CALL ME POST-STATIST
by Jim Babka
for The Zero Aggression Project
I'm not liberal, conservative, green, libertarian, or socialist. I prefer being called "Post-Statist." That means, I envision a day when political domination is held in low regard, like communism and monarchy presently are.
For many years, I believed that the size and scope of the government was the problem. I worked to "Downsize DC." Directionally, that was correct, but it avoids the BACkbone problems, which is that The State is a...
· Bullying
· Abusive
· Cartel
BULLYING
The State has one power -- coercion. It either bribes or threatens human beings, compelling them to do things that they would not otherwise choose to do on their own. Statists imagine all the wonderful things that could happen if the coercion was intensified. They never calculate the costs.
What if what passes for dialogue in this country was focused not on self-serving, partisan bickering points, but was, instead, an evaluation of all the real costs of statist schemes, both hidden and evident?
ABUSIVE
People turn to The State because they think it's an effective short-cut to social progress and security. Indeed, The State has two powers that attract reformers.
First, politicians have tons of money with which to bribe the behaviors that are politically preferred, and that's because they're very good at stealing it. They are further supported by cronies who want their share of the loot.
Second, bureaucrats back those threats with real violence. Ignore their edicts at your peril. Armed men and women will show up to take your property or your liberty. Resist and they'll take your life!
CARTEL
The State is a "Violent Monopoly." Who else can require you to "patronize" their business?
Imagine, you don't like the hamburger you just received. Maybe you ordered it without onions, but it came with them. You can complain. In business, the customer is right. Maybe they apologize and replace the order. Perhaps they discount your bill. Even then, you have the choice to never darken the door of the establishment ever again.
On the other hand, how many IRS agents or FDA regulators say, "The citizen is always right?"
As Perry Willis has observed...
You have more power as a customer than you do as a citizen.
Therefore, the size of The State is the smaller problem by comparison with the BACkbone problems. And if "governments" are supposed to protect and enhance rights, then...
The bullying, abusive, cartel-like behavior disqualifies The State from being an actual government.
None of us would voluntarily sign all of our rights and reservations away, especially to someone who might be working against our interests. Even the masochist would want the control of a "safe word." Such control eludes the citizen. What's your safe word -- your escape -- when politicians or bureaucrats bully you?
All the democratic version of The State can offer you is, "Elect better people." Suggesting that you have to convince 50%, plus one of your neighbors to "give" you relief is hardly an outlet. The problem is compounded when we see how rigged the system is in favor of the very power that oppresses your rights of conscience and happiness. So instead...
SIMPLY imagine an END to the Bullying, the Abuse, and the Cartel. Imagine instead that government is a service, accountable to the consumer. That's what the Post-Statist does.
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Copyright (c) 2013 by Jim Babka. Permission to distribute this blog post for educational purposes is granted, if done with attribution to the author and the Downsize DC Foundation. Permission to use for commercial purposes is denied.
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