So what is government?... Very simply, it is an agency of coercion. Of course, there are other agencies of coercion -- such as the Mafia. So to be more precise, government is the agency of coercion that has flags in front of its offices.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Government is fundamentally an agency of coercion, distinguished only by its symbols and authority.
- In plain terms
- Government is just like other coercive groups but has flags on its building.
- What can you take from it?
- Question the legitimacy of state coercion compared to other force.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is government coercion different from criminal coercion?
Another view
It ignores the social contract that distinguishes state force from crime.
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