Coercion, how I see it

[neverforgetlol]

Here's a definition I got from the dictionary

"the use of express or implied threats of violence or reprisal or other intimidating behavior that puts a person in immediate fear of the consequences in order to compel that person to act against his or her will"

Libertarians claim that government is coercive, because the government forces us to do things like pay taxes, or obey laws, under threats of violence or reprisal, such as fines, jail time, etc. However libertarians do not believe capitalism is inherently coercive.

Capitalism is a system by which there is a market for labor power. Thus there are some who own capital and buy labor power to produce using said capital, and those who do not own capital and thus must sell their labor power.

We have two classes, and it is clear that in most cases those who sell labor power need the buyers more than vice versa. It is one thing to be a lawyer or a physician, but your average factory or farm worker doesn't have the privelege of market power. Thus the employer is able to act in a way that I consider coercive and essentially "get away with it."

Let's look at an example, we have a male boss, and a female employee, let's say in a factory. The employee is doing menial labor that many people are able to do, especially immigrants, for example. Now let's say the boss makes a demand, for example he demands this employee have sexual intercourse with him or she will be fired.

The question is, how is this any less coercive than government? In both cases there are threats or intimidating behavior, implied or otherwise, that puts a person in fear of consequence (jail time, or getting fired from their job) such that the person acts against their will (pays their taxes, or has sex with their boss to keep their job).

So what is the difference? Libertarians would say that you don't have to work there, you can just leave. But you can also leave the United States, renounce your citizenship and never have to pay U.S. taxes again. There is also the argument that the US has no right (whatever those are) to tax us. But from whence does the employer get the right to coerce his or her employees?

Just my two cents. I think either both cases are coercive or neither are. Either you accept capitalism and government or you reject both.