THE CITY WITHOUT LAWS IS SLAB CITY

Would we be better off in a society without rules and government, if that were possible? Or would complete anarchy confront us? Slab City, the sole lawless territory in America, is situated in California’s Sonoran Desert.

The concrete slabs that the Marine Corps barracks at Camp Dunlap left behind during World War II are what gave rise to the moniker. The neighbourhood is home to a number of campers, travellers, and squatters, many of whom are retired. Since most of them are snowbirds, they spend the colder winter months in Slab City before moving north for the summer, when temperatures there can soar to an oppressive 48 degrees Celsius!

Nonetheless, there are a considerable number of long-term inhabitants, perhaps 150 in total, who are frequently called “Slabbers.” While many were compelled to live in poverty, some made the decision to live in isolation from society, away from the government and without access to resources. This section of California is abandoned and unmanaged; it lacks sewage infrastructure, running water, power, and garbage collection. Many of the locals use solar panels and generators to produce their own electricity, while Niland, about 4 miles southwest, is the closest centre of civilization. Here, locals can purchase or gather necessities.

See a glimpse of the Slabbers’ lives and the lawless area they inhabit below.

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