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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.