What should be the role of government?

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Please describe, in one sentence, a government made-to-order for you, so that it meets your preferences.

The thread question and the OP ask different questions.

I'll answer the one from the OP because it's more fun.

It would pay for everything I need and not charge any taxes on me, using other people's money instead.

It would leave me the hell alone and not steal from me to pay for people like George.

You should try turning-up in the UK uninvited, Orwell. Stick a burkha on, say you've got ten kids and are seeking asylum, and you'll be laughing all the way.

the seperation of church and state

A government that keeps the peace within the society, deters or battles enemies from without, deters or punishes frauds, breach of contract and other unethical practices that makes mutual association and specialization of labor difficult. Out society depends on people honoring their contracts. If this state is not maintained we revert to the Hobbesian state where life if nasty, brutish and short.

ruveyn

Peace, order and good government topic

An elected, democratic government must ensure appropriate legislation and collect taxes to benefit the different regions that are united for mutual benefit.

No taxes, no social services, enforcement of a contract is the personal responsibility of the holder, and everybody has a gun.

What could possibly go wrong?

That is a recipe for Somalia. That is what can go wrong.

ruveyn

No, Somolia is an irrational tribal anarchy, not a AnarchoCapitalist Society (as described).

THere are no Tribal Leaders/Stalinist Governments in an AnarchoCapitalist society to foment tribal genocides.

FWIW, for most of its history, or at least up until the Uncivil War the US opreated almost exactly as Apple described.

I should've put an emoticon on the bottom of that. Yes I know. I was making a sarcastic "modest proposal." I get tired of hearing about how government always bad and we could somehow survive without one, how an uncontrolled market could fill it's place and solve all our problems, and that all of society should be set up as some facilly-understood Darwinian process.[/rant]

I don't actually want live like Mad Max.

Mad Max is a postapocolyptic Feudal Anarchy... much like Somolia.

You may want to read "The Probability Broach" by L. Neil Smith.

If folks can dream of a Big Government/Nanny State Social Utopia, than others can dream of a Self Reliant Aspie Friendly one.

Never mind.

I was going to refute this nonsense, but it's not worth the effort.

Probably a good idea.

An ideal government would be one that is, like sartresue suggested, provides peace, order and good governance, AND provides the people with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.