Liberty on Tap since 1984
Is Government Needed At All?
The Libertarians would have us believe that government is not necessary for man to live free and prosper. I read, on a regular basis, the works of many Libertarians, I'm a fan of the Mises Institute and of Austrian economics. Some of my favorite contemporary Libertarian writers are Thomas Sowell, Tom Woods, Gary North, Lew Rockwell, Bruce McQuain et. al. I try not to over do my reading of Libertarians because so often they leave me depressed with their gloom and doom. A case in point is an article I read recently at LewRockwell.com. The article is "Why I Do Not Vote" by Butler Shaffer, which was originally posted on November 14, 2000.
I should declare that philosophically if I were to take one more step to the right, I would be in the Libertarian camp. But that's one step I will never be able to take. Human nature being what it is, I don't see how the Libertarian ideal has any more chance in succeeding than the communist ideal did. I wish I could believe but I can't. But, I'm straying to far from the topic of this article. Is government needed at all?
Mr. Shaffer makes a case that all government is oppressive and over time will restrict the liberties of the governed. He has some cogent arguments to support his decision some years to no longer take part in the political process; to no longer vote. This excerpt demonstrates his point of view.
"...I understand the temptation, born largely of a sense of frustration, of wanting to participate in the political process in order to get persons elected who more closely reflect one’s views. The illusion of a short-term reduction in the rate of increase of state power clouds the longer-term consequences inherent in political participation. Political systems derive their power not from guns and prisons, but from the willingness of those who are to be ruled to expend their energies on their behalf. For state power to exist, a significant number of men and women must sanction the idea of being ruled by others, a sanction that depends, ultimately, upon the credibility of those who exercise such power. When we vote in an election, we are declaring, by our actions, our support for the process of some people ruling others by coercive means. Our motivations for such participation – even if they be openly expressed as a desire to bring state power to an end – do not mitigate the fact that our energies are being employed on behalf of the destructive principle that liberty and social order can best be fostered through the coercive machinery of the state."
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Comment
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Comment by Phillip Jerome Chesser on October 25, 2010 at 4:04pm -
Oh, I haven't given up. As a Christian I have hope in Christ Jesus, but I have little or no hope for America. The best thing we can leave to our children is our example. I don't think we can leave them anything else. Why should America be immune to the forces that cause all civilizations to eventually fail? If you think the Republicans or the Tea Parties are going to save the nation, prepare to be disappointed. Read Pat Buchanan's latest column on the subject.
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Comment by Jimmy Gourdie on October 25, 2010 at 2:20pm -
I assure you Phillip a lot of people have felt the same frustration that you are feeling. I know I have. I've been told that I am a stubborn old man and I suppose that's true. That probably explains why I refuse to admit defeat. Our grandparent's generation and our father's generation and our generation are responsible for the mess this country is in. Individually we may claim we did everything in our power to hold this socialist tide back; but no matter how much we did it wasn't enough. This is not the world I want to leave to my children and grandchildren. I agree that we can't depend on the Republicans to do what needs to be done on their own. But if the Tea Parties garner the support of all true conservatives we have the chance to remake the Republican Party into what we want it to be. That's my hope and I'm hanging on to it for all I'm worth. Don't give up, Phillip, we need people with your kind of insight. This is surely our last chance.
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Comment by Phillip Jerome Chesser on October 25, 2010 at 10:12am
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Regardless of how we feel people will not give up the idea of government because they have an uncontrollable desire (hard wired?) to be ruled. In 1 Samuel Chapter 8 the Bible describes this as a universal desire for a king. In that chapter Samuel tells the people what a king will bring them, but they still insist, and then, the kings that follow do just as Samuel has prophesied. Each Presidential election stirs in people the desire for a new king who will fix things. Obama's hope and change is the latest version but nothing ever changes because people are fallen creatures strongly inclined to sin. Even though not particularly religious the Founding Fathers recognized this and tried to create a government that restrained the rulers. Alas, that didn't work, and the anit federalists knew it wouldn't. There is no solution this side of paradise, but I think it would be best for people to see government for what it is and politicians for who they are. That won't happen either, which in a perverse way is good, because it indicates that people still have it pretty good in this country. When the mobs take to the streets to change things, only bad happens. But government is still a criminal operation, and we should never forget that. As for voting, I do, but that's only to throw the bums out, which never happens.
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