Free markets are complex and they work (like ecosystems). Governments do not create wealth, they confiscate wealth and with monopolies they have less motivation to lower costs or innovate.

By George Tomko, a Toronto-based engineering physicist and neurophysiologist

Originally published to Medium on August 30, 2021

In my previous paper, I argued that as a society we must evolve beyond a centralized democracy to a state where individuals may choose themselves to be “masters.” Current events indicate that a central organizing authority with a monopoly on the use of excessive force is, in fact, harmful to the well being of society as a whole. Democracy, along with social democracy, fascism, socialism, communism, monarchy and, of course, dictatorships, are all, at their root, centralized power structures based on coercion, though each comes with different accessories. Many skeptics will object to this, pointing to the impracticality of not having a central authority and to the many benefits that, they believe, only governments can provide. Before I offer an alternate solution in another paper, I want to attempt to slay some of the strawmen that erroneously support the need for centralized political power structures.

There are two overarching views on political governance: the first is that governments must enact policies that benefit society as a whole — that this top-down process will then result in maximizing individual well-being; the second is that the individual is primary and, if placed in an environment where life, property and contracts are protected, the process of individuals interacting with one another will, in a bottom-up manner, maximize the well being of society. The first requires a policy of positive rights and at times violation of an individual’s negative rights; the second only requires the existence of negative rights. Let me explain.

If I contend that I have a right to my life and property, the onus on the rest of society is negative in nature, meaning no action should be taken: do not hurt me, do not steal, do not damage my property. The same onus is incumbent upon me toward others. These are termed “negative rights.”

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George Tomko, Ph.D. | Engineering physicist and neurophysiologist | @GeorgeMyPi

George Tomko is a Board member of Energy Probe Research Foundation, the umbrella organization of Probe International.