Let’s take a look at how unions or marriages would work in the Absolute Austro-Libertarian system. In this system, there is no central authority and therefore the concept of civil marriage does not exist. You cannot go to any authority to get married. There is nobody that can give you a marriage certificate; you are on your own, and that is good. In this sense, marriages or unions are the final frontier.
What is Marriage?
We need to understand what marriage means in an Absolute Austro-Libertarian system before we move on to explain how it works. Marriage means nothing more and nothing less than a contract or agreement within parties.
When we say parties, we do mean parties. We don’t necessarily mean a man and a woman, or a man and a man, or a woman and a woman. What we mean is whatever the parties decide they want to agree on. It could be one-on-one or one man multiple women, or one women and multiple men or several women and several men. It does not really matter. It is a personal choice. It is a contractual agreement between parties, and whatever those parties decide that they want to do, that is what happens.
As usual, the easiest way to analyze all possible options and consequences is to separate the topic into its elements.
Simple Union – The Facts
This is the simplest scenario there is. People coming together, what in today's world is called common law. Adults, or to be more precise emancipated people, would simply decide to have a relationship of some sort, with certain roles and responsibilities. That’s pretty much it.
From our perspective, the interesting question is: what does the contract looks like?
Let’s take the simplest possible case; they agreed to nothing and haven’t even talked about which roles and responsibilities anyone may have. They have nothing in written but they all naturally assume certain roles and responsibilities with which may change and fluctuate over time. For as long as they are happy with that relationship then there is no problem and the contents of the agreement are irrelevant. The typical scenario is a tacit agreement, which is re-negotiated all the time; most likely without the parties even knowing that they are doing it.
The problem starts when they want to terminate the relationship.
This would be the equivalent of a separation or divorce. Separations deal on two things and two things only: children any property. At this point, contractual conditions become important.
What happens then?
The simplest solution is when parties sit down amongst themselves or perhaps with the presence of a mediator and work out an agreement. This agreement reflects what it is they want and what it is they don’t want. To make things clear they may sign the agreement. Or they may not sign and simply verbally agree. Or maybe they will shake hands. Or maybe they will agree in some other way. Whatever the voluntary form the agreement may take, it is irrelevant. The important element is that they have reached a voluntary agreement.
Because there were no previous contractual obligations, then there are no limits to what this agreement may look like. They are not bound by anything; no laws, rules or regulations. This means that anything and everything is possible and on the table. Imagination is the only limit.
A Matter Of Money
How would this typically work? It could work in different ways.
One way would be when each party is satisfied with their own property. They would simply decide for each to keep their own, and any property in common would be sold and the proceeds distributed. This is exactly how it happens today.
Or, if one party generated most of the money during the union, that party may keep the money unless an agreement contradicts this action. However, this may depend on the mediator because even though there was no formal contact they did agree on certain rules. The consequences of those rules can be calculated.
For example, if they agreed that the father was to stay at home taking care of the children while the mother would go to work, the economic value required to stay at home and take care of the children can be calculated. Therefore, it would be expected that the mother would pay the father certain amount in compensation. This is something that a mediator would decide if there is no formal contract.
What happens if there is a contract? This again, is nothing unusual. Today there are plenty of prenuptial agreements to choose from. This is nothing revolutionary. A lot of people sign prenuptial agreements before they get married to understand and define clearly who will responsible for what and will happen if they separate.
This is just like any other contract, there is no difference. If the contract exists and is valid, then people can just separate according to the terms and conditions of said contract. Alternatively, they may choose to go to a mediator to renegotiate the contract, or they may decide to do it themselves. Everything is possible. There is no government telling them what it is that they must do.
The Absolute Austro-Libertarian system forces you to think and be responsible for your actions, which is a balanced approach. Far more balanced that any other system today. In this sense, this process prevents a number of problems by preventing people jumping into unions without thinking about the consequences, and having to pay for this error later on.
Children
What about children? The same process is true for children. If there is a contract, the outcome would depend of its terms and conditions. This is the simplest solution because agreement was reached ahead of time.
What happens when there is no contract, at least not something physical? Then a mediator can help people separate and take care of the children. The mediator is also bound to look for the best interest of the children. The reason is very simple, the mediator is making decisions for children that have not yet emancipated. Therefore, the mediator is responsible for the well-being of the children. This is so because he is making decisions affecting children that are incapable of understanding the terms and conditions they are being subjected to. In other words, he is infringing in children’s property without a voluntary agreement. By so doing, the mediator is placing him or herself in the same position than the parents. Upon emancipation, the children may be dissatisfied with those terms and conditions and demand reparations.
Therefore, the well-being of the children in such mediations would be very highly regarded. Not because there is some sort of law or regulation but because it is in the best interest of all the parties to make sure that the child it is not going to demand reparations later on.
Multiple Partners
What about marriages with multiple partners? They look exactly the same than one-on-one. There really is no difference; whatever the parties agreed to, goes. There truly is no difference. Again, it is just a contract and nothing more.
Many people may feel that such an arrangement is against a religious belief. This is just fine because nobody is forcing anybody to do anything against their will. If these religious people choose not to enter into a multi-partner union, that is their decision. However, what the Absolute Austro-Libertarian system is forcing them to do, is to let the people be. Of course, they can try to influence others as long as they don’t interact with their property without a voluntary agreement. However, beyond that, they are totally powerless to impose anything on anybody.
Let’s repeat this again. Monogamy is a human invention, and a recent one at that. All anthropologic studies that have looked into this have reached the same conclusion. Humans have only recently became monogamous. In the past, humans were polygamous.
In western civilizations, the Catholic Church has been a very strong instigator of monogamy. Many scholars agree that the underlying causes for such strong push was simply to retain control. Through monogamy the church controlled and still controls many inheritance practices.
Other churches have vastly different points of view, particularly the Muslim faith which allows multiple partners. If you look at this type of union you will notice that there are problems like just in any other union but that participants make the system work for them. Voluntary agreement. Freedom of choice.
This means that there really are no valid, objective reasons to choose monogamy over polygamy. There is no need to control or limit or favor one over the other. Therefore, the Absolute Austro-Libertarian system leaves these decisions to the people, to act as they see fit.
This is not an endorsement of polygamy, not more that this is not an endorsement of monogamy. If you prefer to be something else, such as celibate, that is your choice.
Therefore, in terms of unions or marriages, the Absolute Austro-Libertarian system actually provides the maximum freedom where everybody is free to live their lives anyway they want.
Avoiding Problems And Building Tolerance
There is another advantage in unions under the Absolute Austro-Libertarian system. It reduces the amount and intensity of crises due to so-called jealousy and betrayal issues. Today, many of those issues break unions and leave a path of destruction behind them, particularly with children. Families are broken, children are left without proper parenting. And for what?
We must consider the fact that all of these problems originate in the human invention of monogamy. In a system where polygamy is equally valid as monogamy, people understand more and feel less intimidated by other liaisons that partners may have outside the union.
What we’re simply saying is that whatever people decide to do, they are free to do. This cuts down the number of so-called jealousy and betrayal issues because people realize that monogamy is artificial and these issues are not personal but in our nature. People will better understand that humans evolved with different rules and there is nothing that can be done to eliminate those rules except perhaps through commitments to each other.
Breaking Contracts
How do people get out of union contracts?
If there are no contracts, they may simply walk away. They may also seek the help of a mediator who may find few terms and conditions the parties may have tacitly agreed upon over the years.
Beyond that, everybody is free to leave whenever they decide to do so. However, they must consider that there may be terms and conditions and therefore economic consequences if they ignore them.
If there is a contract, then it is very likely that there will be terms and conditions specifying how the contract can be broken.
What happens if we have an unbreakable contract?
Let’s put this myth to rest. There is no such thing as an unbreakable contract. All contracts are breakable. Even if John signs a contract specifying that he will never separate from his wife, John can still separate and pay for the consequences. The consequences being economic damages for which John needs to compensate his wife with.
It is not that you can’t get out of a relationship, you always can. The point we are making is that there are economic consequences of getting out and this fact is a very large incentive to be careful and thoughtful going into a relationship. You want to make a union last because otherwise there will probably be large economic consequences.
Final thoughts
The Absolute Austro-Libertarian system was designed to let the people be. Part of the human nature is to seek social relationships. Our system allows for people to be free to explore those relationships in any direction they may take them.
Unions are part of the human experience. You have been limited by suffocating mandates coming from bankrupt political systems. Now you know. Be free or continue to be bound. Your choice.
Note: please see the Glossary if you are unfamiliar with certain words.
