Liberal Democracy

Liberal Democracy
The Free State

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Walter Block: 'War, Peace, & Statism'


Source:Mises Media- author and columnist Walter Block.

"The Gregory T. Morin Lecture, presented at the 2012 Mises Institute Supporters Summit: "The Truth About War: A Revisionist Approach".  Recorded at Callaway Gardens, Georgia, on 26 October 2012." 

From Mises Media

I agree with Walter Block on a few points here as well and disagree with him on one major point. 

I'm also not an Anarchist (surprise, surprise) and I agree on Walter Block's general view of the role of government. Which is essentially to protect the innocent from predators, not run our lives for us. That every American has the right to live their own life, even as they see fit, just as long as they're not hurting any innocent person with what they're doing. 

Where I disagree with Walter Block has to do with the comparing government taxes with the dues that one pays to be member of a social club. Club members pay club dues, even if they don't use every service available at the club. If they just go to the club for the food and drinks and socialize with their friends in the dining room or a social room, but they don't play golf there, they don't workout there, they don't swim there, etc, they're still obligated to pay for all of their club dues. 

Being a member of a free, developed society, is similar to being the member of a social club. The management of the club, is similar to the government in a society. The government represents the society ( at least officially) and the management represents the club members (at least officially) to see to it that it's the best club that it can be. 

We pay club dues to be a member of a club. We pay taxes to be a member of a free, developed country, that's represented and managed by the government. And we can argue about what exactly our club and government should be doing and what it fees it should be charging, but we all pay those fees, or risk having sanctions being placed against us.