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Coercion is one solution to almost any collective action problem, and in a large subset of them everyone would prefer to be coerced than to have autonomy. Coecion of everyone is one solution to almost any collective action problem. If a problem is worse than the coercion needed to solve it (even after non-coercive attempts at solutions), coercion is the logical choice. Even minimalist government libertarians come to this conclusion, requiring coercion to provide for defense. "coercion" and "initiation of physical aggression" are libertarian newspeak. Frames, phatic language, terms of art: very simply, they have a coded meaning for libertarians that is not standard English. Very simply, it boils down to this: "Rights are force we like. Coercion is force we don't like." Libertarians applaud initiation of physical aggression against people for the purposes of enforcing property rights. Libertarians applaud initiation of physical aggression against people who commit fraud, even though it is a voluntary act between two parties. If a mall owner required his tenants to pay a miniumum wage, libertarians would not consider that coercive or initiation of physical aggression. But when a state requires payment of a miniumum wage, somehow that is entirely different to a libertarian. The function of State coercion is to override individual coercion, and, of course, coercion exercised by any association of individuals within the State. It is by this means that it maintains liberty of expression, security of person and property, genuine freedom of contract, the rights of public meeting and association, and finally its own power to carry out common objects undefeated by the recalcitrance of individual members. L. T. Hobhouse, "Liberalism", Chapter 7
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