What is Government About?

Herewith a few comments for anarchists, libertarians, and right-wing conservatives.

There is a common thread within these groups even though they may not think so. That common thread is, at the very least, the destruction of the Federal government. On the right wing, the arguments are principally fiscal; they don't like paying taxes and the government spends too much for their taste. Cut Federal programs and everything will be fine! But there is a complete unwillingness or ignorance about where that leads us. Libertarians and anarchists, on the other hand, are unblushing in their desire to eliminate government. So self-reliance is the message, one way or another.

The big question that looms in my mind is what self-reliance actually means, as a practical day-to-day system, for these people. Once government as such is gone, where do we all go from there?

Personally, I can attempt to grow more vegetables in my back yard and I suppose that I could put in some chickens and rabbits. It's doubtful, though, that the water company will continue to exist and I'm not sure where I'll get the water for irrigation. Since banks will undoubtedly fail or just default on what they owe us, we'll be pretty unlucky about buying anything. We've trusted the financial system all these years and don't happen to have gold bricks under our mattresses. It'll be pointless to have automobiles since the black-market price of gas will be way out of sight and the roads will not be maintained anyway. Guess that wipes out our vacation plans. God, real freedom is wonderful isn't it! That is freedom to stay at home and guard what little we have left with my shotgun.

But some of my libertarian friends will say this is all wrong. The people will arrange to do what they need to do by way of their collective action. That's great. But isn't that what government was in the first place! Government was the way in which we came together collectively to do what we all have a need to do. We needed a system of legislation, or decision making, to guide us and we needed taxation in order to make sure that everyone contributed.

Gosh, is that what government was about? Too bad we threw it away!