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> the government's monopoly on physical force in service as a collection agency for people who make stupid loans > the power of government sponsored men with g
by JudgeWapner 8y ago
> the government's monopoly on physical force in service as a collection agency for people who make stupid loans
> the power of government sponsored men with guns to pursue foolish borrowers
please correct me if I'm wrong, but I belive tax evasion is the only debt-related (but still requiring a criminal intent to avoid paying) situation that will result in arrest. If you don't pay your student loans, even gov't backed ones, it will be a thorn in your side forever and result in civil actions, but I don't believe you can be arrested or criminally charged for not paying.
- geebee 8y agoGood point. If I'm going to discuss use of government force, I should distinguish between civil and criminal action taken on the part of the government. This discussion does take me past my knowledge boundaries, though I believe failure to pay child support can also be "criminal". The main reason I'm not confident (and used quotes) in what I'm saying here is that there's a difference between criminalizing failure to pay a debt itself, and criminalizing various kinds of fraud that go into hiding money that would otherwise be garnished by court order. This difference can be complicated legally and I just don't know enough about it to have a meaningful discussion. Seizing someone's assets in response to a failure to pay debt does eventually require law enforcement, so I do stand behind my claim that government force is ultimately to collect money based on foolish lending and borrowing practices, under draconian non dischargeable conditions.