There is just such a band of people who charged themselves to “form a government.” They were the pirates at the turn of the early eighteenth century.  During their short existence they did it quite successfully by forming a true working example of a democracy, both on land and at sea.

Unfortunately, they had some nasty tendencies and their experiment failed under the power and might of the English navy, with some help from nature.

If, for purposes of examining the formation of government, one is willing to divorce those unsavory aspects of piracy from the notion of government, one could find a fascinating account in the book “The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down” by Colin Woodard (also available on audio CD).

According to a review on Amazon.com “an unusual group of pirates, led by Edward “Blackbeard” Teach and Sam Bellamy, actually set up a functioning government in the Bahamas with pretensions to establishing a form of social justice. Their “republic” attracted deserting sailors who could not tolerate harsh naval discipline, runaway slaves, and impoverished farmers. In this republic, called New Providence, a rough but democratic and egalitarian ethos apparently took hold.”

All hands elected their Captains on board ship, and participated in life and death decisions. Similarly, all hands elected leaders on land. It was democracy and it was direct.  And, it was effective.  Ineffective leadership was quickly dismissed; non-productive members as well.

Shares in the profits were distributed fairly and consistently.  The risks were also shared.

The pirate government did not survive, but not because it was a bad government.  It was destroyed because it was based on a poor ethical idea - theft. The peoples being plundered were the ultimate downfall of the pirates.

One thing from which it did not suffer, and perhaps never would have, was the internal plunder of its leaders.  Such leaders walked the plank or were unelected on the spot when necessary.

Nor did it suffer from plunder by non-producers.  Leaders and members were not beholden to people who did not share in making the venture successful.

As a government, it was successful, albeit small and short term.  Its early demise was not so much a result of the weaknesses of its social construct as of the strength of its natural enemies.

It would have been interesting to observe the long term success or lack of success of the pirates’ social experiment.  Naturally, most systems which work well when small tend to disintegrate when they become too large.  Nor did time have the opportunity to exact its demands.

Myriad questions come to mind as to how the social experiment might have prospered had it not been based upon the flawed premise of theft. How were their families on land treated and supported?  What would have happened to the pirates who lost their limbs and abilities while “working.”

As in all good discussion, in this case “How to form a government”, a response to one question leads to more questions. Good Socratic dialogue.  Much to be preferred to the arrogance of “settled” inquiry.

Come to consensus on what’s most important; food & water, shelter and safety. Then, begin to divvy up tasks among those willing to form a cooperative effort for common good.
Those who won’t would make good pirates.

Mr Johann’s comment is interesting, and reflects information I have also read and blogged upon, on April 16 and 20 of this year. He is right that the pirates got the mechanics of governance right, but a sustainable basis for it wrong.

Basing a society upon force, violence and fear is a loser, although any society inherently has those elements and must deal with them.

So, the first thing that must happen is honest dialogue among the survivors to ascertain their values, needs and willingness to cooperate in a social structure designed for the common good.

Then, leaders must be found that the followers trust and will actively support. Without willing followers, no leader can succeed.

Failing this, go back to sleep and hope for a better dream.

The Basque region of Spain was brutally repressed, beaten and abused under Franco’s tyranical rule.  Speaking basque was punishable by death.  The civil war took a tragic toll.  Eventually, Franco died.  The Basque people were left staggering under the worst poverty in Western Europe.

Today it’s a different story.  They pulled together as a community and, through the Mondragon Cooperative Corporation, have produced jobs, wealth, opportunity and, most importantly, stability. Based on ten principals of 1)Open Admission, 2)Democratic Organisation, 3)Sovereignty of Labour, 4)the Instrumental and Subordinate Character of Capital, 5)Participatory Management, 6)Payment Solidarity, 7)Interco-operation, 8)Social Transformation, 9)Universality, and 10)Education, they have transformed themselves in a span of about forty years.

You can get started at their website here.

A refreshing defense of the Somali pirates was recently offered up in an article in Canada’s National Post.

Since many visitors of this site are of the liberal persuasion, I doubt that many read the conservative Post, easily the best newspaper in North America and one of the few that still makes money.

As a result of an unending war and socio/economic breakdown, the Somali fishing industry, once a staple of the economy, has cratered.  There is no Somali Coast Guard or Navy to protect fisherman’s interests or secure the Somali coastline.

As a result, foreign countries have overfished Somali waters with impunity and depleted fish stocks to extinction.

In addition,European governments find the prospect of nuclear and toxic waste disposal in Somali waters too tempting to resist and contract third parties to dump waste in Somali waters for a fraction of what they would pay to have the waste safely treated in Europe.  As a result, Somaila’s offshore ecosystem has been degraded past the point of recovery. A great example of the wimpish bullying so prevalent in the collectivist governments in postwar Europe.

Somali pirates are generally supported, and in some cases revered, by the landbound Somali citizenry.  Modern-day Robin Hoods that are avenging the economic and environmental destruction visited on their homeland by decadent Europhiles that see Somali as a convenient dumping ground for the waste products of their industrial society.

Significantly, the United States does not fish or dump waste in Somali waters.  Bush/Cheney haters please take note. 

The defense of Somali pirates and their success in extracting significant ransom dollars from first world governments is an interesting perspective.  One that you will not likely read in the Huffington Post or the Bellingham Herald.

In truth, many alternative insights come from conservative reporters writing for conservative newspapers; publications that most Hamsters would be loathe to admit reading;  or quoting.

John Lesow

But of the four comments so far, only one has addressed the essential question: 
  “So the first things that this little bunch that had been talking decided to do was…..............”

This case is different from the pirates and the Basques mentioned by others.  Those groups already had some cohesion, members were known to each other and there were existing leaders.  This story has a large, random group who were largely strangers when the need arose.

Marian,

On first read, yours struck me as a Robert Evans pitch for a pilot; sort of like “Castaway Meets Survivor”.

Stepping back from that, what would I do?

Well, first I would pick a strong, ideologically similar partner to team up with.  After all, that is why cops work in pairs.  From that base of two, we would expand to five.  Same as a squad in the Army. The squad would be like-minded and united by a sense of patriotic duty and a faith in a Christian God.  Yes, we would all be God-fearing and bound by a faith in Jesus Christ and a literal embrace of the Ten Commandments and the Old Testament.  That would be essential to keep a tenuous situation from unraveling into anarchy.

From there, we would attempt to fashion an action plan that would accomplish a basic framework for mutual survival and a sense of hope for the future.  Even if that future was, at best, a Swiss Family Robinson meets Robinson Crusoe.  My squad would consist of 5 men,but we would actively engage in outreach to similar groups comprised primarily of women.  Ideally, the groups would interact and propagate and manage to have a safer, more comfortable and hopeful existence than that described in your commentary.  With a sense of audacious hope, and a little luck, we could fashion a simple, yet relatively secure existence despite the pre-industrial, post-traumatic scenario set forth in your example.

Hope this helps. 

John Lesow

Surely you jest, Mr. Lesow?

I was trained as an airborne infantry platoon leader.  There was little homogeneity by race or creed in the squads (mostly draftees) under my command.  Yet they were very well-trained and effective and won annual division level awards to prove it. I seldom experienced anything approaching anarchy.

Dick,

I served as a platoon leader in the Army.  Didn’t have Airborne status, but admired those that did.  My platoon was diverse and most recruits were from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.  In the 60’s, as now, most rich kids avoided military service.

Religion was a common bond.  We had non-denominational chaplains.  Most of us attended church services on Sunday.  Faith was an important component of our military discipline. 
The author’s theoretical scenario depicts choices not unlike those encountered in wartime. 

My experience is that a strong faith in God is essential in any productive human endeavor.  Particularly when the going gets tough and secularism becomes intellectually tedious and ultimately non-productive when pursuing survival strategies.

John Lesow

Big Hug Marian,

Wonderful to see you here.

I’d gather with the Sisters first - promote Grandmothers into leadership.

Hi again Marian,

Been imagining what I’d do.

Shun those jocketing for power; Alpha Ape sorts particularly.

Join with those who feed the hungry, share the water, heal the sick and who keep their spirits strong. Want to work hard, doing whatever needs doing, side by side with others who put other’s first.

If my “side” lacks numbers, or weapons (which we will lack, of course) and we end up murdered by robber barons or street thugs or those who wish to silence us or eradicate us - at least we die well.

Beyond refusing to practice fear, greed or panic in times of community crisis,  and my commitment to the humble - I plan to shut up because I lack education in environmental science and community consciousness raising. 

But interested in learning.

How about it Marian? Tell your vision some more, please.

Kamalla Rose;

Well, I was hoping for the contributions of others - but I do have some ideas.

I reckon the first natural groupings would be…..No, wait a sec. Lets see if this triplex rule fits:

“For success in life;
It doesn’t really matter so much WHAT you know - though you DO have to know it;  and

It doesn’t really matter so much WHO you know - though you DO have to know them;  but

What really matters is .... who knows YOU!”
      (MGB, 2008)

So in that case, if somebody already knows that you have some skill that is relevant, they will speak out in your favor.

And if you demonstrate some ability (like the famous ability to divine water with a forked stick) and somebody knows that you have that ability, then you’re in a good position to help the community.

As to priorities, I’d say air to breathe, safe water to drink, food—then shelter if there are hazards or cold. Folks who have skills on those should be assisted to put them to practice. We’d have to show respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.