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There is an old debate running around libertarian-like circles about the role of government in society. While not planning to rehash it from the beginning, I had some things I was wondering about on the objectivist position. Namely, what does an objectivist understand by government?

Adi LeFevre wrote:There is an old debate running around libertarian-like circles about the role of government in society. While not planning to rehash it from the beginning, I had some things I was wondering about on the objectivist position. Namely, what does an objectivist understand by government?

Government serves a very specific role in the Objectivist framework. That role is to protect the property and rights of it's citizens. Rights, in this perview are the right to own property, the right to live, the right to pursue happiness, and the right to not be forced to anything by gunpoint. *Note: these are really all the same rights, but expanded for clarification. The right to life encompasses all these things, but that is a seperate (yet the same) conversation.

Therefore, a government may only contain police, fire/rescue, limited military (and only as much as is necessary to repel invaders), and courts. There may be other VITAL services, but not many.

The purpose of such an extremely limited government is this: No individual may control the right to force, and the right to force is politics (I can make that more clear, but I hope you glean my meaning). If one man holds all the politcal power, he may do as he wishes; Unfortunately, there will eventually be another who has more guns etc., etc.

Such things lead to Anarchy, which is most certainly not a good thing, citing the reason above.

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Lord Acton, Letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton, 1887

Check out Ayn Rand Lexicon online, where you can quickly see a very broad description of what Objectivism states on various views and concepts.

http://aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/government.html