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From: orb@whuxl.UUCP (SEVENER)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Re: Why private police forces won't work
Message-ID: <399@whuxl.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 18-Dec-84 13:34:38 EST
Article-I.D.: whuxl.399
Posted: Tue Dec 18 13:34:38 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 20-Dec-84 04:04:55 EST
References: <3160@alice.UUCP> <29200175@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Labs
Lines: 33

> >  Suppose I owe you $1,000 and refuse to pay.  You decide to use
> >  force to collect your debt, so you send your police to my house to
> >  force me to pay up.  They are met by a squad of MY police who
> >  say that they do not recognize the legitimacy of your claim.
> >  
> >  Result: gang warfare.
> 
> Not likely.  Protection agencies are in business to make money.  Fighting
> each other is not a good way to make money.  It would be more profitable if
> the agencies submitted the dispute to an arbitration agency.  Your contract
> would specify that your agency will not protect you from the other guy
> (in this particular matter) should you lose the arbitration.
> 
> Market forces win again!
> 
> Scott Renner
> {ihnp4,pur-ee}!uiucdcs!renner

In the unreal world of the invisible and magical, mystical hand of the
marketplace, one can postulate anything.  However the fact remains that
even when gangs were illegal during the 30's they made quite a LOT of
money fighting each other.  Why should they trust an arbitrator?
Unless that arbitrator has some authority beyond the private police
forces.  Once the arbitrator has authority beyond the private police
forces it is beginning to approach (egads!!)a government (HORRRORRRRR!!!)
One begins to recall that the situation in the Middle Ages was very much
a matter of little nobles with their "police forces" fighting each other
for profits and territory. But then over time a higher authority
(the king) came to decide more and more disputes and acquiring more
authority until the European nation-state emerged.  Whatever level it
attains, some degree of government is always necessary.
 
tim sevener    whuxl!orb