Legal Definitions - anarchy

Definition: Anarchy refers to the absence of government and lawlessness. It is also a sociopolitical theory that believes the only legitimate form of government is one where individuals govern themselves voluntarily, without any collective power structure enforcing compliance with social order.

Examples: Criminal anarchy is a doctrine that advocates for the overthrow of organized government by force or violence, such as assassinating a head of government or committing other unlawful acts. Laws in most states limit speech that incites criminal anarchy. However, these laws do not apply to abstract philosophical expressions or predictions protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments. Criminal-anarchy statutes apply only to speech that is calculated to induce forceful and violent activity, such as attempts to incite people to riot or generate some "clear and present danger" that the advocated violent overthrow may be attempted or accomplished.

Explanation: Anarchy is a state of disorder and chaos that arises when there is no government or law to maintain order. The sociopolitical theory of anarchy believes that individuals should govern themselves voluntarily, without any external force or power structure. Criminal anarchy, on the other hand, advocates for the violent overthrow of organized government. The examples illustrate how laws limit speech that incites criminal anarchy and how criminal-anarchy statutes apply only to speech that is calculated to induce forceful and violent activity.