In part 1 of this two-pronged exploration of the theory of multigovernment, we delved into the structural aspects of the theory. In this second and final part, I examine the fundamental principles of the theory.
The Principles of the Theory of Multigovernment
Principle 1: Each person’s needs and desires for a government are different
Day holds, quite correctly, that the world is a multi-diversified society, and that it is impossible to mould the entire world into one culture, religion or country. Discontent grows because of the diversified and individualised nature of mankind. These rebellious individuals are categorised into two categories: those who neither desire nor appreciate social changes and are capable of living peacefully without them, and those who want extra government benefits that are of a different nature than those offered by the state.
Multigovernment offers a solution to this individual difference problem by proposing that governments compete for adherents by adapting to the needs of people rather than the other way around.
Principle 2: The individual should decide for himself the government he wants to serve him
Day holds that knowledge has become power in that it has led to people insisting on participating in the political decision-making process.
Democracy’s backbone is the ability of people to understand issues and to make intelligent judgments.
Political evolution has led to the point where, instead of the majority deciding policy, the individual decides his or her own policy.
Principle 3: Where a person lives (geographical boundaries) should not be the determining factor of which government he belongs to
Multigovernment proposes that landmass in itself is not a legitimate claim or a condition of national sovereignty. Although territorial government must, by the nature of land-people relationships, perform some functions of government, most government functions can be performed better by people-oriented government.
The fact that people must adhere to the policy of war-for-land is the cause of all revolutions. Political boundaries must now be re-evaluated.
The three conditions that underlie a legal claim to land, namely a piece of paper, historical precedent, and the status quo, become void when a sovereign gains enough power to overthrow his neighbours. Multigovernment protects people’s natural right to choose their government, regardless of where they live.
Principle 4: Various governments can, and ought to, exist in the same location
The way that a person provides for themselves the greatest individual potential growth is by offering his fellow human beings the largest possible variety of governments. Such governments must be created with enough sovereignty to govern but without the power to compel. The only feasible way for this to be accomplished is to allow for many governments to exist in the same territory and compete for adherents.
Principle 5: Governments compete for membership with services, economics, or ideologies
Competition, in the words of Day himself, is “man’s greatest individual and collective growth factor, and should be utilised to create better government as it has been used to make better automobiles, moon shots, and soccer teams.”
Day suggests that a person who does not like the government they belong to, would have one of three choices: resign and join another government, resign and join no government at all, or resign and create a government that will fit their needs.
Principle 6: An individual may belong to no government at all
Day’s last principle is that of an anarcho-individualist society. He believes that the nonconformist souls are the ones who have provided mankind with the most artists, writers, and thinkers. These nonconformists should also live completely free except for basic protection of the law.
Conclusion
To adequately summarise Le Grand Day’s theory of multigovernment could only be done in his own words:
“It must be understood at this point that the so-called free enterprise system would prevail overall and the Choice Government would act as a unit in its dealings like a corporation. It is asserted that free individuals can live in the same geographical location as choice governments.
This should satisfy the individualist as he can live free from government intervention. This should satisfy the socialist-oriented person as he can belong to a socialist choice government. There will be a government or a set of governments that will satisfy everyone’s exact needs or wants from government, and he will still belong to less than the five mandatory governments we now belong to.
The conservative will have his notion of freedom: free from all but necessary government functions. The collectivist will have his freedom from want in his choice of collective societies. The moderate, the religious man, etc., will all have their choices of government. There will exist a new dimension of freedom.
A Multigovernment advocate believes the individual has the implied right to choose one’s own government, whatever his geographical location.”
Jacques Jonker
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