October 19, 2016
Would you rather be a Consumer King or a Captive Citizen? Retweet
People seem to worship a god called Democracy. They speak of it in such glowing terms. But it also makes them miserable. When someone complains about how terrible their choices are, they’re told that there is no better way to govern society. And yet…
We manage to provide for our most important needs without voting. We work. We trade. And thereby, we feed, clothe, house, and entertain ourselves. Here’s a powerful yet unasked question…
Could not the same approach be taken with governance?
It’s such a big question that it can’t be answered in one sitting, but the following Mental Lever mini-article could start the thought process…
Do you have more power as a consumer or as a voter?
By Perry Willis & Jim Babka
Consumer vs voter — who wins? As a consumer…
- No business has ever pointed a gun at you
- You can fire any company at any time without risk of harm
- You can even complain and get your money back
Now compare this with your lot as a voter and taxpayer…
- Complaints do little
- You need the permission of a voting majority to change anything
- You will be harmed if you try to withdraw your patronage
Where does your greater power lie?
You have vast power as a consumer, but almost none as a voter.
- Consumers are kings
- Voters are captives
If you prefer being a Consumer King to a Captive Citizen join the Zero Aggression Project.
–END of Mental Lever–
- Tell us what you think about this mini-article using our new voting slider!
- Please also consider sharing this article on Facebook or other social media.
- Remember, you can invite your friends to vote.
ZAP The State and have a nice day,
Perry Willis & Jim Babka
Co-creators, Zero Aggression Project
The hardest rebuttal to this is what about those factors where self-interesting and competition are less efficient than government. Even Arnold Coase (private light house guy, remember him?) admitted that there some things that are more cheaper done collectively.
And the hardest thing about defending limited government is showing it can limit itself.
How about an article on how a limited government can be made to be just that.
Author
Hi Walter. We don’t think The State can be limited. Once you allow violence-based funding (taxation), no limits are possible. We think the slow death of the Bill of Rights, not to mention the historical precedents of Athens and Rome, demonstrate this assertion very powerfully. So, even if there are a few things that could be done more efficiently through a State initiating force, those efficiencies are swamped by all the inefficiencies of the other crap The State would inevitably do. On balance we will do better by forgoing the things The State can do well, so as to also avoid the things The State does poorly.