Easy questions. Is government a servant of the citizen, or is the citizen a servant of the government?

Question

Do we exist at the pleasure of the government?

Who came first? Individuals, or governments?

Can people exist without governments?

Was man made for the law, or was the law made for man?

Example: In a flat stretch of desert, you approach an intersection of roadway. You can see, in all directions, for five miles. The intersection has a four-way stop sign. There is no other traffic.

Should you stop? If so, why? If not, why not? Remember, there is absolutely NO other traffic.

The laws are for YOUR safety, but you are NOT in danger.
There are no cops around.

What do you do? Why do you do it?

Good call, jennyann. No one is protecting me. For example; the cops show up AFTER the crime has been committed. Cops do NOT prevent crime. The propaganda says that they do, but the propaganda (obviously) is a lie.

Answer 1

You'd be surprised. They should be easy questions, but there are far too many people on both sides of the aisle who would get them wrong.

The government exists at our pleasure. Individuals came first and people can exist without governments. The law was made for man, not man for the law.

Answer 2

1) No; however, all rights come from the government.
2) Individuals came first, who formed into tribes for protection and survival, which needed leadership, therefore government. The original intent of government is to serve and protect the people.
3) Without mankind there are no laws, except the laws of physics and science, therefor laws are made for mankind.
4) You stop, because you have integrity. Driving is a privilege (not a right) in the US granted to you by the state government of your state of residence. A part of getting those driving privileges is the explicit and implicit agreement that you will honor all laws associated with driving. If you break the laws, even in a situation as described, you only hurt yourself.

Ipersonally obey all traffic laws, even when driving the speed limit upsets others from breaking the law. It's called honesty, integrity and honor. If you can not obey laws when no enforcement is around, then you have none.


BTW, government does not exist at our pleasure - once formed, government exists forever until the majority, or a revolution, changes it.

Answer 3

These things arent so black and white. Its a muddy gray area that depends on the situation. It is hard to word an answer in such a way that will pertain to every possible scenario. Its like posing the question "does the individual influence the society or does the society influence the individual?" Its a combination of both. The government has a role in things and the individual has a role in things. And how the hell can man be made for law? laws were created out of some type of necessity.

Answer 4

The government exists at the pleasure of the people.

Individuals came before government.

People can exist without government. However, the more people that are added, the greater the need for a government to provide a means for them to all get along.

Law was obviously made for man.

I would stop...just my habit. Probably a nice rolling stop, but I wouldn't blast through it going 100 miles per hour.

So I guess I am a slave to the laws that the government has made. But you can't be random. You can't say normally you should stop here, but today you don't have to. It needs to be consistent.

Answer 5

Should you stop? If so, why? If not, why not?
The laws are for YOUR safety, but you are NOT in danger.

To answer such a question one should know beforehand whether or not a contract exist prior to engaging in a mechanical device of locomotion (i.e. operating a car, etc).
By "contract" I mean license, if there is no contract (license) then there is no breach (violation) to penalize.
In a roundabout way you are speaking of penalties for victimless crimes.
This is only achieved through contract, the drivers license, which makes an activity like not stopping at a stop sign punishable by a fine because one failed to abide by the stipulations agreed to in the contract.(obviously this act must be observed to be punishable)
When people speak in terms like, "The laws are for YOUR safety", I see a misnomer for "you people will never grow up and truely be responsible for your actions so we must always treat you like an irresponsible child and punish you through your wallet."
Remember, any time someone suffers an actual damage they generally always have a "right" of recovery.
So, if no contract (license), I "should" not have to stop but I will because it may very well be in my best interest to do so.
Somebody put that sign there and it may be for a good reason and I am still free to exercise my own COMMON SENSE.

Answer 6

Citizens ARE the government.

Police do not keep us in line, we do. If everyone decided "en masse" to start looting all the stores, there would be absolutely no way the police could stop it. It is the internal sense of right and wrong and moral upbringing that keeps us from doing it. When that internal control is gone (ie. Rodney King riots) all heck breaks loose. Police are necessary to protect us from those who choose to overide (or never had) their moral compass.

Not stopping at a stop sign in the middle of a desert with no one around for miles, is not a moral dilema. A better question would be if you found a jewelry store unlocked with no one inside or around for a hundred miles, and no security system, would you help yourself to the jewels and the cash?

Answer 7

easy Answers. Govt is a servant of the citizen.
Yes. otherwise only the mighty would be living and others dying in fear everyday.
Man made the law for man .
Example: you are in a boat in a clean lake.you feel thirsty, you also wanted to dip yourself in water and enjoy the pleasure of it.nobody is there to stop you.you would have jumped. BUT, your common sense stopped you warning that you do not know swimming, and that you could reach the shore and go to the place where you could drink clean water, and also have a safe bath.{for your example my reply is I would use common sense ,and act according to the situation you described. I mean, in the particular circumstances you need not be a law abiding citizen.even your vehicle may laugh at you.}
JUST USE YOUR COMMON SENSE,which of course should have some extent of sense.

Answer 8

No government needed as we are out here all by ourselves Look Around?

Answer 9

(speaking of the US only)Do you want what it is *supposed* to be or what it actually is n practice.... Does "We the People.." mean anything to you?