The NAP for dummies

Because many of you are new to the idea of liberty, I'd like to introduce you to one of the axiomatic ideals: the Non-Aggression Principle. (My more seasoned liberty advocates might get bored of this post, but I'll have one for you guys later!)

The Non-Aggression Principle has two parts. The first part states:

"I will not initiate force, either through violence, threat of violence, or fraud."

This is a powerful statement. In a world where violence and force seems to be the norm, pledging nonviolence is an act of treason. I'd like to bring to light how the state violates all three of these tenets.

First we have "Violence". How does the state initiate violence? Most notably, through law enforcement and the military. The police are a perfect example of an arm of the government that directly initiates deadly force. When one does not follow the laws set in place by the state, the police will intervene and use force to violate your property rights and imprison you. You do not have a choice in the matter. Remember, you own yourself.

Second is "threat of violence". This is shown perfectly through taxation. Taxation is how the parasitic entity funds itself. It's money stolen straight out of your pocket by the IRS. Where does the "threat of violence" come from? Well, if you choose not to pay your taxes, you are threatened with legal action through the police, who are initiators of violence. Therefore, any state that collects taxes is committing violence against you. Just because you can't see the gun held to your head does not mean it's not there.

Third is "fraud". Fraud in this case is defined as "an act of deception designed to make you do something you wouldn't normally do". I'm sure the first thing that comes to everyone's mind in this case is.... politicians. Politicians will tell you anything you want to hear, as long as they get your vote. The reality couldn't be much further. They are keeping up appearances with you and taking money from special interest groups. They may act like they care or listen, but in reality they only care about the interests of people who are giving them money. This is just as reprehensible as any act of physical violence, because it is again violating your personal right to have an opinion.

These three tenets constitute the first part of the NAP. The second part is as follows:

"In the event that my life, family, or property is threatened, I have the right to initiate force in self-defense."

Violence is justified in one instance- if you are defending your life, family, or property. Because you are an individual, you have the basic right to protect the things that are owned by you. Your family is also a valid reason for defense. There is one exception to this rule, but I'll discuss this in a later post.

Because the government is not an individual, its application of force is not justified. This is a shorter post, but I hope this helps explain one of the basic tenets of voluntarism. All interactions between human beings should be voluntary, and not influenced by force from an outside party. It's the only moral way.