> [Case] > Without government wealth would be redistributed on the basis of raw > force. Redistribution of wealth is what governments do, all governments.
[Platt] Raw force? How so? [Case] The chief function of government is to establish the rules of social order. These rules place constraints on the interactions of citizens. All social economic and political activity is mediated through these rules. These rules or laws form a kind of social ecology where variations on permissible interactions work themselves out in daily life. All economic activity is centered around the redistribution of wealth. I have something you want. We make a trade. Wealth is redistributed. We engage in such transactions based on established laws. What ever these laws are they reflect the values of society. It is within the context of these laws that entrepreneurs and working stiffs must decide how they can achieve their personal and corporate goals. Ultimately government has the power to compel compliance with its rules through the use of force. It has nearly absolute power to do this. In our particular system government is established through the consent of the governed; We the People. Arguments over whether government has the "right" to do this are moot. Arguments over how it should do this are settled through the political process. There is cause for cynicism over the efficacy of the process but this cynicism can only be resolved through the process itself. That is how our system works or doesn't. moq_discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
