Over time, I have grown accustomed to the views and their consequences, and I now see the political realm through them. My earlier reluctance is not present in this volume, because it has disappeared.

Thereby, I run the risk of offending doubly: for the position expounded, and for the fact that I produce reasons to support this position. Instead, it contains many of the considerations and arguments, which I present as forcefully as I can. This book contains little evidence of my earlier reluctance. With reluctance, I found myself becoming convinced of (as they are now often called) libertarian views, due to various considerations and arguments. I know that reaction it was mine when I first began to consider such views. Two noteworthy implications are that the state may not use its coercive apparatus for the purpose of getting some citizens to aid others, or in order to prohibit activities to people for their own good or protection.ĭespite the fact that it is only coercive routes toward these goals that are excluded, while voluntary ones remain, many persons will reject our conclusions instantly, knowing they don’t want to believe anything so apparently callous toward the needs and suffering of others. Our main conclusions about the state are that a minimal state, limited to the narrow functions of protection against force, theft, fraud, enforcement of contracts, and so on, is justified that any more extensive state will violate persons’ rights not to be forced to do certain things, and is unjustified and that the minimal state is inspiring as well as right. How much room do individual rights leave for the state? The nature of the state, its legitimate functions and its justifications, if any, is the central concern of this book a wide and diverse variety of topics intertwine in the course of our investigation. So strong and far-reaching are these rights that they raise the question of what, if anything, the state and its officials may do. INDIVIDUALS have rights, and there are things no person or group may do to them (without violating their rights).

Anarchy utopia