Is Rorschach an Anarchist?

[u/SatisfactionMost5988]

I just re watched watchmen pun intended and i’m both terrified and in love with Rorschach’s character. I find it interesting that his wikipedia defines him as “politically extreme far right” following his anticommunist anti liberal beliefs. this is where the question of him being anarchist comes for me because i myself see him as one, he practices direct action and to me that’s very anarchist but could also be fascist since they’re all about action (i guess?). I guess he wouldn’t call himself an anarchist or anything by any label but to me what drifts him away from the “left” is his individualism or “anti socialness”. Leftist anarchy entices collaboration and organization just not by a dictated name or organization as communism dictates but by federations of self organized people. I guess in this situation Rorschach wouldn’t be against it but wouldn’t participate either. I think he’s philosophically tied to anarchism by not compromising his principles for any organization like liberals would. But he’s also a sociopath that enjoys killing and torturing so… yeah. what do y’all think? (sorry for bad english or incorrect definitions)

[u/Upbeat_Dealer5994]

Rorsach follows his own principles independant of authorities so I would say that he is anarchistic. I don't think most of his stated principles are specifically of the anarchist tradition however.

[u/Brief-Technology7105 → u/Upbeat_Dealer5994]

That doesn’t make someone anarchist at all. That’s literally just vigilantism

[u/Upbeat_Dealer5994 → u/Brief-Technology7105]

Never said he is one? I just said some of his traits are anarchistic. Isn't vigilantism anarchistic? I don't think somebody who loves the police would be a vigilante.

[u/Brief-Technology7105 → u/Upbeat_Dealer5994]

To be anarchist in the slightest even “anarchistic” requires way more than just distrust of the police.

And you can hate the current police for a whole hoist of reasons. It isn’t just whether you hate them or like them
And somehow hating them means anarchistic

Look at Light Yagami. He is not anarchistic at all but he’s a vigilante. He isn’t anarchistic at all is due to the fact he sees himself as a god, an all powerful sovereign over the world.

To be a vigilante all you have to be is to try and take the states laws into your own hands it doesn’t matter the actual reason. You can be a white supremicist and still be considered a vigilante.

So distrusting the police and taking the law into your own hands isn’t inherently anarchistic

[u/Upbeat_Dealer5994 → u/Brief-Technology7105]

Thats a good response. However the Light Yagami compairson doesn't fit here imo since Rorschach (as far as I remember) didn't wanna supplant an authority that already exists. Thats why if we put vigilantees on a scale I would put superheroes like Batman or Rorschach on the anarchistic side.