Government, in general

[peritonlogon]

In a recent debate that I had in this forum, a poster stated that people and business can exist without government but governments can't exist without people and business.

What do people think of this and why?

[BluffTHIS!]

This is a silly question. The obvious logical answer is that people and businesses would get along without taxation, although perhaps not extremely well without the infrastructure paid for by it, while government cannot exist with taxation provided by people and businesses.

[BCPVP]

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/4035/pvnsignal6hf.jpg

But seriously, it's the truth. Think about it. If the government ceases to exist, do we cease to exist? If the gov't shut down, would the Walmart down the street disappear?

[peritonlogon]

[ QUOTE ]
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/4035/pvnsignal6hf.jpg

But seriously, it's the truth. Think about it. If the government ceases to exist, do we cease to exist? If the gov't shut down, would the Walmart down the street disappear?

[/ QUOTE ]

If it is a silly question then this is a silly answer. In my whole quarter century an example of governments ceasing to exist has never crossed my eyes or passed into my ears... even in college.....even in print.

[BluffTHIS!]

[ QUOTE ]
In my whole quarter century an example of governments ceasing to exist has never crossed my eyes or passed into my ears... even in college.....even in print.

[/ QUOTE ]

S O M A L I A

[BCPVP]

Somalia hasn't had a government for quite a few years. Many of the ACers here get jumpy when discussing Somalia because it's still a hellhole. But people and businesses still exist there. If you were looking for deeper discussion, you should have framed your question better.

[peritonlogon]

[ QUOTE ]
If you were looking for deeper discussion, you should have framed your question better.

[/ QUOTE ]

How so? more specific? Thought I made it as general as I could.

[BCPVP]

Well to me, the answer is obvious. It's like asking if humans would cease to exist without airplanes. What kind of discussion about this were you looking for? If you wanted to hear some opinions of what a government-less "state" would be like, you could dig through this forum, because it's been beaten to death.

[Andrew Fletcher]

I think somewhere between moronic and totally naive.

But, for the backwards political culture we live in, it's standard.

[Andrew Fletcher]

a few examples:

it would be harder to get to Walmart without roads.
it would be harder to deal with the people who work at Walmart without a public education system that has taught them to read/count
it would be harder for Walmart to build their stores without all the government support that they recieve.

[tylerdurden]

[ QUOTE ]
a few examples:

it would be harder to get to Walmart without roads.
it would be harder to deal with the people who work at Walmart without a public education system that has taught them to read/count
it would be harder for Walmart to build their stores without all the government support that they recieve.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wait, the idea that people can exist without government is naive, but things would merely be "harder" without government? Wouldn't the things in your list be impossible if no people existed?

Yes, without government, people would just stay in their caves and never venture out, never try to learn anything, never try to build anything. I thank God every day that he created government before people, else we'd never have accomplished anything.

[tylerdurden]

[ QUOTE ]
If it is a silly question then this is a silly answer. In my whole quarter century an example of governments ceasing to exist has never crossed my eyes or passed into my ears... even in college.....even in print.

[/ QUOTE ]

You've never heard of a government ceasing to exist???

The Roman Empire?
The Third Reich?
South Vietnam?
Soviet Union?

Any of those ring a bell?

[superleeds]

[ QUOTE ]
You've never heard of a government ceasing to exist???

The Roman Empire?
The Third Reich?
South Vietnam?
Soviet Union?

Any of those ring a bell?

[/ QUOTE ]

They were replaced and/or evolved into other forms. Government did not cease to exist for any of those examples.

[sam h]

[ QUOTE ]
In a recent debate that I had in this forum, a poster stated that people and business can exist without government but governments can't exist without people and business.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think governments need private enterprise to exist but they certainly need people!

Neither businesses or people need governments to exist. But for capitalism to work efficiently it of course requires government.