Benevolent Government

"The hospital is under new management now. Free health care for everyone!"
--John Q. Archibald (John Q)

This video snippet captures the view that government can be benevolent, helpful. While the Left seems to be more vociferous in this view, many on the Right see a benevolent role for government as well. Those with benevolent views of government see that goodness as being expressed in many forms such as welfare programs, socialized medicine, strong military, etc.

But the benevolence crowd forgets or ignores the fact that government is legitimized force. No matter how good hearted the intention, channeling resources through government requires forceful confiscation from some for the benefit of others.

Chanting "we need to be compassionate" while fleecing people at gunpoint scales the summit of folly. Such an approach is not progressive; it regresses toward barbarianism and conquest. 

The truly benevolent solution to social problems is voluntary cooperation between individuals where interests are advanced through mutual exchange.

By putting government between them and their victims, the benevolence crowd outsources to strong armed agents the violence that they inflict on others.