An +archos = without rulers Demos +kratia = peoples rule/strength Two different things. Democracy infers a government run by the people, usually by majority. Anarchy, whose general dictionary definition is "disorder, lawlessness, absence of government (in any form)", infers lack of any governmental structure. Basically, every man, woman, and child for his/herself. There may be an "idealized" form of anarchy, but generically, it's denotes a lack of governmental order and control. Sorry to say, but since only a very small proportion of humans know, understand, and follow the Golden Rule, such a Utopian society could not persist. BTW, I have read Thoreau, Russell, and Paine. I understand what the idea is, but as with most idealized governments (or lacks thereof), what's on paper usually isn't usually how it works in reality - see Communism, Marxism, Socialism, National Socialism, etc. for failed and failing societal/governmental/economic structures. Hierarchies with forward and backward checks and balances, compromises, and popular debate are still the best forms of acting government devised so far. Finally, it is part of human nature. Homo Sapiens is a primate, just like baboons, chimpanzees, gorillas, and apes. Their societal structure is hierarchical and they've been around a few million years longer than our species. Very difficult to reprogram ingrained behaviour. BYS