[extropy-chat] A Stateless Civilization?

[Joseph Bloch]

Technotranscendence wrote:

>When one points to Medieval
>Iceland, one problem is, of course, that even though the stateless
>period lasted about three centuries, Icelandic society during that time
>never formed cities -- it was an essential non-urban or pre-urban
>society.  
>


Another problem would be that medieval Iceland was not really 
"stateless", despite what David Friedman might maintain. It maintained a 
complex (and written) system of laws (see, for example, Grágas) and 
courts (þing and alþing) in which to pursue those laws, and was enough 
of a state to be able to engage in foreign relations with other states 
(Norway being a prime example, with which treaties were undertaken). 
Power was very carefully and formally concentrated in the hands of a few 
leaders (the goðar), and the island itself was divided into various 
well-defined districts which determined which court one took one's cases 
to. The very fact that the entire island could officially convert from 
paganism to Christianity by an act of the alþing should dispell the idea 
as well (I am well aware of the nuances and the period of dual faith, 
but the essential fact remains). Some of the work of Jesse Byock 
("Viking Age Iceland" and "Feud in the Icelandic Saga" in particular) 
should be helpful in this regard.

I should point out that it's usually referred to as "The Commonwealth 
Period" by scholars; "The Stateless Period" is certainly not in the 
mainstream among scholars in the field.

Joseph