An oft cited reason given for the need for the state is that it is the only means through which the poor can access sufficient welfare to relieve them from the harsh realities that can accompany their circumstances. Yet despite the promises made over many decades and the huge sums spent on state welfare programs, it is hardly clear that the needs of the poor have been sufficiently met, especially given the constant outcry for more resources and better programs. If it can be shown that in the absence of a state, purely voluntary or libertarian welfare options are just as good if not better in dealing with the problem of poverty, then this staple reason for people to assume the necessity of the state can fall away.We already know that a large portion of the

Government and state are terms typically used synonymously these days. But if a state is an institution with a monopoly on the allowable use of aggression in a given territory, is a government always this as well? We know governing is needed in lots of private non-monopoly-wielding institutions, from large manufacturing corporations to local tennis clubs. So if we think outside the state, we can find ways that private governments can be established and developed to replace the status quo state version of current government rule.
The desire to interact and live among others arises due to the various economic, social, security, and spiritual benefits that accrue from doing so. Put another way, doing many things on your own is either much more expensive or simply not

Modern minds are so oriented toward state power that people often fail to understand there is a better way. Instead of “thinking outside the box,” we should think outside the state.
Original Article: Thinking outside the State

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