Whenever people see, or imagine, an unsolved problem
the cry goes out for government to solve it. Is government the
only problem solver on Earth? Can government even solve any
problem without creating at least two more?
If government is the only problem solver we are stuck in
a world where only force and violence can solve problems.
Force and threat of force are the only things government adds to
any situation. Government's only special tool it "Do it my way,
or I will hurt you." If this is the only way to solve problems,
we live in a bleak world that can only grow bleaker.
Don't despair. A quick look around reveals there is
another way to solve problems. Look at what free people
voluntarily cooperating with each other have done. They
produce food, provide education, provide medical services, build
parks, aid the poor, clean up messes, provide protection to
themselves and others, and an endless array of other things.
They even produce arms and fight wars.
The only thing free and peaceful people can't do it
initiate force against peaceful people. The only solutions denied
to free and peaceful people are those solutions that require the
use of aggression. Governments demand and attempt to enforce
a monopoly on the use of aggressive force. If we want to
legally take a peaceful person's wealth or force him to change
his lifestyle, we must turn to government.
The defining characteristic of libertarians is the rejection
of the initiation of force against peaceful people. The perfect
libertarian will never initiate force against peaceful people, or
support such use of force. Most libertarians fall short of that
mark. Some come close.
We don't need to look to the libertarian philosophy to
find severe limits on what government should do, or attempt to
do. Pragmatism also offers limits.
We all seek to maximize our satisfaction. A problem is
anything that interferes with our satisfaction. Solving a problem
involves altering conditions so that we will be more satisfied.
Of course, one person can gain satisfaction by imposing
dissatisfaction on others. Civilized people reject this option, at
least to some extent. The extent to which we reject the
exploitation of others to gain our own satisfaction measures how
civilized we are.
Unless we substantially refrain from exploiting others for
our own advantage, we will decline into a dog eat dog world of
strife and poverty. If we are to have peace and prosperity, we
must severely limit the resort to "Do it my way, or I will hurt
you."
With these points in mind, What should government do?
We should not turn first to "Do it my way, or I will hurt you."
At most this nuclear option should be reserved for serious
problems that defy peaceful solutions.
Next we should consider, Might peaceful people acting in
voluntary cooperation be able to solve the problem? Unless we
find that the private, voluntary option won't work, we shouldn't
even consider turning to "Do it my way, or I will hurt you."
As an example, we have never shown that private,
peaceful education doesn't work. Experience screams that it
works better than "Do it my way, or I will hurt you" government
schools. We turned to government for education without good
reason. Look what that choice brought us.
The final test should be, Is there significant reason to
believe the government option will work? It is pointless and
destructive to pursue a "solution" that won't work, no matter
how serious the problem. The war on drugs is a classic
illustration of this principle. It has failed miserably, created
more serious problems, and wasted billions of dollars of
resources.
In summary: Don't turn to government; 1) Unless the
problem is serious, 2) Peaceful solutions don't exist, and 3)
There is a reasonable chance the government solution will work.
How many of our laws can pass this test?
* * * * *
* * * *
* * *
* *
*
Copyright 2012
Albert D. McCallum
18440 29-1/2 Mile Road
Springport, Michigan 49284
the cry goes out for government to solve it. Is government the
only problem solver on Earth? Can government even solve any
problem without creating at least two more?
If government is the only problem solver we are stuck in
a world where only force and violence can solve problems.
Force and threat of force are the only things government adds to
any situation. Government's only special tool it "Do it my way,
or I will hurt you." If this is the only way to solve problems,
we live in a bleak world that can only grow bleaker.
Don't despair. A quick look around reveals there is
another way to solve problems. Look at what free people
voluntarily cooperating with each other have done. They
produce food, provide education, provide medical services, build
parks, aid the poor, clean up messes, provide protection to
themselves and others, and an endless array of other things.
They even produce arms and fight wars.
The only thing free and peaceful people can't do it
initiate force against peaceful people. The only solutions denied
to free and peaceful people are those solutions that require the
use of aggression. Governments demand and attempt to enforce
a monopoly on the use of aggressive force. If we want to
legally take a peaceful person's wealth or force him to change
his lifestyle, we must turn to government.
The defining characteristic of libertarians is the rejection
of the initiation of force against peaceful people. The perfect
libertarian will never initiate force against peaceful people, or
support such use of force. Most libertarians fall short of that
mark. Some come close.
We don't need to look to the libertarian philosophy to
find severe limits on what government should do, or attempt to
do. Pragmatism also offers limits.
We all seek to maximize our satisfaction. A problem is
anything that interferes with our satisfaction. Solving a problem
involves altering conditions so that we will be more satisfied.
Of course, one person can gain satisfaction by imposing
dissatisfaction on others. Civilized people reject this option, at
least to some extent. The extent to which we reject the
exploitation of others to gain our own satisfaction measures how
civilized we are.
Unless we substantially refrain from exploiting others for
our own advantage, we will decline into a dog eat dog world of
strife and poverty. If we are to have peace and prosperity, we
must severely limit the resort to "Do it my way, or I will hurt
you."
With these points in mind, What should government do?
We should not turn first to "Do it my way, or I will hurt you."
At most this nuclear option should be reserved for serious
problems that defy peaceful solutions.
Next we should consider, Might peaceful people acting in
voluntary cooperation be able to solve the problem? Unless we
find that the private, voluntary option won't work, we shouldn't
even consider turning to "Do it my way, or I will hurt you."
As an example, we have never shown that private,
peaceful education doesn't work. Experience screams that it
works better than "Do it my way, or I will hurt you" government
schools. We turned to government for education without good
reason. Look what that choice brought us.
The final test should be, Is there significant reason to
believe the government option will work? It is pointless and
destructive to pursue a "solution" that won't work, no matter
how serious the problem. The war on drugs is a classic
illustration of this principle. It has failed miserably, created
more serious problems, and wasted billions of dollars of
resources.
In summary: Don't turn to government; 1) Unless the
problem is serious, 2) Peaceful solutions don't exist, and 3)
There is a reasonable chance the government solution will work.
How many of our laws can pass this test?
* * * * *
* * * *
* * *
* *
*
Copyright 2012
Albert D. McCallum
18440 29-1/2 Mile Road
Springport, Michigan 49284
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