Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 13:17:01 -0500 (EST)
From: "Chris M. Sciabarra" <sciabrrc-AT-is2.NYU.EDU>
Subject: Re: M-TH: Re:Trust


On Fri, 24 Jan 1997, Kevin Cabral wrote:
> 	It hardly matters if property rights emerged before the state.
> What I argue is that the state is necessary to mediate and enforce
> property rights. Thus a legislative, judicial, and ultimately coercive
> state is necessary. Your point about externalities being the product of a
> "lack of property rights" makes this clear. So, what are these alternative
> means? Paramilitaries to enforce property rights? 
> Kevin
> Cols, Oh
	Kevin, great question -- I don't have the answer.  The point
however is not just that rights emerged before the state.  Benson's point
is that a whole network of justice emerged before the state, and that the
state co-opted this process and engaged in its foremost activity:  the
transfer of wealth.  This is a good historical analysis, but it doesn't
help me with regard to a future ideal society.  If it entailed
paramilitary groups and no larger adherence to a libertarian ethos --
something which libertarian anarchists canNOT guarantee -- I would be
opposed to it unequivocally.
					- Chris
=================================================Chris Matthew Sciabarra, Ph.D
Visiting Scholar, NYU Department of Politics
INTERNET:  sciabrrc-AT-is2.nyu.edu
http://pages.nyu.edu/~sciabrrc
=================================================


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