XPost: alt.anarchism, alt.politics, alt.politics.socialism   
   XPost: alt.politics.liberalism   
   From: briquenoir@freeuk.c0m   
      
   James A. Donald  wrote in message   
   news:657623hsje4bfbui6n72irdrristuumsp2@4ax.com...   
   > "uri"   
   > > > > How do you define government? The way i see it   
   > > > > government is a monopoly on coercion in a given   
   > > > > land or territory.   
   >   
   > James A. Donald:   
   > > > Close, but not quite.  Obviously others can coerce   
   > > > illegally.  Further, governments in advanced   
   > > > countries generally permit one to forcefully eject   
   > > > trespassers, and guests that refuse to leave, though   
   > > > in third world countries this is frequently illegal.   
   > > >   
   > > > So the most accurate definition is that a government   
   > > > is overwhelmingly victorious against its subjects,   
   > > > so much so that its subjects come to accept that it   
   > > > may use force in ways that they may not.   
   >   
   > "*Anarcissie*"   
   > > That's not a definition, though.   
   >   
   > Yes it is:  Whosoever so thoroughly defeats people in   
   > some area, is a government.   
      
   A group of armed men can ride through an area, lay waste to the townships,   
   slaughter the populace, steal all the valuables and carry on riding until   
   they leave the area. Thus they would meet your criteria.   
   In what sense are they then a 'government'?   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)