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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

What Government Really Is

A theory should explain something without reference to something else. That is, a metaphor doesn’t work. It’s just a description. If you say that government is a kind of ‘social contract,’ you are merely describing how it seems to you…or what you think it might be comparable to.

Our theory is that government is a natural phenomenon, an expression of power relationships, in which some people seek to dominate others by force. These dominators gather ‘insiders’ together so that they can take money, power and status away from other people, the ‘outsiders.’

Many people think that government provides some service. That is true, but it is incidental. Governments often deliver the mail. But they don’t have to. They would still be governments even if they didn’t control the Post Office. And what if they didn’t have a department of inland fisheries, or a program to teach retarded democrats to count to 20? They would still be in the government business…and still have their helicopters, chauffeurs and expense accounts. But if they lost control of the police or the army it would be an entirely different matter. Force is the essence of government, not a decorative detail. Without armies and police, they would no longer be governments. It is “from the barrel of a gun,” as Mao put it, that political power projects itself.

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Congressman Andy Harris approved of incarcerating citizens of the state of Maryland without due process by voting for the NDAA bill. This is a treasonous act to the people of his district and this country. He should be "held" accountable as should be all senators and congressmen that voted for the bill. Stand up for the Constitution of the United States of America. Call his office and voice your dis-approval now. 202-225-5311