Thursday, February 4, 2010

 

Arnold Kling Makes Me Chuckle

In a quite reasonable post, he offers this judgment which struck me as ironic:
3. Does the state have necessary functions?

I believe that it does, but I am not sure. I am strongly inclined to believe that unless we agree to have an ultimate arbiter of disputes, the equilibrium is what North, Weingast, and Wallis call "the natural state," in which a coalition of violent gangs extorts from the general public and shares the loot.
In case you don't see the irony, try this.

# posted by Bob Murphy @ 2:32 AM


Comments:
I'm not sure which is more frustrating and disheartening about that NYT editorial; the article itself or the laughable commentary that follows it.
# posted by Blogger Ryan Wills : February 4, 2010 at 8:50 AM
 
Thanks, Bob - I needed the chuckle. Too funny indeed.
# posted by Anonymous James Rothfeld : February 4, 2010 at 3:06 PM
 
Doesn't the existence of a State (which is pretty much what he describes) add credibility to his view that such is the 'natural equilibrium'? Not that I think a State is 'necessary', but perhaps it is inevitable.
# posted by Blogger Scott Reed : February 6, 2010 at 12:31 AM
 
I fail to see the irony. The state is not just stealing and sharing the loot.
# posted by Anonymous scineram : February 6, 2010 at 8:01 PM
 
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