From the White-PillBox: Part 61

The recent Argentine presidential election offers a powerful, though tentative, White Pill.

As most are aware by now, Javier Milei won the Argentine presidential election on November 19^th. Milei is a self-described anarcho-capitalist (Ancap). He has spoken many times on the subject, in unequivocal terms. He has an enormous number of YouTube videos, many of which show that he has a clear understanding of the principles of freedom.

For a nation to elect an Ancap as president is an unexpected development. Even as recently as six months ago, virtually no one (in the mainstream or in the liberty sphere) would have expected it.

This means we are in uncharted territory. And that makes it a challenge whether or not to confidently declare a White Pill.

The situation gives us an opportunity to examine how we think through issues (current events, cultural trends, etc.) in order to determine if there is a White Pill to be found.

The immediate view, versus the big picture

The short-term/local view

White Pills are typically difficult to find when we are taking a short-term or local perspective. But that is simply because White Pills are future-oriented. Recall that a White Pill is a reason for hope. The very concept of hope involves a look toward the future.

Also, remember that the goal of anarchism (in particular, anarcho-capitalism) is a stateless society. More particularly, it is to help the minds of men overcome the myth that the State has legitimacy. Again, this is a long-term objective.

Thus, there is much guesswork in examining the immediate potentials of Milei’s election.

To begin with, he is a human being.

It is a positive that this particular person is a self-declared Ancap (we will stipulate he is sincere about this). But one man cannot magically plant into the minds of others the insight that the State is illegitimate. That happens as each person loses the veil of indoctrination that hides the truth. And this takes time.

Moreover, as an individual man, he is motivated by his own particular values. We are not in his mind; we do not know his true beliefs, motivations, or plans. We cannot predict if his views will change.

We cannot confidently declare a solid White Pill simply because one particular man talks about his plans (albeit using many well-articulated anarchist principles ¹).

Politics

Unfortunately, finding White Pills in the context of politics, at least in the short run, is problematic. Politics stains and infects almost everything it touches, and this event is no different.

We can imagine the best of intentions by Milei, pursuing policies that help undercut the State. But politics can still manage to undermine all that.

The forces of the State may be able to disregard him, or modify his plans. They may find a way to take him out of the equation altogether.

Again, this does not mean he will, or will not, implement policies that prove to be a net advance toward a free society. It means the very nature of traveling this road via politics increases the chances it becomes a tainted path.

For example, if he manages to reduce the State’s hand in the economy, adjustments will be part of the process. The pain along the way will most certainly be used to undermine the message that a free economy is the best arrangement for human prosperity.

Indeed, all negative news (whether actual, misinterpreted, or manufactured) will be offered by statists as proof that “freedom does not work”. Some will buy it. Some will not. This is unpredictable.

These competing factors make it difficult to know whether we have a genuine White Pill.

The mess of details

A White Pill is especially hard to spot when we get lost in the short-run details. Some of Milei’s views are more right-wing than anarchist. For example, he has made clear he wants to switch Argentina’s currency from the peso to the U.S. dollar ². Additionally, his views in support of Israel basically parallel that of the United States.

Neither of these can be considered pure Ancap positions. A true Ancap would advocate for no national currency at all, permitting private currencies to compete in the market, like any other good or service (although he has made statements to this effect as well). And the Ancap position on a foreign war would be that a State should take a fully neutral position. And anyone living under that State should be free to support, not support, or be indifferent to the conflict, as their conscience dictates.

The Milei positions are clearly not fully Ancap.

And yet (and this indeed is another unknown), his views may have been chosen for political expediency. Both of the above positions appease the United States. He may want to avoid antagonizing the world’s largest empire, in order to keep it at bay for the time being.

If true, it is a political gamble. As with any gamble, it may or may not pay off. And this uncertainty is yet another reason we should be hesitant to declare a White Pill.

The long-term/broad view

Conversely, if there are White Pills to be found, they will be here.

Reaching the masses

Obviously, before the State is de-legitimized, people must be exposed to the idea (that the State is illegitimate) in the first place.

Politics, for all its problems, reaches a wide audience. So a potential White Pill is that more people have heard (and presumably will continue to hear) a major figure question the State. And this particular person tends to not hold back. He continuously mocks and ridicules politicians and the State itself.

Recall that people grow up indoctrinated into unquestioning loyalty to the State. And yet the State is no different from a petty thug, a Mafia member, or any other bully. People view the latter examples as illegitimate, but not the State. That’s the indoctrination at work.

So all they need, essentially, is permission to see the State as just another criminal.

Any trigger than helps peoples’ minds question the authority of the State is positive. And this is why doing so using the bullhorn of a country’s presidency holds a good deal of potential.

This is what makes this a White Pill.

Now, it is true, as indicated above, that in the context of politics, this message can and will be distorted. The uncertain impact of this makes this White Pill tentative.

But even this concern is offset. Milei has been quite explicit in his statements about anarcho-capitalism. Therefore, most of those who voted for him should have a reasonably clear understanding that he is anti-State, and pro-private-property.

This means a very high percentage of Argentinians have been exposed to these principles, and (having voted for him) a decently high percentage are favorable to them ³. And the relentless fear spread by his opposition along the way was not successful (since he won); this suggests that his ideas resonated on more than a purely emotional level.

The world

Of course, the potential for exposure is not limited to Argentinians. An anarcho-capitalist president (again, assuming Milei is genuine) is something new on the world stage. It has no historical or current counterpart, anywhere, at any time.

There is genuine potential from the point of view of messaging, beyond Argentina. But for that, he would have to continue to command attention. He would have to continue to communicate a principled and consistent message that questions the legitimacy of the State, and why. And he would, of course, have to show at least some on-the-ground success, to help lend support that freedom works in practice.

All of this would have to be communicated on the news and social media outlets of the world.

Conclusion

The mentality of the people is the key factor determining how long it takes to reach a stateless society.

A very large segment of the Argentinian population has shown that a crack has formed in their statist indoctrination ⁴. The sheer number of people in this category far exceeds the number it was only a short year ago. Among them will be people who get curious, and start along their own path to overcome their statist indoctrination.

And, of course, among the many whose eyes are opening, is the likelihood that more and more influencers arise to spread the message even further. Other countries may see similar figures emerge, in and out of politics. It may even inspire secession movements, in the U. S. and elsewhere.

By any measure, this is a White Pill.

True, the man himself may do things that set things back. Politics may taint the image of the Ancap message. The Argentine economy may struggle so badly that the brand unfairly suffers.

But the very exposure to the principles may be sufficiently widespread, as to mitigate these risks.

A White Pill is typically a reason for hope. This tentative White Pill offers a powerful reason for hope.

1. Bear in mind, this essay is not attempting to predict good or bad political outcomes from this event; it is evaluating its White Pill potential from the short- and long-term perspectives.

2. However, he has also made very positive comments about cryptocurrency. And Bitcoin is already more widely used in Argentina than in many other countries.

3. However, given that Argentina has suffered desperate economic hardships for decades (40 percent poverty rate, inflation at 140 percent), it is arguable Milei’s success represents an act of desperation on the part of the public.

4. It cannot be understated that the introduction to Ancap ideas due to Milei goes far beyond those who voted for him. The key step is being exposed, not whether a ballot is cast. This includes far more people: those who voted against him; those who did not vote; people in other countries.

This is an enormous number of human beings who, for the first time, have heard a major figure openly and unashamedly question State authority.