Reply To: Does Torah Support the Existence of a State?

According to the Bible, the ancient Hebrews lived in an anarcho-capitalist society until the rise of King Saul. Judges 17:6 and 21:25 says that ”In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.” Society was organized by a network of democratically chosen judges, and law enforcement officials to enforce the verdict of the judges. All of this was apparently paid for voluntarily, and apparently out of religious conviction (Deuteronomy 16:18). There was no need for a legislature, since the judiciary was guided by Biblical law. Property rights were respected (“Thou shalt not steal”), however, it was still not a non-aggression society, as you could be executed for things like idolatry and adultery.
Society was organized in this way until a civil war between the Israelites, which nearly exterminated the tribe of Benjamin. The result of this was that the Hebrews chose a king for themselves, King Saul. Jewish kings had heavy restrictions on their power (Deuteronomy 17:14-20), but there was no one to enforce the rules for them to follow (King Solomon violated all of them). Society continues this way until the Jewish kingdom was destroyed by Babylonian emperor Nebuchadnezzar, Jews were exiled, and taken into Babylonian captivity.