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Journal of Libertarian Studies

Do Pessimistic Assumptions about Human Behavior Justify Government?

The Journal of Libertarian Studies
Tags: Philosophy and Methodology, Political Theory, Big Government
Journal of Libertarian Studies Benjamin Powell Christopher Coyne
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Is government a necessary institution? To answer this question, many theorists begin with an account of a state of nature in which there are no “rules” or institutions to regulate human behavior. They then compare that state of nature with outcomes that are theoretically achieved with a monopoly rule enforcer—a government.

Volume 17, Number 4 (2003)

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Powell, Benjamin., and Christopher Coyne. “Do Pessimistic Assumptions about Human Behavior Justify Government?.” Journal of Libertarian Studies 17, No. 4 (2003): 17–37.

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