Rationalizing State Aggression

In violent times
You shouldn't have to sell your soul
In black and whte
They really, really ought to know
--Tears for Fears

Statists are people who believe in using the strong arm of government to take from some and give to others. This is aggression.

Since most people do not like to view themselves as proponents of violence, this aggression must be rationalized away. Statists employ various rationalization strategies.

One is to simply ignore the truth. Some statists rationalize that they are proponents of peace, and their actions are not violence of any kind. Perhaps the fact that statists employ strong armed agents to do their bidding, rather than engaging in acts of aggression directly, serves to perpetuate this delusion.

Another is self-defense. Statists justify their use of force as defensive in nature. They are 'protecting' people who have less against those who have more. This rationale ignores, of course, the fact that those who have more are not aggressing on those who have less.

Finally, there is the 'good aggression' rationale. Yes, the state engages in aggression. But it is for the 'greater good.' Offensive force is necessary in order to maintain civility.

These rationalizations institutionalize state aggression in society.