Preface xiiiity, that rebellionis not largeenoughto overpowerthat dominatingpartyor defeat
it.Notethata societyneednot be confinedto a specificgeographicspotto havea govern-
ment.As a groupof nomadspossessesa centralauthoritythatexercisesviolenceto
punishdissenters,a nomadicgrouphas a government;it is not anarchist.Moreover,
peopleneednot be in closegeographicproximityto one anotherto be properlyconsid-
eredmembersof the samesocietyunderthe samegovernment.The inhabitantsof a small
islandneara continentmaybe consideredmembersof the samesocietyas the continent’s
inhabitants,and a centralauthoritylocatedon the continentmayserveas the government
to the inhabitantsof the nearbyisland.In any case,a partyis a society’s governmentwhen
a largeenoughnumberof that society’s memberstacitlyacquiesceto that partyholdinga
monopolyon the exerciseof violence.Nongovernmentalpartiesmightbe ableto exercise
violenceon theirownaccord,but not in the absenceof the government’s permission.
Shouldanypartyexerciseanyviolencein defianceof the government’s authority,that
partyiscriminaland the governmentexercisesviolenceitselfto stopor punishthosewho
inflictedthe violencethe governmenthad not authorized.
Throughouthistorytherehavebeendifferentformsof government,suchas feudalism
andcommunism.Yet a governmentis just—by the standardsof the rationalethicswe
haveadvocated—insofaras it abidesby the Ruleof Peace.Thatentailsthatthe govern-
mentacts in no capacityotherthanto exerciseviolenceto stopor punishthe initiationof
the use of force.A governmentthat doesnothingbut act to punishor stopthe initiationof
the use of forceis calleda “nightwatchmanstate,” as it behavesas a nightwatchmanwho
doesnot interveneunlessit is to fightviolentwrongdoing.As everygovernmentactionis
violent,a governmentitselfinitiatesthe use of forceon anyoccasionon whichit does
somethingotherthanviolentlydeteror penalizespoliation.Suppose,for instance,that
PerryandJordana,beingconsentingadults,peaceablynegotiatetheirowncontract.Jor-
danaagreesto be Perry’s maid,andPerrywillpayher twoU.S.dollarsper hour.The
governmentthendeclaresthatthe agreementbetweenPerryand Jordanais illegal,based
on theiragreementviolatingminimum-wagestatutes.The governmentinformsPerrythat
it will fine him5,000dollarsand,shouldhe fail to coughup the fine,it will imprisonhim.
Thiswouldbe a caseof the governmentitselfthreateningto initiatethe use of forceupon
Perry.PerrywaspeacefulwithJordana,andyet the Statethreatensto sendarmedmen
afterto Perryto manhandlehimif he doesnot relinquishhis peaceablyacquired5,
dollarsto the State.Thatsortof governmentregulation,then,is spoliation,andnot the
actionof a nightwatchmanstate.It is insteada manifestationof whatI identifyasgovern-
ism.Governismis presentwhenat leastone of the followingconditionsis present.
- The beliefis professedthatthe governmentis morallyobligatedto engagein com-
pulsorytaxationand to takeon activitiesotherthanthoseto whicha nightwatch-
manstateis limited. - Thegovernmentactuallydoesengagein compulsorytaxationor takeon some
otheractivitythat is forbiddento a nightwatchmanstate.
Governismandthe Ruleof Peacestandin contrastto one another.A systemof society
thatabidesby the Ruleof Peace—the systemof the night watchmanstate—goesby
variousnames.Othernamesincludefreedom,liberty,the free market,free enterprise,laissez
faire,consensualism,voluntarism,volitionism,autonomism,deregulation,privatization,Man-
chesterism, andcapitalism.Capitalismheremustbe qualified.Toooften,the opponentsof
the nightwatchmanstateattemptto conflateany and everycommercialtransactionwith
the systemof capitalism.ShouldMaxkidnapAkunsand sell Akunsintoslavery,the sale
of Akunsas a slavewouldbe a commercialexchange.Likewise,if MaxhiresLuckyto