Government is evil...

[Malbec]

First, I didn't mean to discuss all evils of this world in one thread. Second, redirecting critique from the initial topic of debate to something else is a trick often used to dilute the debate and render it meaningless. Bringing something else into the debate only makes sense if it is something reasonably comparable to the major object of the debate. If we get to discuss government welfare vs private retirement packages, or government owned companies vs private companies, putting the government and the private sector together is perfectly justified. So far, though, I have only been thinking about government as a phenomenon of human society in general.

Sorry Rudy but you're artificially choosing what is acceptable to discuss and what is not.

If you are going to discuss the merits of government then it is only natural, even essential to discuss alternative systems. This could be the comparison of government with the lack of government (ie anarchy) or public vs private sector.

Ultimately though the government is not inherently evil or good. It is merely a tool for those who hold power and its effects are merely a reflection of the intention of those people. A car is not inherently good or evil either in much the same way.

[Eki]

Is government a chicken?

[donKey jote]

All governments are chickens, but some are more chicken than others...

[Gregor-y]

Is government a chicken?

And are corporations the egg?

[BDunnell]

Sorry Rudy but you're artificially choosing what is acceptable to discuss and what is not.

And artifically choosing to describe government as 'evil' and saying only of the private sector that it 'has its downsides'.

[Rollo]

First, the term 'evil' is too strong (in most instances of its use, not just this). Second, if government is 'evil', so too are large tracts of the private sector.

"government" includes the administration and policy direction of power and wealth; the private sector very much engages in this.

If Rudy chooses to describe "government" as "evil" then, is this a reflection on how he sees human nature generally?

[Eki]

Governments aren't evil, people are. Sometimes people who form a government are especially evil.

[BDunnell]

Governments aren't evil, people are. Sometimes people who form a government are especially evil.

I'm not even in favour of the use of the word 'evil' to describe a person in most instances. The idea of an individual being either 'good' or 'evil' is very simplistic.

[Eki]

I'm not even in favour of the use of the word 'evil' to describe a person in most instances. The idea of an individual being either 'good' or 'evil' is very simplistic.

Well, I was being simplistic, like those who say "guns don't kill people, people do".

[Bolton Midnight]

So was Ian Brady or Fred West evil or just misunderstood?

Right wing government in democracies are less controlling, in the UK we are in the process of being freed after 13 years of left wing interfering / meddling. Justifying their own existence. Thank god.