For centuries, political thought has been shaped by the assumption that centralized authority is necessary to prevent social chaos. From Thomas Hobbes’s Leviathan to modern defenses of the state, fear of disorder has often been treated as decisive.
But what if that fear is misplaced?
In this Independent Conversations virtual event, acclaimed political theorist Aeon J. Skoble discusses his new book, Deleting the State, in conversation with Independent Institute President Graham Walker. Drawing on philosophy, economics, game theory, and legal history, Skoble challenges the moral legitimacy and necessity of the state as we understand it today, arguing that social cooperation does not require coercive political authority—and that the power of the state exists only because we grant it.
Together, Skoble and Walker will explore whether political authority is truly a necessary evil, how cooperation can emerge without centralized control, and what philosophical anarchism can teach us about building a freer society. The discussion will be rigorous yet accessible, appealing to scholars, students, policy thinkers, and intellectually curious readers alike.
