Shantaram (gregory David Roberts) / quote 45 of 69
Only anarchists trust human beings
‘Are you still an anarchist?’ It was a hard question to answer, because it forced me to compare the man I’d once been with the man I’d allowed myself to become. ‘Anarchists …’ I began and then faltered. ‘No political philosophy I ever heard of loves the human race as much as anarchism. Every other way of looking at the world says that people have to be controlled, and ordered around, and governed. Only the anarchists trust human beings enough to let them work it out for themselves. And I used to be that optimistic once. I used to believe and think like that. But I don’t, any more. So, no—I guess I’m not an anarchist now.’