How do governments justify control against their own citizens?

Question

Is there any legitimate reason for control in a democratic society?

Answer 1

Justification v. Rationalization. Justification involves having something concrete as evidence that most reasonable people will agree gives anyone whatever right to do whatever it is that they are seeking to do or have done.

For example: if I come home from work and find my wife in a miserable mood and later find out that she was raped that day but was too upset to talk with me about it some might argue that I was justified in taking a course of action against the man who raped my wife. (this is a true story although not my own)

What is rationalization then? Rationalizing involves stretching events and facts (with regard to taking action or reacting to events) beyond that which most people will agree is reasonable.

For example: should the above scenario happen to me it might be construed as unreasonable for me to then go on a shooting rampage. it might be perceived as unreasonable that I hunt the man down and do to him what any ex-special forces operative might consider.

Governments justify their control over their citizens by saying they have a better idea to help improve the quality of life for their citizens.

There is a need for those things that are explicit in the United States Constitution. I'm speaking about the specific powers granted to the federal government in that document. We need a Judiciary to resolve disputes and establish justice for innocent citizens. We need Defense to insure that Americans can live and work in a peaceful environment. We need foreign diplomats to continue to build bridges that open lines of communication and establish working relationships with foreign powers so that Americans can feel comfortable doing business abroad and traveling to other countries.

Beyond that, is icing. It's regulation. It's bureaucracy. It's more and more control over your life.

Although very few politicians are talking about this issue, and it barely gets a blip on the media radar screen, America is on the verge of transforming from a Republic into a Dictatorship. To anyone who has studied history, economics and government America is closer to being a fascist society than we are a Constitutional Republic-Capitalistic society with a strong Democratic tradition. There are many who will deny this just as there were many American Colonists (a full one-third) who denied that we needed a Revolution and another full one-third who actually fought against the Revolution.

It was only one-third of the American Colonists who supported an alternate government separate from the King and the Crown. America has always been governed by a minority faction. The same is true today.

There are very few people who understand why many leaders in our government are supporting a 31% tax burden (I can show you how you pay that if not more), enormous public indebtedness, open borders, job outsourcing, the disintegration of values and family, the attack on morals and Christianity, an elastic currency system, and lie upon lie that leads to increasingly more bureaucracy and regulation of every aspect of our lives.

The Republicans and the Democrats are in bed together because, together, they have created what is reality for Americans today. They are puppets for the most part with very few exceptions. They will do whatever the owners of the Federal Reserve insist upon including everything mentioned above.

Congressman Ron Paul is almost the lone exception in Congress. He's running for President and he is the only sane choice (considering the two major parties) who is a patriot, rather than a puppet, and who has a track record of consistently standing up for freedom, liberty and the United States Constitution.

Answer 2

They tend to justify it most often, I believe, under the notion that it's for their protection. Quotes of Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and similar others come to mind.

I cannot think of any logical or compelling reason to justify control of the people. This is, of course, excepting minor things which could technically be considered control that the people have willing given government the authority as a practical matter.

I believe people or a citizenry as a whole can more effectively regulate itself than governments can. Look at the early history of the US. The philosophies of personal liberty and self regulation (the government being the least involved in the peoples affairs) made for a very prosperous and wealthy nation.

Answer 3

Police power is the only legitimate means of the government to control the right of the citizens against abuses and violations of laws. To have order in the communities, the government can regulate the activities of people.

Answer 4

I am for regulation and enforcement of the law. But when a government uses this concept to take advantage of it's own populace and use the very rules, regulations, and laws against the people then they are committing one of the most disgusting acts that can be applied against anyone! These acts of application of rules, regulations and law must be only applied to those that are breaking the rules, and the law! They are to protect the consumer,and the populace as a whole. They cannot be selectively applied! The law is the law and must be applied to even those in the Oval Office!

Answer 5

Governments have been controlling their citizens for years, why do you seem so surprised? If they had no control there would be mass kaos, fortunately the masses don't need a club over the head to know the basic rules of civilization but what do you think the courts and prisons are for? They are there because some people just don't get it and need a more force full example of the rules.

Answer 6

Because - in a democracy - we collectively decide how much government control we desire.

We accept government control for two reasons:

1) Protection - laws controlling people's behavior to protect others rights

2) Standardization/predictability - laws standardizing procedures such as business practices, estate law etc.

The fact of the matter is that government control is a dynamic balance and it is generally impossible to grant somebody more freedoms without infringing on another persons freedoms.

Answer 7

The governments will justify the control any way they can.

Here are the excuses (not necessarily legitimate):

1) Security
2) Security
3) Security

Give the people something to fear (like terrorism), and the people will let the government take away their freedoms to 'protect' them from 'dangers' both real and imaginary.

"Those who would sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither" - Benjamin Franklin

Answer 8

Different governments use different justifications for their use of power. Democracies argue that they are ruled by the people, for the people. Monarchies fall back on tradition or the notion divine right. Dictatorships often thrive in places without a strong background in democracy, so they exercise their right through might.

Answer 9

Yes. Supposedly it is to protect the masses against the few that would take advantage. And so that the government represents the majority. . .

Answer 10

It's all about the protection of private property. Think about what the state of affairs would be like if government weren't there to 'control' us. Excluding some of the legislation passed in the last six years under the banner of 'homeland security', I prefer to think of government's 'control' as 'protection' because no matter what I do, many people out there only play nice because they are forced to.