Well, be fair, there was definitely state coercion and a little resulting violence in Catalonia lately.

There have been no specifically EU atrocities except as the EU has supported the US's irrational, violent nonsense. The Iraq invasion probably would not have happened without key EU member support and troop pledges. But, again, atrocities are not my primary motivation so for me, it's not a meaningful rebuttal. Freedom is my motivation. I just think it creates the greatest possibilities for a richer and more peaceful world. And to clarify, when I say I want smaller, or at the least, weaker, states I don't mean isolated ones. Freedom means open borders and trade.

Decentralization empowers individuals. I can speak at a county council meeting today and be heard. I could work my whole life and never get to address the US House and even then, I'm talking to 100 members who showed up, 3 of whom are listening, and 300+ empty chairs.

Political decentralization has a lot in common with open source software.

Decentralization focuses expertise and interest on one's immediate sphere instead of opening the possibility of exerting power over others at any distance, whether it is a protectionist trade agreement slowly making one country richer by draining the money from another or a single person pushing the launch button on a Predator's control panel. Personal responsibility is a key aspect of freedom. There is no personal responsibility in the state.

PerlMonks is going to need a rebranding if this thread lives much longer. :P

In reply to Re^13: Patience is a Cheese Sandwich by Your Mother
in thread Patience is a Monk Virtue by marinersk

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