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From: flink@umcp-cs.UUCP (Paul Torek)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: CONSISTENCY? Still waiting...
Message-ID: <2167@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 30-Dec-84 11:07:53 EST
Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.2167
Posted: Sun Dec 30 11:07:53 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 31-Dec-84 00:21:37 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: U of Maryland, Computer Science Dept., College Park, MD
Lines: 49
[Walter Wego was right]
From: mwm@ea.UUCP (No, libertarianism is not anarchy. What differentiates a libertarian
>government from an anarchy, and indeed from any statist government, is
>that a libertarian government does *not* have the right to initiate
>force. It may have a monopoly on force, and on being able to decide
>when it will be used, but it may only use force in response to force.
The following phrases in you reply are crucial:
1. "does not have [sic--you mean claim] the right to initiate force"
2. "have a monopoly on force, and on being able to decide when it
will be used"
1 contradicts 2. QED.
From: 87064023@sdcc3.UUCP ({|lit)
> Government is characterized by a monopoly of legitimate force in an
> area...
> ... We do not condone the initial use of
> force to solve problems. John Wallner
But such a monopoly cannot be obtained without initiation of force.
QED.
From: stewart@ihldt.UUCP (R. J. Stewart)
>As for consistency, libertarian ethics hold that no one has the right to
>*initiate* force or fraud against another. ... A government that is
>restricted to this role is not contrary to libertarian principles.
A government so restricted would not be a government: it would have to
allow competing (shall we call them) rights-enforcement organizations
to exist, and would therefore not have the requisite monopoly of force.
QED.
From: J. Bashinsk>i< ...!ucbvax!bashinsk%ucbcory
> A GOVERNMENT is an entity which reserves all use of force to itself,
> and which uses force to prevent others from using force without
> its authorization.
> A LIBERTARIAN GOVERNMENT is a government which uses force only in
> response to the use of force or fraud by others...
...and is therefore a contradiction in terms. To prevent (or be willing
to prevent) other (rights-enforcement) organizations from using force
would require the initiation of force. QED.
Hoping it's finally sinking in,
Paul V Torek, umcp-cs!flink
(until 1/11, then back to ihnp4!wucs!wucec1!pvt1047 )