Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site sdcc13.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!bellcore!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!sdcc13!ee161anm From: ee161anm@sdcc13.UUCP Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: Why private police forces won't work Message-ID: <113@sdcc13.UUCP> Date: Mon, 17-Dec-84 05:50:07 EST Article-I.D.: sdcc13.113 Posted: Mon Dec 17 05:50:07 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 20-Dec-84 01:43:44 EST References: <3160@alice.UUCP> <29200175@uiucdcs.UUCP> <7@spar.UUCP> Organization: U.C. San Diego, Academic Computer Center Lines: 19 > > > Result: gang warfare. > > > > Not likely. Protection agencies are in business to make money. Fighting > > each other is not a good way to make money. > > Precisely. And extortion *is* profitable. The "protection" agencies that > exist today certainly find it more profitable to divide up territories and > shake down their customers than to fight one another. > Which is where an enterprising individual comes along and offers to protect you from extortion for a fee. Again, a private police force. I personally see nothing wrong with private protection, but it must be remembered that governments are characterized by a monopoly of legitimate force in an area, and one of the (few) legitimate functions of government is to provide a police force to protect the rights of its citizenry. However, the ultimate guarantor of an individual's rights is the individual.