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To shape a freer future for generations to come, we must take responsibility for ourselves and our children. The current trend of centralising power and shifting responsibilities from the family to the state is eroding our ability to shape our own future. Coercive parenting methods contribute to this trend, which in turn leads to the more centralisation of power. It is crucial that we prioritise peaceful parenting practices and recognise the importance of family and sound upbringing of children as a cornerstone of a freer society. The education system and the ever-growing control of the state in our lives also contribute to the issue, and we must identify the mechanisms that are preventing us from realising the level of freedom we desire. In this manifesto, we will explore how peaceful parenting and sovereign education can pave the way for a freer, more peaceful future.
Seeking Autonomy: Breaking Free from State Constraints
Since a young age, I’ve been aware of the constraints imposed by state institutions, which limit our personal responsibility. The burden of excessive taxation and inadequacies of the healthcare system frustrated me throughout state schooling and self-employment. Despite my best efforts, I felt the state’s grip becoming more restrictive, and I needed to leave to find true freedom and individual agency. Though it was difficult, leaving was necessary to break free from state constraints.
The Paradox of Freedom: Seeking Autonomy Without Isolation
Leaving one’s country to pursue greater freedom is a difficult decision, often driven by a desire for educational, economic, or personal liberty. However, while moving to a new country may offer a degree of relief from oppressive state institutions or excessive taxation, it is unlikely to provide the full range of freedoms one seeks. Moreover, as social beings, many of us seek community and connection, and isolating ourselves in pursuit of freedom risks enslaving us to a different form of isolation. True freedom must be achieved by seeking out not just individual autonomy, but also by finding and building meaningful connections within a community that values and respects the principles of liberty and justice.
Freedom and Responsibility: Two Sides of the Same Coin
Genuine freedom requires personal responsibility. Without taking ownership of our lives, we risk dependence on others, making autonomy an illusion. Creating a place where we can be truly free may not exist, and it’s up to us to shape our environment to align with our values and goals. This could involve finding jurisdictions with better conditions or taking an unconventional path like living off the grid. Regardless, assuming responsibility for our freedom is the key to creating a life that’s truly our own.
The state’s role in raising children
As a parent, I have come to realise that state institutions often lay claim to our children, viewing them as little more than cogs in a machine that must be programmed to serve the interests of the state. This is particularly evident in the Swedish legal system, which suggests that the state owns our children, as evidenced by its policies on child abduction and the prioritisation of societal interests over those of the family. Within the Swedish school system, the emphasis on so-called “right values” and equality has resulted in a curriculum that erases gender differences and prioritises conformity over individuality. This ideology is pervasive throughout the educational system and is readily apparent on the Ministry of Education’s website.
Can parents or the government own a child?
In order to find out if parents or the government have a right to use coercion we need to establish the ownership of children. Can they own the children and have do they have the right to coerce them? The answer is no. A child is an independent entity with the ability to think and feel on its own. Even the parents who gave birth cannot claim ownership of their children, and neither can the state. Instead, parents can be seen as custodians who act in the child’s best interests and gradually transfer ownership to the child as they grow older and become capable of making decisions for themselves. Parents are the ones who create their children, not the state. Therefore, the use of coercion by the state cannot be justified.
Advocating respect for children in a free society
Childism is a discriminatory belief that children do not have the same status as adults, limiting their freedoms and disregarding their experiences and opinions. In a free society, children deserve the same respect and consideration as adults. Unfortunately, childism is still prevalent and can lead to authoritarian and dismissive attitudes towards children. Practising peaceful parenting can break free from these harmful behaviours and build healthy relationships based on mutual respect and understanding, treating children with the same respect you would treat a fellow human being.
Embracing our natural human tendencies and prioritising the family for a freer future
To achieve a freer future for our children, we must reject the state’s dictation of education in public schools and embrace natural gender roles, prioritise the family, and advocate for state-free education. Many countries view children as future contributors to the state and a source of tax revenue, often under the guise of socialist ideals. By promoting peaceful parenting, sovereign education, and sound money, we can lay the groundwork for a freer future. However, these principles are often disregarded in the public school system, leaving parents feeling burdened by societal expectations and little time for their children’s needs.
Embracing natural instincts to raise children
Before becoming a parent, peaceful parenting was an unfamiliar concept to me. I had not planned on having children, as I felt hesitant to bring another person into a challenging world. However, I soon realised that I did not have to raise my children the way I was raised. It is natural to care for our offspring, but the state apparatus often works against our natural instincts, prioritising efficiency and tax revenue over the needs of parents and their children in the long run.
Breaking the Cycle: Transforming Future Generations through Peaceful Parenting
Peaceful parenting involves raising a child without coercion, with the exception of situations that threaten the child’s safety. The principle is to be gentle and attentive to the child’s needs, which should come naturally but are often overlooked in modern Western societies. Babies cry only when something is wrong, and it is the parent’s responsibility to identify and address these needs promptly. Stress caused by practices like the ‘cry it out’ method can cause brain damage, and ignoring a child’s needs can have detrimental effects in the future.
Unfortunately, peaceful parenting methods are often not promoted within government institutions, because they undermine government programmes that rely on weak parent-child bonds, such as sending children to kindergarten at a very young age. Prioritising a child’s needs involves actions such as breastfeeding on demand for a natural length of time which in reality is about 3-4 years, carrying the baby in a sling or in the arms to meet the child’s instinctual need to be held, and co-sleeping to fulfil the evolutionary need to avoid abandonment at night.
Taking responsibility for our children: The key to fostering freedom
Raising children through peaceful parenting and fostering a strong nuclear family is crucial for building a free society, along with maintaining sound money. We must recognize the pattern of state coercion and modern child raising, which only serves to prepare the child for life as a cog in the machine.
To promote a free society, we cannot hand over the responsibility of raising and educating our children, or managing our finances, to the state. Instead, we must take on this responsibility ourselves, by spreading information and building a support system for families seeking alternatives to the conventional system.Peaceful parenting and sovereign education are key components of a broader movement to foster freedom, including initiatives such as free societies and bitcoin. These alternatives should be promoted as private, sovereign options to government-controlled systems, even if there are no immediate economic incentives.
Sovereign education – the opposite to state controlled education
Recognising the importance of sovereign education for children raised in the spirit of libertarianism is crucial for those valuing freedom and autonomy. Sovereignty allows for self-governance and independence, enabling individuals to make decisions without external control. Homeschooling, unschooling/self-directed learning, or private schooling are alternatives to state-controlled education that promote consent and individual autonomy. Public schools can be mediocre and detrimental to children, leaving them uninterested and unenthusiastic. In contrast, sovereign education based on consent fosters a child’s innate curiosity and passion for learning, catering to individual needs and interests. The state-controlled education system prioritises preparing children for the workforce rather than their individual needs, perpetuating mediocrity and a lack of enthusiasm for learning. Curriculums cater to the average student, leaving many children feeling unfulfilled and unchallenged.
It takes village to raise a child: The role of community
As the ancient African proverb goes, “caring for a child is a community effort.” This holds true for those who have chosen to unschool their children outside the mainstream system, as it can be a daunting task without support. In countries like Sweden or Germany, where homeschooling is banned, it’s easy to fall into the trap of isolation and self-imposed confinement when you are forced to leave your country to be able to homeschool. Building a supportive community is crucial, especially when starting from scratch.
Neighbours who share our values and vision of a freer future can lend their expertise and help when needed. Sovereign, self-directed learning within a free city or intentional community demands flexibility in catering to individual needs, and a uniform approach would lead us back to the constraints of the traditional government schooling system. Cooperation within a community can enhance the effectiveness of the learning process, providing a supportive and nurturing environment for children to thrive.
Education cooperatives within free societies
To break free from conventional schooling, families can form a free city educational cooperative. Members can rent a community centre and co-working spaces, creating a supportive environment for self-directed learning. Children can learn naturally by following their interests, mentored by their parents. In a free city or intentional community, children can also become apprentices, taking on small jobs and participating in excursions and activities organised by parents. By pooling resources, families can create an inspiring environment for their children’s education while building a supportive community.
Navigating the journey from homeschooling to formal education
Many people may question whether home-schooling could be a barrier for higher education. In fact, quite the opposite is often true. Home-schooling can help keep the passion and drive to learn intact, which can make a child more successful in academic pursuits. If a homeschooled child wishes to pursue higher education, they may need to pass an entrance test or present a portfolio of their learning. However, with dedication and willingness to learn, it is entirely possible for homeschooled children to excel in formal education systems such as universities.
Sovereign self-directed education fosters entrepreneurship and responsibility
Sovereign self-directed education is like a launchpad for young entrepreneurs and independent thinkers. Without the shackles of state education, these young minds are free to explore and discover their passions, and develop the skills needed to create their own future.
They grow up with a strong sense of responsibility and independence, knowing that they are the masters of their own destiny. In a world where the state is expanding its control and wokeism is on the rise, these traits are more important than ever. By fostering a culture of entrepreneurship and self-reliance, sovereign self-directed education is empowering the next generation of leaders, creators, and innovators. It is a path towards a brighter, freer, and more prosperous future for all.
Conclusion
In promoting peaceful parenting and sovereign education, we are not just raising children, we are nurturing a freer world. By empowering our children with individuality and creativity, free from the constraints of the state, we can build stronger families and foster the growth of happy, independent children who will live their lives with autonomy and respect for others. By taking back the responsibility and freedom of raising children from the state, we would create a generation of self-driven individuals who understand that the two are inextricably linked. With peaceful parenting and sovereign education at the forefront, we can pave the way for a brighter future, where each child has the chance to shape their own destiny, within a freer and more prosperous future.