Is Government Interference Right?
Uploaded by Admin on Aug 18, 2000
Should government have the right to interfere in our private lives? Does being part of a representative democracy mean that we abdicate our freedom to make our own choices in the name of the good of all?
Should the government have the right to interfere in our private lives? Democracy guarantees freedom. One might then argue that a government should allow people to act according to their own free will. But there are two sides to every coin. Absolute independence might not lead to anything productive in an interdependent society as ours. There needs to be a basic framework of rules and guidelines to which all participants in that society agree to.
According to Hobbes, human nature is such that if there were no rules or a law enforcing institution in the government, it would be a war of every man against every man1. The government regulates the activities of individuals in a manner such that the freedom guaranteed by democracy to everybody is not infringed upon by the selfish acts of few.
Apart from the protection of these basic rights of people, I feel that government interference in our private live is not acceptable. Systems such as welfare and progressive taxes do not seem quite right. The government should definitely work towards the increase in the standard of living of the whole nation but it should not be by snatching well-earned money from the rich in the form of progressive taxes just because they have some extra money whereas some others are not so fortunate enough. On the other hand, encouraging people to learn and obtain knowledge would pay of in the long run by making them self-sufficient without depending on the welfare systems of the nation. Further taking the economic perspective into account, this would even help the nation as a whole by increasing its total production and achieving economic growth. This in turn could lead to greater equality amongst the citizens and the whole theory about levying taxes prospective in nature could be dropped without having any arguments.
Government also tries to control our lives and means of sustenance by the affirmative action policies it has adopted. Democracy should ensure people the right to work irrespective of race or ethnicity. Worthy people have lost in this competition of the labor market just because he is not of some particular caste or religion. It sure has some positive sides to it but...