It's Often Said...
...that "government is the problem."
You've read it in this blog and elsewhere. It's a popular catchphrase, uttered as a convenience when one can't be bothered for thoughtful analysis. It has become a slogan, scrawled on the banner waved by reactionaries who embrace such notions as, "You're either with us, or you're with the terrorists." Such absolutism is comforting because it presents no intellectual challenge. Everything is cut and dried. No room for compromise. A blanket of conviction. Love it or leave it.
But is "government the problem"? No, it is not.
With sympathies toward my friend who is an anarchist (anarchy is the true expression of disdain for government, and advocacy for its dismantling), government is only an expression of humans' natural inclination to form groups, and to form hierarchies within those groups. Such behavior is human nature, and my observation is that humans loathe to rise above it. Another aspect of human nature is people's predilection for remembering the bad things vividly, and forgetting about the good things; taking them for granted.
No, government is not the problem. Bad government is a problem. Good government is a solution.
Eliminate government, and you eliminate law enforcement and fire departments. You eliminate public libraries, and the world of good they do for children who hunger for knowledge. You eliminate the health codes that try to limit the amount of cockroaches in your salad at Applebees. You eliminate the agencies who struggle to provide you with clean air and water. You eliminate paved streets and highways. You eliminate border protection, what there is of it; in fact, you eliminate all national defense except for that "well-armed militia" you've heard so much about. You eliminate county agencies who provide vaccinations and nutritional programs. You eliminate WIC. You eliminate your right to a safe work environment, a 40 hour workweek and overtime pay (oops, I forgot, they already went after that one). You eliminate enforcement of child support against deadbeat absent parents (oops again - they're chopping off that limb, too).
Some say private industry or charities are the answer, but that is untrue. Industry acts only in self-interest, and is therefore incapable of adequately providing certain services for the public. Charities, for all their good intentions, have simply never been up to the task.
My point is, there is a plethora of good things that people take for granted, things that they like, things that they need, which government provides. It's easy to condemn the whole thing when one part of it is in need of repair. But that's like bulldozing your house because your roof leaks.
"Government is the problem"? Bad government is a problem. Good government is a solution. Throwing the baby out with the bathwater is not.
You've read it in this blog and elsewhere. It's a popular catchphrase, uttered as a convenience when one can't be bothered for thoughtful analysis. It has become a slogan, scrawled on the banner waved by reactionaries who embrace such notions as, "You're either with us, or you're with the terrorists." Such absolutism is comforting because it presents no intellectual challenge. Everything is cut and dried. No room for compromise. A blanket of conviction. Love it or leave it.
But is "government the problem"? No, it is not.
With sympathies toward my friend who is an anarchist (anarchy is the true expression of disdain for government, and advocacy for its dismantling), government is only an expression of humans' natural inclination to form groups, and to form hierarchies within those groups. Such behavior is human nature, and my observation is that humans loathe to rise above it. Another aspect of human nature is people's predilection for remembering the bad things vividly, and forgetting about the good things; taking them for granted.
No, government is not the problem. Bad government is a problem. Good government is a solution.
Eliminate government, and you eliminate law enforcement and fire departments. You eliminate public libraries, and the world of good they do for children who hunger for knowledge. You eliminate the health codes that try to limit the amount of cockroaches in your salad at Applebees. You eliminate the agencies who struggle to provide you with clean air and water. You eliminate paved streets and highways. You eliminate border protection, what there is of it; in fact, you eliminate all national defense except for that "well-armed militia" you've heard so much about. You eliminate county agencies who provide vaccinations and nutritional programs. You eliminate WIC. You eliminate your right to a safe work environment, a 40 hour workweek and overtime pay (oops, I forgot, they already went after that one). You eliminate enforcement of child support against deadbeat absent parents (oops again - they're chopping off that limb, too).
Some say private industry or charities are the answer, but that is untrue. Industry acts only in self-interest, and is therefore incapable of adequately providing certain services for the public. Charities, for all their good intentions, have simply never been up to the task.
My point is, there is a plethora of good things that people take for granted, things that they like, things that they need, which government provides. It's easy to condemn the whole thing when one part of it is in need of repair. But that's like bulldozing your house because your roof leaks.
"Government is the problem"? Bad government is a problem. Good government is a solution. Throwing the baby out with the bathwater is not.
posted by SheaNC at 2:37 AM
8 Comments:
But, Shea, as history has shown us over and over again, government rarely knows where to stop.
If you have a chance drop over to Smorg's blog and read his article about government being force. It too is educational.
-Jack
If you read the post you'll see I draw a distinction between good and bad government. Good government, by definition, is that which one would not want stopped. If a good government activity becomes, through excess, a bad one, then the aspects that cause it to become bad government can be dealt with by addressing those specific aspects, rather than eliminate it entirely. The example of police protection serves this analogy. It is in our best interest to reform and improve it, rather than eliminate it and deprive us of a vitally important public service.
I agree, Shea. I guess the problem lies in what one defines as "good" or "bad" government, and there is your struggle between libertines and socialists. Who's right?
Good post.
-Jack
Government is the problem. Consider today's post at RWA commenting on the recent change in French employment law. (I happen to practice employment law.) The more reliant citizens become of government, the less innovative the workers become. I'd love to hear the liberal response to my analysis (and Jack's wisened support of my position).
I also find it amusing that RWA is labeled a fascist site on your blog when fascism, by definition, is absolute governmental control of the means of production. You libs should buy a dictionary.
Congratulations, NL!
10,000 hits!
-Jack
Smith, quit flip-flopping. You are a proponent of government, you hypocrite.
Government is law and law is government. If you want to live in a lawless society, then put your money where your mouth is and go move to some lawless anarchist "no government" paradise where you can live free from government intervention to your heart's content. In fact, take your christofascist brethren with you (please) and see how far you get before you start creating rules within the group that others have to follow. that's called government.
I've picked up a dictionary. Why don't you go study political science?
This is an execellent post. The average person needs to have this explained to them in the kind of terms you present here. The next step is to explain to them that the payment of taxes ensures that good government can continue providing the resources people need to prosper and work their way up the social ladder. Allowing the rich to not pay into the system only undercuts the work good government seeks to provide; it does not make society stronger.
Thanks, Writing Left. So many people are quick to say "government is the problem", but when you press them on the issue, it turns out they want government, too, and lots of it. They seem to think that "less government" or "no government" means big, intrusive government policies that they like, such as replaceing science with religion in the classroom.
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