From: dance@cicero.spc.uchicago.edu (Squeal)
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 94 08:16:09 PDT
To: solman@MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: Voluntary Governments?
Message-ID: <9408041515.AA10173@cicero.spc.uchicago.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



>> > > Imagine if the government stopped trying to force people to
>> > > join it. Or imagine if they tied decision making power to
>> > > how much you pay in taxes. The more you pay, the more say
>> > > you get. After accepting the idea that government is a
>>
>> Without the legal monopoly on coercion, this so-called "government" would
>> be just another service provider, like Safeway or Goodyear or K-Mart.

[JWS writes:]

>Well isn't that how its supposed to be? [....]

No.  The object of government is to limit the freedom of the people it
governs.  The word is derived from "govern" which means "3. To control the
actions or behavior of  4. To keep under control; *restrain*" [American
Heritage Dict.]

It would be great if government could be a service provider, or simply feel
responsible for those it governs--but then it would not be a government any
longer.

It would also be nice if I won the lotto. ;)

 _/_/_/  _/_/_/   _/_/_/      _/      _/     All men recognize the right of
_/       _/  _/   _/         _/_/     _/     revolution; that is, the right
_/_/_/   _/  _/   _/_/_/    _/  _/    _/     to refuse allegiance to, and to
     _/  _/  _/   _/       _/_/_/_/   _/     resist, the government, when its
_/_/_/   _/_/_/   _/_/_/  _/      _/  _/_/_/ tyranny or its inefficiency are
              _/                             great and unendurable.
                                              --Thoreau, Civil Disobedience