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From: mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz)
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory
Subject: Re: Re: Politics and Ethics [Liberty as
Message-ID: <858@cybvax0.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 20-Dec-85 15:11:54 EST
Article-I.D.: cybvax0.858
Posted: Fri Dec 20 15:11:54 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 23-Dec-85 05:46:32 EST
References: <561@qantel.UUCP> <28200411@inmet.UUCP>
Reply-To: mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz)
Organization: Cybermation, Inc., Cambridge, MA
Lines: 30

In article <28200411@inmet.UUCP> janw@inmet.UUCP writes:
> 
> > [Bob Stubblefield]       The libertarian umbrella shelters 
> > ...   anarchists who believe that the concept of contract has meaning
> > in the absence of government ...
> 
> But of course it does ! Does the treaty on USA-Canada border have no
> meaning in the absence of a super-government ? Then why is it kept
> so well ? 

Contracts are generally enforced by threat.  Without a threat, there is
no reason to uphold the other end of the contract.  The threat can be nice
(I wouldn't trade with you any more) or nasty (I'd shoot you.)

Threats are effective according to enforceability.  Neither of the above
threats is effective with a fly-by night operator, but they are effective
for essentially immobile neighbors like the USA and Canada.

Governments can provide effective threats for contracts with several social
benefits.  1) More powerful than the individual can provide.  2) Standard
limitations to threats.  3) Standards for contract enforcement allow less
conservative judgement of contract risks, which increases number of
contracts accepted, and thus benefits business.

I'm sure libertarians will point out (accurately) that private organizations
could perform these tasks also.  (Which is better is a different debate.)
I just want to demolish these two straw horses.
-- 

Mike Huybensz		...decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh