Time Warp: Anarchy

Anarchy Anarchy is the absence of government - the dream of angsty teens and terrible punk bands throughout time. Supporters argue that it provides ultimate equality as no one is above any other. Opponents argue that humans need to be given rules or chaos and violence will reign. Who is right?

Time Warp

Anarchy has never lasted very long as a government type. Examples can be found sporadically throughout history. The most recent occurred right here in the U.S.A. A group of protestors in 2020 formed what they called the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) in Seattle in 2020.

Enter the simulation

United States of America

2020 A.D.

This is the Capital Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) that arose in Seattle as a result of the BLM protests in 2020. The goal was to create a society that operated without police. It seems like a welcoming enough place. Let’s head in!

General strike, govt does nothing

Key: Anarchy has a flat power structure without leaders or authorities.

Enter CHOP

If there’s no police, This could be kind of dangerous. You’re going to need a disguise.

Continue

Choose a disguise

Police Officer

Millennial

The police aren’t exactly loved in most of seattle, and certainly not in the Chop zone. Still, you’d be well-armed and have plenty of back up. That might be the only safe bet in this lawless land.

Play as a Police Officer

Continue Research

You head directly to the police department. You should fit in there.

Oh… well. okay then.

continue

Yikerz. Anarchists do not like Police. It’s kind of what they’re all about. Down with authority! You are harassed from the minute you show up and nobody will provide you with any useful information. You are desynced.

Try again

Seattle is home to the world’s first starbucks, so a hipster millennial would likely fit in perfectly here. Plus, you’d have no job to worry about so plenty of free time!

Play as a millennial

Continue Research

Honestly, Chop seems pretty cool. Your millennial disguise helps you fit right in. Most people are peaceful and it feels very freeing not to have any police around. Maybe this anarchy thing isn’t so bad…

Stay longer

A few days later and things are feeling a bit more tense. Trash is starting to pile up and you have heard reports of robberies and even a murder. There are still no police to be seen. Chop leaders (wait… why are there leaders?!) blame the violence on outside forces.

Stay longer

Get out now

You were right to think things would keep getting worse. Unfortunately, you didn’t stay long enough to learn much. You are desynced.

Key: Anarchy never lasts long, chaos grows quickly.

Try again

You decide to stick around and learn a bit more. How bad could it be? Apparently, pretty bad. This doesn’t look like a paradise of freedom. It looks like a homeless encampment. People are sleeping in tents and have painted many anti-government messages on the walls of former stores. Welcome to Chop indeed.

Continue

The next night you run into this fellow holding a rather large gun in the street. He seems… uh… nice? But, I thought this place was all about peace?

Talk to him

So, um, what’s up with the huge gun?

WE’re an armed defense force.

Oh, so you’re like, the police?

Key: Anarchy has a flat power structure without leaders.

No, we don’t believe in police. Everyone here has equal power.

But like…

NO! We. Are. Not. Police!

continue

Unfortunately, the Definitely-not-police force could not keep people safe. After another murder, the government decides this anarchy experiment has gone on long enough. They roll in and clear out the CHOP Zone.

Cops destroy it

Viva chop!

A lone anarchist stands, well… lays, against the force of the government. The rest seem to have concluded that their experiment has failed.

Viva chop!

Ironically, the mess left by the anarchists is cleaned up by the government they so claimed to hate. It seems that when everyone is responsible - no one is. Like everyone other anarchy attempts, this one ends quickly and in chaos.

Key: Anarchy never lasts long, chaos grows quickly.

Bye Chop

Here is Capital Hill today - complete with government, laws and police. I’m sure all those freedom-loving anarchists will miss the boarded up buildings and piles of trash, but for most of us, I think we can see why anarchy is quite dumb.

Attempt to Warp

Anarchy

Choose the 1st key of knowledge to unlock the portal to the next stage.

Anarchic systems gladly accept some power inequalities

No one is supposed to have more authority than another.

The military is above all others in anarchy.

Anarchy works because it protects all citizens.

Try again

Autocracy

Choose the 2nd key of knowledge to unlock the portal to the next stage.

Anarchy has never lasted long because it leads to chaos.

Citizens each have an assigned job for the good of all.

The only successful Anarchic system was in germany.

Anarchy handles small problems, just not large ones.

Enter Portal

Choose your Government!

Fascism

Autocracy

Anarchy

Feudalism

Democracy

Communism

Time Warp

Congratulations! You have now experienced governments throughout time. You should now realize that no government system is perfect. Some are clearly worse than others, but even the best ones require constant vigilance from citizens. You have a responsibility to be involved and ensure your government is operating the way it should.