@steff Key word ... "need." The "need" for a state arises due to arbitrary and capricious power imbalances. (Grog make rule cuz Grog big and mean and have big club). The forming of a state (the many) grabs back the power and imbalances it to the many. (We regret to inform you, "Grog," that with the authority of the people, 20 of our enforcers will be coming to take your club and throw you into a pit until you can play nice with others). The social compact therein formed is only held together if the state doesn't use it's power imbalance arbitrarily and capriciously.

@steff And, of course, that all goes out the window when society intentionally elects the bully to own the libs. Then, we get arbitrary and capricious all over again, beginning a reprisal spiral straight down the shitter to failed state.

@steff Everything is “necessarily.” I too could provide 1000 caveats to the general rule. But, in general laws are *always* about power imbalance because the corollary to creating a law, is enforcing a law. One doesn’t enforce against an equal … that’s a stalemate. Thus, we hope the state, carrying the enforcement stick, will be less arbitrary and capricious than Grog the bully down in the next cave over.

@steff By the powerful against the powerless, right? That would make sense.

@CorvidCrone So, choice #3?

Why do we have laws?

The printing press was invented in 1440 and freed humanity from intellectual enslavement.

500 years later #TV was invented and we obligingly refastened shackles.

They won’t come off again until we stop consuming the #billionaire priest’s #propaganda.

Here, on #mastodon, in the #fediverse, we begin the #revolution.