Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: Notesfiles $Revision: 1.6.2.17 $; site uiucdcs.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!renner From: renner@uiucdcs.UUCP Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: CONSISTENCY? Still waiting... Message-ID: <29200183@uiucdcs.UUCP> Date: Wed, 2-Jan-85 05:35:00 EST Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.29200183 Posted: Wed Jan 2 05:35:00 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 4-Jan-85 00:22:25 EST References: <2167@umcp-cs.UUCP> Lines: 34 Nf-ID: #R:umcp-cs:-216700:uiucdcs:29200183:000:1502 Nf-From: uiucdcs!renner Jan 2 04:35:00 1985 >> 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. > -- Paul V Torek (flink@umcp-cs) Let's see... a libertarian government is supposed to: 1. use no force against those who do not themselves use force or fraud. 2. have a monopoly on the legitimate use of force. The second item needs to be qualified slightly. Citizens should be entitled to use force to protect lives and property when the police are not available and the circumstances do not admit of delay. But when there's time, they are expected to call the cops. A protection agency should have the same right to force as does its clients; that is, only in an emergency, when the police are not available. An agency which exceeds these limits on the use of force will be shut down by the government. Obviously this agency has used force, so there's no problem with the point #1; the monopoly is maintained, and there's point #2. There's no inconsistency here. And this certainly isn't anarchy. Is this what Paul's been waiting for? Scott Renner {ihnp4,pur-ee}!uiucdcs!renner