Visions of Liberty, edited by Martin Greenberg and Mark Tier

This was one of the most disappointing collection of short stories I’ve read in a long time. Nine tales of a future without government, none of them interesting. Every author takes the same approach: that utopia can be achieved when bureaucracy is removed. No courts or laws exist, and society functions flawlessly. Poppycock! We are a venal and selfish civilization and need some form of arbitration. I believe in limited government, but not anarchy. While the idea of a world run on honor and ethics is appealing, I’m too cynical to believe it is possible and the authors didn’t present any believable alternatives.

First Sentence (from the introduction):

Imagine we’re on a plane; we’ve crossed an ocean, we’ve landed; we’re taxiing up to the gate.