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To: A.J.Armitage
lots of factions shooting at each other.

In the abortion controversy, we have too much shooting to my taste already. Attempts are made to enforce what people think ought to be laws. Those attempts are viewed as crimes by others, who act on that perception.

Yours seems to be the vulgar critique of anarchism as "people shooting at each other". In fact, any law is enforced by a balance of power, where most people know how to avoid a shootout. With a single enforcer most people know that if they rob a bank, a shootout will ensue. They decide not to rob banks. With multiple enforcers, most people will know how to avoid a shootout as well, and when a conflict of interpretation of natural law presents itself, they would prefer to submit to a judge. When a recalcitrant party refuses adjudication, that party would face a coalition consisting not only of its opponents in the controversy on hand, but also of its former allies. For example, those who shoot abortionists are condemned not only by pro-abortion people, but by the overwhelming number of pro-life people.

166 posted on 02/14/2002 5:13:06 AM PST by annalex
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To: annalex
"Vulgar" or not, it's what anarchy would lead to. I don't share your optimism about judges; too many things have to go right for the kind of cultural norms required to back the judges up to come into place and stay in place.
167 posted on 02/14/2002 1:47:47 PM PST by A.J.Armitage
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