Your Worst Enemy, the State

In my opinion, government is at best, tolerated because there is no other recognizable option available at the time. At worst, it is an evil and tyrannical overlord of the individual, never ceasing in its desire for power, money, total control, brutality, war, and imperialism. This opinion obviously does not serve as a recommendation for any governing system, with the one exception of peaceful anarchy, or a society without the State.

Government is always an instrument of force, as government has nothing, creates nothing, and produces nothing; it only steals from those who do. Therefore, politically based government should be avoided at all cost. Unfortunately, this has rarely happened in history.

Although government is controlling and brutal in its efforts to remain in power, it can only retain that power over the rest of society given that the majority consents to be ruled. In many instances, this consent is simply implied.

In order to gain the consent or implied consent of the people, the state uses many strategies that are steeped in lies and deceit. Government’s most important and necessary strategy for retaining control is fear. Fear mongering therefore, is a constant weapon in the arsenal of the state. For if the people were not afraid, they would have little use for government’s continuous assault on their liberty. Fear is a most powerful driver of emotions, and the illusion of safety a most coveted prize of the sheep. Rulers, whether elected or not, fully understand the importance of using fear tactics and the illusion of safety as weapons against the people. The desired effect is to at once purposely intimidate the population at large, while allowing for a state manufactured rescue. The result is an acceptance by the citizenry of less freedom for an imagined safety.

To achieve these ends, the state has to create false enemies. In order for this strategy to be successful, one individual has to be pitted against another; one group against another group; one nation against another nation, and so the deception goes. This strategy is nothing new, but it has been forever effective. It is the strategy of divide and conquer, derived from the Latin saying, Divide et impera, which may refer also to divide and rule.