mwehi established an aristocracy , and Raipwenlang was a skilled magician. Others, however, were renowned for their cruelty. Sakon Mwehi taxed Pohnpeians ruthlessly, and according to legend, the Saudeleur known as Raipwenlake, purportedly used magic to locate

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2604-438: The meal of warriors about to battle, and the offering constituted an invitation to do battle with the Saudeleur. While on Ant, Isokelekel entered a romantic relationship with a native woman, demonstrating his intention to cultivate close ties with Pohnpeians and oppose only the Saudeleur. According to many versions, war broke out at Nan Madol after playing between local children and those from Isokelekel 's canoe escalated into

2666-432: The mythical Western Katau, or Kanamwayso. Olisihpa and Olosohpa were said to be much taller than native Pohnpeians. The brothers arrived in a large canoe seeking a place to build an altar so that they could worship Nahnisohn Sahpw, the god of agriculture. After several false starts, the two brothers successfully built an altar at megalithic Nan Madol , where they performed their rituals. In legend, these brothers levitated

2728-416: The native chiefly structure. Later, U and Nett became states in the north, making up the present-day five municipalities of Pohnpei. Sokehs was a prestigious region under Saudeleur reign, and Onohnleng remained largely autonomous. Areas of Kitti and Kepihleng in the west had a reputation for defying the authority of the eastern Saudeleur. At the capital Nan Madol , the Saudeleur rulers developed

2790-459: The ravenous moray eel Nahn Samwohl an intermediary to Nahnisohn Sapw, who indicated the foreign god was contented by devouring tribute in the form of a turtle. The priestly class, headed by the Soukiseleng high priest, was powerful and influential in Pohnpeian society. The annual kampa ritual affirmed Pohnpeians' dedication to the gods and spirits of the land. The sakau ceremony

2852-431: The reach of the state was reasonable when peaceful cooperation without a state was possible. His thoughts on the state of nature and limited government ultimately provided the foundation for the classical liberal argument for laissez-faire . Immanuel Kant defined "anarchy", in terms of the "state of nature", as a lack of government. He discussed the concept of anarchy in order to question why humanity ought to leave

2914-435: The revolution itself against the reaction. There is no doubt that this new life – the popular revolution – will in good time organize itself, but it will create its revolutionary organization from the bottom up, from the circumference to the center, in accordance with the principle of liberty, and not from the top down or from the center to the circumference in the manner of all authority. It matters little to us if that authority

2976-420: The ruling family. In other versions, Isokelekel's warriors are aided by hidden weapons that suddenly appeared. The tide of war reversed several times, but ended against the Saudeleur, who retreated with his army into the main island of Pohnpei. Legend recounts that the battle ended as Saudeleur lord Saudemwohl retreated ever uphill to a stream, where he transformed into a fish and remains today. Isokelekel took

3038-407: The season of scarcity. Seafood was also presented to the Saudeleur at designated times. The tribute system was initially seasonal; however, over time, the demands of the Saudeleur left the populace starving and living as slaves, as they had to pay in labor and offer most materials first to the ruler. Public dissatisfaction led to at least two assassinations, but another Saudeleur simply rose in place of

3100-462: The state of nature behind and instead submit to a " legitimate government ". In contrast to Thomas Hobbes, who conceived of the state of nature as a "war of all against all" which existed throughout the world, Kant considered it to be only a thought experiment . Kant believed that human nature drove people to not only seek out society but also to attempt to attain a superior hierarchical status . While Kant distinguished between different forms of

3162-435: The state of nature behind and submit to the authority of a state. Kant argued that the threat of violence incentivises humans, by the need to preserve their own safety, to leave the state of nature and submit to the state. Based on his " hypothetical imperative ", he argued that if humans desire to secure their own safety, then they ought to avoid anarchy. But he also argued, according to his " categorical imperative ", that it

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3224-430: The state of nature, contrasting the "solitary" form against the "social", he held that there was no means of distributive justice in such a circumstance. He considered that, without law , a judiciary and means for law enforcement , the danger of violence would be ever-present, as each person could only judge for themselves what is right without any form of arbitration. He thus concluded that human society ought to leave

3286-459: The title of Nahnmwarki and assumed the seat of power in Nan Madol as had the Saudeleur Dynasty before him. The Saudeleur tribute system was reduced, but persisted as a matter of custom in later eras. The modern tradition of tribute and feasting at funerals and celebrations is derived from Saudeleur era tributary practices. Anarchy List of forms of government Anarchy

3348-480: The wake of the Atlantic Revolutions . During the Age of Enlightenment , philosophers began to look at anarchy in terms of the " state of nature ", a thought experiment used to justify various forms of hierarchical government. By the late 18th century, some philosophers began to speak in defence of anarchy, seeing it as a preferable alternative to existing forms of tyranny . This lay the foundations for

3410-503: The womb knew his destiny of vengeance. As an adult, Isokelekel set sail with 333 men, women, and children with the secret intention of conquering Pohnpei. The embarkment consecrated by human sacrifice , a ritual widespread in Polynesian culture , but altogether rare in Pohnpeian history. On his way to Nan Madol, Isokelekel received breadfruit kernels from the chief of Ant Atoll . In their culture, breadfruit kernels were

3472-543: Was all that was needed to govern society and that "artificial laws" had been responsible for all social conflict and inequality, which led him to denounce the church and the state. Burke's anti-statist arguments preceded the work of classical anarchists and directly inspired the political philosophy of William Godwin . In his 1793 book Political Justice , Godwin proposed the creation of a more just and free society by abolishing government, concluding that order could be achieved through anarchy. Although he came to be known as

3534-420: Was an elaborate affirmation of Saudeleur dominance, with much ritual surrounding the preparation and presentation of gifts to rulers. Food offerings reserved especially for the Saudeleur included turtles and dogs , both of which held ritual symbolism. Turtles ( wei ) represented the three major political divisions ( wei ) and held a central place in a myth where two brothers must sacrifice their mother –

3596-523: Was best. He argued that it was passion, not law, that had driven human society forward, concluding by calling for the abolition of law and a return to a state of nature by accepting anarchy. He concluded by declaring anarchy to be the best form of political regime, as it was law that gave rise to tyranny and anarchic revolution that was capable of bringing down bad governments. After the American Revolution , Thomas Jefferson suggested that

3658-509: Was conquered by Isokelekel , who invaded Pohnpei from Kosrae , or the mythical East Katau. There is great variation among sources for the exact events before and during the invasion on Pohnpei; at least 13 differing accounts of the war are published. In most versions of the legend, the Saudeleur rule had become oppressive under its abusive centralized social system, and its lords had offended the Thunder God Nahn Sapwe, sealing

3720-586: Was lightly armed and so Row was unwilling to interact with them, choosing instead to sail on. He believed the islands were unknown and so named them "John Bull's Islands". In 1828 Russian navigator Fyodor Litke named the group after Russian admiral Dmitry Senyavin . This Federated States of Micronesia location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Saudeleur 6°51′N 158°13′E  /  6.850°N 158.217°E  / 6.850; 158.217 The Saudeleur dynasty ( Pohnpeian : Mwehin Sau Deleur , "Period of

3782-494: Was the eastern division, subdivided into seven areas: Wenik Peidi, Wenik Peidak, Enimwahn, Lehdau, Senipehn, Lepinsed, and Deleur. In the west, Malenkopwale ( Kitti ) comprised four areas: Onohnleng, Kepihleng, Lehnpwel, and Ant Atoll . Pwahpwahlik ( Sokehs ) in the north was made of Palikir, Sokehs, Tipwen Dongalap, Kahmar, Nan Mair, and Pakin Island . The centralized system incorporated preexisting lower level divisions, and adopted

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3844-518: Was used to describe the disorder that results from the absence of or opposition to authority, with John Milton writing of "the waste/Wide anarchy of Chaos" in Paradise Lost . Initially used as a pejorative descriptor for democracy , the two terms began to diverge following the Atlantic Revolutions , when democracy took on a positive connotation and was redefined as a form of elected , representational government . Political philosophers of

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