You said: > I think the problem is actually that you can't imagine a world where we have rules and governance without a militarized force which uses violence t

You said: > I think the problem is actually that you can't imagine a world where we have rules and governance without a militarized force which uses violence to enforce those laws Then you said: > Armed robberies would probably require an armed response, which would certainly imply we'd need an organization with the resources to investigate this & dispatch armed people to interdict this robber. The only purpose for a paramilitary force in society is to respond to violence in an organized and accountable matter. There is no society that can possibly survive long-term without the organized ability to deploy violence on occasion. You keep bringing up nonviolent situations where armed police aren't the best response; I agree with you that the modern people we call "the police" could be reformed, curtailed in responsibility, and replaced with other community representatives, but the core function of police, which is deploy violence when needed, is not appropriate to fully remove from society.