Death & Taxes

[frissell@panix.com (Duncan Frissell)]

Steve Witham & Jason W Solinsky seem to be sowing a bit of confusion about
government and taxes.

Steve says:

>This is the "monopoly on force in a geographical area" definition of
>government.  It's also pretty much government as we know it.  It's a
>fundamentally bad idea and it's what James and I are against.  But I don't
>think it's a good definition of "government."

It *is*, however, the definition that my very commie-liberal poly sci
department taught me when I was studying with them.  Also "That institution
charged with the authoritative allocation of values in society."

>The reason is that what most people mean by "government" is a set of
>services, the main ones being what James calls "true law": police, courts,
>and defense--protection services for large numbers of people.

Experts in taxonomy always try to define a species by the characteristics
that *distinguish* it from other species.  Not those characteristics that
are the same.  Governments are distinguished by their claim of monopoly on
judging the appropriateness of uses of force within a given geographic area.
Thus the symbol of a king's office is often a mace (club) and a sword.  The
American Eagle has arrows clutched in one claw.  And in most times and
places only the sovereign and his cronies are allowed to carry weapons.  The
peasants are prohibited from doing so.

Jason says:

A cybergovernment says "Do as we say or you can't communicate with our 
citizens"  MIT says "Do as we say or go somewhere else"
US democrats say "If you don't like US laws, move somewhere else"

Actually, if you are a citizen you are bound by US tax laws even if you move
to Alpha Centauri.  Or if you are a narco terrorist you need not even be a
citizen.

MIT remains largely consensual.  Governments do not.  If they become mere
market actors as I expect that they will, then they will no longer be the
sorts of monopoly institutions that we refer to with the word -- "government." 

Actually "Self-Government vs. Others-Government" is the real split (with
thanks to the Advocates for Self Government.

DCF
 
"You speak Treason!" - The Lady Marion Fitzwalter
"Fluently!"          - Sir Robin of Loxley
   Not from the politically correct version.