>there's no reason you couldn't construct a system where everybody helps everybody else defend their property simply in terms of "mutual aid". Are there penalt

>there's no reason you couldn't construct a system where everybody helps everybody else defend their property simply in terms of "mutual aid". Are there penalties for not providing this "mutual aid"? If so, you're just describing a highly localised tax system. EDIT: And if not, I think you might find your system struggles in the presence of noticeable inequality. (Why should we protect the rich guy's stuff?) > Taxation is not an inherent property of all systems for defending property. Of course not, but it is a feature of pretty much all existing such systems. >In fact, I will continue to argue that taxation is inherently inimical to the idea of property. I believe a property system will inevitably trend towards inequality over time, because those with more money have more power, and thus greater opportunity to earn more money. Inequality makes the system less efficient at utility generation, because it diverts production towards more marginal utility improvements. In order to avoid this, you need some system of wealth redistribution.