[vhawk01]

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If that were true, then we'd elect representatives who would enact laws making it legal to lynch drug dealers.

[/ QUOTE ] You come off as a pretty intelligent guy, so I'm sure you see how that does not follow at all. Let me try to spell out some of the differences.

We do vote for politicians who enact laws that make sure drug dealers are punished. We don't have a binary choice. If we did have a binary choice of either letting people who deal drugs to children go about their own business or legalizing their lynchings, then yes, I believe representatives that wanted to legalize lynching would be elected.

That doesn't have to be true, though. If 25% of the population (well, we're not talking 25% of the people. 25% of dollars obviously. In ACland) were for lynchings, 55% against and 20% didn't care, it might very well not be worth it for the insurance company or whoever to deal with the mob. Prosecuting a whole mob sounds like expensive business.

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It wouldn't be worth it as long as the remaining 75%, the ones who did not favor lynchings, had no problem associating with those who did. Or at least, if they valued other things, like cheaper prices or something, at a higher level.

And if they do, then what is the problem? You seem to be presuppozing that roving gangs of lynchers is bad. I happen to agree, and agree strongly. So I would put a VERY high priority on not supporting or giving my business to anyone who deals with these horrible lynchers.

But what if pvn or Boro don't mind these lynchers so much? Why am I trying to impose my preferences on them? They can live in their own little world, replete with random lynchings, and I'll hang out with the rest of the anti-lynching crowd. I'd like to think I'm in the majority, but who knows. And more importantly, who cares. We'll find out pretty quickly which preference leads to the most stability, safety, happiness, customer satisfaction, whatever.

Prosecuting a mob is expensive, sure, and from time to time incidents of mob violence are bound to happen. Just like now. But if we put a high priority on eliminating mob violence, we're bound to be willing to pay that price. I know I would be.


EDIT: Important clarification. I'm not saying that in an AC world random lynchings are somehow acceptable, since they go strictly against the main premise of AC. I'm merely saying that the preference of whether to associate with these random lynchers is something that would be accomodated in AC land. If we all decided we wanted to impose no penalty for murder, then sucks for us.