How to Simulate Anarcho-Capitalism using MinecraftTired of getting bogged down in all the hypothetical debate about whether an anarcho-capitalist nonstate would be possible, feasible, or desirable? Want to perform a fun practical experiment instead? All you need is a copy of Minecraft, an internet connection, and confidence that a truly free society working together can enjoy more benefits with fewer drawbacks than a state.
Step 1: Set up a Minecraft server!Set up a minecraft server using these instructions: http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Tutorials/Setting_up_a_server If you want that extra Sci-Fi feel, consider using the Technic Pack mod (AKA tekkit,) which adds electricity, ore processing, and lasers! http://www.technicpack.net/technic6/ (Refer to the vanilla minecraft installation instructions and don't be afraid to search the tekkit forum if you encounter issues.) Now you need to tell each and every player your server's IP address. If you have a static IP address, or are paying for a professionally hosted server, this is easy. If you're using your home internet connection, on the other hand, and if your ISP assigns you a dynamic IP, you may need to use a program like Hamachi to set up an alternative IP address. When configuring your server.properties file, remember to make it SMP, and whatever you do, don't use a whitelist!
Step 1b: That's the Anarchy, now for the Capitalism!If you're using Tekkit, you could treat EMC or whatever as a currency, but if you're running vanilla, you'd want to install some sort of currency plugin. I recommend iconomy + MobBounty, so players have a rudimentary initial source of income, and some sort of shop plugin so they have a way to spend it. An automatic shop command such as CommandShops is good if you want to track the effects of inflation over time, while PhysicalShop allows each player to know the risks and potential rewards of operating their own brick-and-mortar business, at the cost of being less efficient and convenient for shoppers.
In a pinch, players usually start to use diamonds or gold as a barter currency when no other currency is availible, but tekkit's late game tech can screw with this pretty hard. There will also be a lot of haggling cluttering up the general chat channel, and occasional disputes when a deal goes south or someone "accidentally" picks up an item intended for another player.
Step 2: No rulers! Only rules!If you like, build a nice spawn area, perhaps with a little town, and signs posting some reasonable rules. (No PVP in town, no breaking another player's house without permission, no stealing, no building structures that cause lag, no crashing the server, etc.)
Keep in mind that any command a Moderator, Administrator, or Op would normally use to enforce the above rules represents a monopoly on the use of force. There are basically only two logical ways of addressing this: either make EVERY player an Op as soon as they join for the first time, or else only have one Op, never log in as that player, and never type commands directly into the console.
Step 3: Get ready for the first wave of refugees!If running vanilla Minecraft, start a server thread here: http://www.minecraftforum.net/forum/45-minecraft-survival-servers/ . If using Tekkit Pack, start a server thread here:
http://forums.technicpack.net/index.php/board,24.0.html . Follow the forum's standard format for Server thread first posts. Remember, these need to be Survival servers with no whitelist. You may also want to include the word "Anarchy" in the thread title and the server MOTD, just so players know what they are getting themselves into.
Step 4: Stand back and watch your society flourish!No doubt players will flock to your server, lured by the promise of freedom from the oppression of inherently evil Ops and Moderators. You'll probably have a hard time keeping enough slots available! Fortunately, this is an easy fix, just state that you will accept donations to keep the server running. Don't offer any special perks or Donor Powers in exchange for donations, because that would be the equivalent of a state monopoly. Any item or ability you give to one player, you have to give to all players, not just the ones you like. If you give DonorDan a fancy compass tied to the /jump command, EntrepreneurialEdward needs to be physically capable of providing the same service to CheapskateChester at a competitive price.
Here are some practices common on most Minecraft servers that you will need to avoid. If you ever use one of these, you're a State, *unless* everyone else is also able to use them on you, the server owner:
- banning players
- IP ban
- protecting land
- spawning items for players
- rolling back the server to undo grief
- using WorldEdit to build, maintain, or repair large structures
- creating warps
- teleporting to other players (with or without requesting permission first)
- changing a player's mode to Creative Mode
- various sundry cheats and utility commands usually only given to Ops. Most of these you'd need to install by hand but a few come with bukkit, the most popular way to run a vanilla minecraft server, and a few more come with Tekkit, the Technic Pack server.
Step 5: Anecdotal Evidence!If an Anarchy is inherently preferable to Statehood, no doubt players will flock to your server, and a few will be eager to throw their money at you since you provide such a great Minecraft experience. You will have more players and donations than even the most popular protected/moderated servers! Sure, you will occasionally have problems with griefers, black-hat security crackers (some FAQs erroneously refer to these as "hackers", but whatever,) and PVP drama, but every moderated server also has to deal with these. Post your experiences in this thread. Talk about the problems you encounter and describe how you manage to solve them without giving any one player more power or authority than another player.
Troubleshooting Minecraft (and by extension, Tekkit)Here's some technical issues I've encountered in the past: If your router uses DHCP, you'll need to set up a reserved slot for your computer, then port forward 25565. (If you like, you can forward a different port, just make sure you specify the same number in your server.properties file.)
Troubleshooting (Tekkit)If you're on a mac using Snow Leopard or earlier, you won't be able to install Java 7, which the Advanced Machines mod requires, so delete the Advanced Machines zip file from the /mods/ directory of the server folder. If you have Windows 7 or anything else that will run Java 7, you can use the community-brewed patch here:
http://forums.technicpack.net/index.php/topic,2834.0.html. Note that without Java 7, the WorldGuard plugin doesn't work right. So if you want to protect players' structures, you'd need to install and use the iZone plugin instead. When in doubt, google it, or search the tekkit forum. If you start a new thread about a common problem, anticipate a side of scorn with your helpful links. (There's a reason for that tagline in the top right corner of the screen at the tekkit forums)
Good luck, and have fun!And hey, don't forget to post your server's IP here so we can all come see your results!