> Governments are as untrustworthy as Facebook but more scary as they have a monopoly on violence and can take away your life.
That’s an extreme and reductionist position - and I feel it’s an incorrect position.
The state does not have a monopoly on violence - certainly not in practice, and in most democracies today the state is expressly forbidden from using any kind of physical force (domestically, at least) excepting emergencies (e.g. police shootouts). Corporations /can/ be just as bad: look at brutal Fortune 500-sponsored union-suppression in South America happening today, for example.
Expect for very few exceptions like defending your home , self defence etc, you are even not allowed even show force let alone act violently.
State does not need to use violence in stable democracies they just have make sure ppl know they can to get everyone in line.
Also violence is not always physical. Threatening incarceration/ social humiliation / jail time for parole violations/ job loss and other economic harm etc is common tactic law enforcement employ to get cooperation.
Finally the state also offers the candy of lower jail time reduced charges and assorted other incentives for cooperation all of it beneficial because of the harm associated with the alternatives.
DaiPlusPlus|6 years ago
That’s an extreme and reductionist position - and I feel it’s an incorrect position.
The state does not have a monopoly on violence - certainly not in practice, and in most democracies today the state is expressly forbidden from using any kind of physical force (domestically, at least) excepting emergencies (e.g. police shootouts). Corporations /can/ be just as bad: look at brutal Fortune 500-sponsored union-suppression in South America happening today, for example.
manquer|6 years ago
Expect for very few exceptions like defending your home , self defence etc, you are even not allowed even show force let alone act violently.
State does not need to use violence in stable democracies they just have make sure ppl know they can to get everyone in line.
Also violence is not always physical. Threatening incarceration/ social humiliation / jail time for parole violations/ job loss and other economic harm etc is common tactic law enforcement employ to get cooperation. Finally the state also offers the candy of lower jail time reduced charges and assorted other incentives for cooperation all of it beneficial because of the harm associated with the alternatives.
consumer451|6 years ago
criley2|6 years ago
You can have your Jennifer Government, I'll keep the real thing.