Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Statism- the Definition

Statism is the belief that governing others is a legitimate human endeavor.

One who justifies or excuses aggression and/or property violation (archation) when done in the name of political government (The State) is a statist.

Statism assumes the State to occupy a position superior to the individual; in other words, government-supremacism.

If this is what you believe, you shouldn't consider the word an insult, although I would find it insulting to be considered one.

If this position describes you, why be upset about it? Unless you feel you are wrong......



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2 comments:

  1. Hmm. Can't you conceive of a form of government that would be consensual?
    If there is such an entity, albeit theoretical, would it be necessarily statist?

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  2. If it were consensual it would lack some features of government (as generally defined). Government (other than self-government/self control) is imposed on people (you can't opt out without fleeing the area), and is almost always financed with theft, and demands a monopoly on force in a given area. Show me a voluntary organization that lacks those features and I wouldn't consider it "government", and I probably wouldn't oppose it since I'd be free to opt out if it did things I didn't approve of.

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