Skeptics say anarchism and radical liberty are fine in theory but have no real-world track record. This article spotlights Cospaia, a tiny Italian republic that accidentally slipped through the cracks of papal and Tuscan power—and then lived nearly 400 years without a state, taxes, prisons, or a monopoly on force. Its story shows how voluntary councils, tight-knit communities, and open markets can produce stability and prosperity without a traditional government.
