The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible - Bastiat Institute

Chapter 38 • The Democracy Gang 231
world. “Alisa, too bad you don’t have a good Council to keep the
peace.”
Alisa stared at Jonathan and sat down next to him. “You’ve got
it mixed up,” she said. Still trying to catch her breath, she pointed
in the direction of the riots. “For as long as anyone can remember,
people have learned to take from each other by force. Who do you
suppose taught them?”
Jonathan frowned and answered. “You mean someone taught
them to use force against each other?”
“Most of us learned it by example every day.”
“Why didn’t the Council of Lords stop them?” said Jonathan.
“The Council is force,” said Alisa, emphatically, “and most of
the time it’s used against people instead of protecting people.” She
saw Jonathan’s blank look. He obviously didn’t have the slightest
idea of what she was talking about. She pushed her forefi nger into
his shoulder and said, “Listen, when you want something from
another person, how could you get it?”
Still feeling his bruise from the robber, Jonathan responded,
“You mean, without a gun?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I could try to persuade them,” answered Jonathan.
“Right. Or?”
“Or – or, I could pay them?”
“Yes, that’s a kind of persuasion. How else?”
“Hmmm. Go to the Council of Lords for a law?”
“Exactly,” said Alisa. “With government you don’t have to
persuade people. If you get the Council of Lords on your side, either
by votes or bribery, then you can force others to do what you want.
When someone else offers the Council more, then he can force you
to do whatever he wants. And the Lords are always winners.”
“But I thought government encouraged co-operation,” said
Jonathan.
“Hardly! Who needs co-operation when you can use force?”
responded Alisa. “Anyone with power can win whatever they want
– and the rest have to put up with it. It’s legal, but the losers remain
unconvinced, bitter, and hostile.”