What should we call the form of government where everybody is free to do whatever they want as long as they don’t hurt somebody else?
Because that’s the government I want.
It sounds great, except the point that keeps tripping me up is the definition of the word, “hurt.” Some people (you extremists know who you are) are “hurt” when they see other people who don’t believe as they do. So they want to make laws (or use other forms of coercion) to force the others to believe “correctly.” Need examples? Inquisition; Holocaust; 9/11; Texas textbooks; Obamacare.
Is neglect “hurt”? Will this new form of government allow us to neglect others in need, because such neglect is “hurting” the needy?
In the end, I really believe that the form of government is a red herring. The real issue is how to create people whose moral and critical reasoning are sufficiently developed that the government doesn’t need to exist. Such people will do what’s needed regardless of the form of government.
But until such people exist, I think we need a strong government to do a few things:
- Impose freedom (see my first paragraph)
- Protect people from hurt.
- Help the needy.
- Teach moral and critical thinking.
- Get out of the way wherever possible.