It does seem paradoxical. Our leftist brothers and sisters decry violence, and then say we need a larger state. But the state IS violence. That's really all the state can do.
And the state attracts those people for whom committing violence causes the least distress. It may be that they feel they are "just following orders," or that they are serving the public, of course.
But the state also attracts the fringe that just likes to commit violence because it's fun.
This is pretty rough.
Some comments.
My question: If you really think "this shit's gotta stop," why are you constantly pressing for a larger and more powerful state? If you want to stop, then stop it.
And the state attracts those people for whom committing violence causes the least distress. It may be that they feel they are "just following orders," or that they are serving the public, of course.
But the state also attracts the fringe that just likes to commit violence because it's fun.
This is pretty rough.
Some comments.
My question: If you really think "this shit's gotta stop," why are you constantly pressing for a larger and more powerful state? If you want to stop, then stop it.
5 comments:
"The State" can actually do quite a bit besides violence, particularly when regulating artificial entities ("corporations") which have no basis for existence apart from the state's recognition.
I suspect the number of liberals who want to expand the powers and capabilities of local police forces is extraordinarily small.
Even the most freedom-loving of Libertarians accepts that the government has a role in defending property rights. And yet the claim that all state activity is "violence"--e.g. that "men with guns" are the reason one pays taxes--ignores that the tax laws effectively give the state a property right to a particular share of money.
The fact that the enforcement of property rights and liability rights can in some situations require "violence" is not equivalent to the claim that more governmental rules about property or liability increases said violence. It just changes at whom it is directed.
The state does nothing that is not law. And law is nothing without enforcement. And enforcement is nothing without violence or the threat thereof.
That men with guns do not have to shoot most people to force them to obey does not mean that violence was not used to compel obedience.
Stan, are you saying that the government should not endorse property rights because enforcement is violence?
I wonder what John Stewart thinks about how high the cigarette tax is. Cigarette taxes were a factor in the death of that man. Democrats seem to love to raise cigarette taxes.
"tax laws effectively give the state a property right to a particular share of money."
*no matter what the "particular share" is, it is always just.
Because..."effectively".
The servile mind in action.
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