4 ms·
> In democratic society such a banding, supported by the people and for the people, is called a government. Only when the people banding together claim a monop
by patrickmay 13y ago
> In democratic society such a banding, supported by the people and for the people, is called a government.
Only when the people banding together claim a monopoly on the use of force to achieve their goals. This is exactly the distinction that Bastiat describes.
- johnchristopher 13y agoI'll assume you live in the US: doesn't your constitution grant you the rights to bear arms and didn't one of the founder said it's the people's duty to throw away the government when it gets corrupted ? On a more "scholar" note there is the notion that a leviathan is needed. Moreover, I think private companies and individuals can be as violent, or more, than any government that claim monopoly on its use. Be it physically or symbolically.