306 Chapter 12
explain,insofaras a societyis a nightwatchmanstate,its DueProcessof Lawprohibits
vigilanteactivity.Thereis a principlemoreimportantthanthe violentpunishmentof
spoliators.The principleis thatone refrainsfromexercisingheavy-handedforceagainst
peoplewhoturnout to be innocent.Thatis why,shoulda vigilantestronglysuspectMr.
Y of havingwrongedhim,the vigilantehimselfis the spoliatorif he actsoutsidethe
boundsof DueProcess.Andthe vigilantecannotact in accordancewithDueProcess
unlessthereremainsa hegemonicpartythatenforcesthe DueProcessruleson everyone
in its dominion.
Yes,whensomeoneis accusedof spoliation,whetherthatsuspectactuallycommitted
spoliationis seldomstraightforward.Andbecauseforcemustbe exercisedagainstthe
truespoliators,we oughtto be surethat,beforeextremedeadlyforceis actuallydirected
againsta suspectedspoliator,we knowfor a fact thatthe suspectedspoliatoris actually
guiltyof the spoliation.Becausean accusedpersoncan be innocent,everypartythat
thinksof itselfas an avenger(whethervigilanteor governmentagent)is reallya probable
spoliator.AnytimeMr. X claimsto be issuing“retaliatory” force,whenhe did not comply
withDueProcessprocedures,Mr. X shouldbe consideredsomeonewhoactuallyinitiates
the use of force.In the caseof my engagingin vandalismagainstRiley,I shouldbe
considereda spoliatorevenif it laterturnsout thatRileydid burglarizeme. Whenvio-
lence-dispensingagencies,whothinkof themselvesas mereavengersagainstspoliation,
accuseRileyof burglary,and thenproceedto exerciseviolenceagainsthim,howcan we
ensurethatthe violenceagencyis not spoliatingan innocentman?Thisis whywe need
DueProcessof Law.As any would-beavengercouldeasilybe a spoliatorwhenattacking
Rileythe Accused,the would-beavengershouldnot be allowedto issuethe full bruntof
violentpunishmentuntilafterthe would-beavengerhas proven,beyondany reasonable
doubt,that Rileyis guiltyof the spoliationfor whichhe has beenaccused.
Again,I accuseRileyof breakingintomy residence.ObservethatwhenDueProcess
requiresthatI proveRiley’s guilt—guiltin termsof his havingspoliatedme—beforeI be
allowedto ask for any severelyviolentpunishmentfor Riley,the law holdsobjectivefacts
as paramountin importance.Feelingthat someoneis guiltyis not adequate;the publichas
to be informedof the factualityof Rileyhavinginitiatedthe use of forceto sucha degree
as to warrantthe exerciseof comparableviolenceagainsthim.Thisis the principlethat
Objectivistsidentifyasobjectivelaw. Whatseparatesa nightwatchmanstatefromeithera
violentcriminalor a tyrannicalgovernmentis thatthe nightwatchmanstate’s actsof
forceare necessarilyguidedby inductivereasonandobjectiveinvestigation.It is only
followingan objectivesearchfor truth—and followingthe acquisitionof factsaboutRiley
initiatingthe use of force—thatthe nightwatchmanstatewilltoleratethe unleashingof
anycomparableviolenceagainstRiley.To decipherwhetherimprisonmentof Rileyis
retaliationagainstthe guilty,not spoliationof the innocent,we needto launcha fact-
findingmission.We needan objectivebodyto conductan objectiveinvestigationof
whethermy neighboractuallyburgledme. Moreover,we wantto minimizeany abuses
againsta suspectwhocan turnout to be innocentof the chargefor whichhe was accused.
For thatreason,we needan objectivebodyto ensurethatthe accusedis treatedhumane-
ly. Thatis whereDueProcesscomesin. Whena nightwatchmanstateimplementsDue
Process,it is the caseof objectivereasonplacingproperrestraintson the use of violence
by anyparty,whetherprivateor governmental.Recallthe DueProcessprocedureswe
wentoverin BookOne.A nightwatchmanstateproperlyensuressuchDueProcessrules.
Thatrequiresthat the nightwatchmanstatefunctionas a “hegemony” that imposesthose
DueProcessruleson privateagencies,suchas me, that fall withinits regionaljurisdiction.
Whenan avengingpartyuncoversproofthata suspectcommittedthe spoliationfor
whichhe wasfingered,it is essentialthatthisproofbe madeavailableto the general
public.Imaginethat I collectsubstantialevidencethat Rileyburgledme, but I keepevery