1st Installment - Government's Monopoly

(2010-02-19)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Q:  What is the distinguishing feature of government?


A:  Government has a legal monopoly on the use of coercive violence.


When analyzing that Q&A, the first thing to keep in mind is that I have attempted to use precise words. Thus, it is “the distinguishing feature of government”, not “a distinguishing feature”. Similarly, it’s “coercive violence”, not all forms of violence.


Government’s monopoly on the use of coercive violence is a truly awesome power.


Q:  How is this power implemented in the real world?

A:  It is applied by

 
these guys

and these guys

 
and these guys

All of these government agents perform an absolutely crucial function. They protect us from

 
this

 
and this

 
and this

 
and this

Our Founders understood this central role of government and they stated it quite clearly and eloquently in the Declaration of Independence

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

That point bears repeating:


The purpose of government is to secure our rights.


(BTW – they are OUR, rights, our UNALIENABLE rights. Government doesn’t give them to us, but it is the primary duty of government to protect these rights.)


We now understand the awesome power that We the People have assigned to our government and the purpose for which this power has been granted.

2nd Installment - Entities Other Than Government

(2010-02-21)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the 1^st Installment we introduced the principle that “We the People” have assigned to government a monopoly on the use of coercive violence.  This power is granted to government for the purpose of guarding our unalienable rights.

(Note – for the purposes of this discussion, we are dealing with the types of violence which are allowed by society, not the violence of a criminal or an insane person.)

Now let’s take a look at how other societal entities differ from government where violence is concerned.

Individuals may use violence in self defense and defense of property.  Similarly, private institutions (corporations, universities, churches, etc.) may use violence to defend their people and property (think private security guards).  But neither individuals nor private institutions may use coercive violence.  They may NOT force a person to behave in a certain manner.  Private individuals and institutions may try to persuade or purchase a desired behavior, but only government may use violence to compel a desired behavior.

It’s very fashionable these days to be against the “evil” oil companies and health insurance companies.  But Exxon doesn’t force me to buy their gasoline.  They offer it for sale at a certain price and I can buy as much or as little as suits my desires and circumstances.  Humana doesn’t force me to purchase their health insurance.  They offer a range of benefits at various prices and it’s up to me whether or not to accept one of those arrangements.

This doesn’t mean that I must like the way Exxon and Humana do business or that I must like their products and prices, but no one puts a gun to my head and forces me to buy Exxon gasoline or Humana health insurance.  The same cannot be said about our dealings with government.

Coming next – how we interact with government. (hint:  the terms “involuntary” and “compulsion” come into play.)

3rd Installment - Our Interactions With Government

(2010-02-24)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the 1^st and 2^nd installments, we looked at the government’s monopoly on the use of coercive violence and how non-governmental relationships within the society are voluntary.

Now let’s take a look at how our interactions with government typically involve compulsion.  (In fact, although someone out there might be able to come up with an example to the contrary, I am hard pressed to think of ANY government action that is not based on compulsion.)

Perhaps the most common example of our dealings with government is taxation.

Paying taxes is NOT optional.  If you refuse to pay your taxes, men with guns WILL come for you

There are examples of government activities which are partly voluntary.  You may be eligible for food stamps, but you are not required to sign up.  You may be qualified to join the Army, but since we don't currently have a draft, you are not forced to join.  However, both food stamps and the Army are funded by taxation, which is mandatory.  And the great majority (all?) of regulations are also mandatory.  If you wish to drive a car, a driver’s license is required; it is not voluntary.  In my town, if I wish to burn brush, a burn permit is required, not optional.

None of the above is meant to imply that taxes, laws and regulations are necessarily bad things.  That would depend on the specific law, regulation or tax.  But you should always keep in mind that laws and regulations are compulsory, not voluntary.  Standing behind each law and regulation are the armed agents of the government (see 1st Installment).  Also, when contemplating all those very desirable government activities (roads, schools, airports, etc.), we should never forget that they begin with taxation (i.e. the mandatory confiscation of property from the individual).

4th Installment - The Essence of Liberty

(2010-03-01)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Previously, we discussed the government’s monopoly on the use of coercive violence and the difference between our interactions with government and our interactions with other people and institutions in the society.

Now let’s take a look at the essence of liberty.

(Don’t tell my wife, but is this lady hot or what?)

The essence of liberty is to maximize voluntary interactions within the society and minimize those interactions which involve compulsion (i.e., government).

To achieve this, we should begin by asking a few simple questions before calling on government to undertake any task.

1. Exactly how desirable is this particular government action?  Is it truly necessary or just something that would be “nice”?
2. If government involvement is appropriate;
1. How can it be accomplished with the minimum intrusion on our liberties?
2. Is it necessary to involve the Federal Government or can an acceptable result be achieved via state and local governments?

That last item is very important.  Government action at the local or state level has two significant advantages over actions taken by the Federal Government:

1. The individual has greater input with these smaller units of government than he has in Washington.
2. The individual can move to a different locale if he strongly disagrees with a particular policy.  It is a much greater affront to liberty if the individual must leave the country in order to escape a distasteful policy.