David McElroy

making sense of a dysfunctional culture

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When politicians insist the ‘war on drugs’ is working, they’re just following majoritarian incentives

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I frequently tell people not to blame politicians for the problems they see in democratic governments. Instead, I suggest that they blame the voters, because the voters are the ones who insist that politicians lie to them — if they want to be elected.

There’s a new report from a group of “former world leaders” that admits that the “war on drugs” doesn’t work. (Download the full report here if you care.) Most people among my friends will look at this and think that it means these former world leaders are just being hypocritical to notice the truth now that they’re not in power, but that would be missing the bigger point entirely.

The real point is that human beings follow incentives. If a person has political ambitions, he can’t allow himself to notice the truth about the “war on (some) drugs.” If he understands the truth, he might accidentally say the truth — and telling the truth about something this emotional with the voters will result in his defeat. When you’re part of a majoritarian system, you have an incentive to agree with the voters, not seek truth.

It’s true that politicians carry out the will of the majority — at least a form of it that’s filtered through a bizarre and unseemly process. But it’s majoritarian ignorance and emotion that is to blame for the things that get carried out. Don’t just blame the politicians. Blame the statist system that gives the majority the power to force its will on the rest of us. Just changing the names and faces of the people operating the machinery of the state isn’t going to change anything.

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Do you obey petty rules? Or do you fight The Man in hopes of change?

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It’s an age-old question for people who face authority they don’t want to obey: Is it better to quietly follow orders to avoid punishment or is it better to defy authority and fight for change?

The answer isn’t as clear-cut as it might first appear. What’s more, there’s no one correct answer. But I want to tell you the conclusion I’ve come to for myself.

Many of my friends are committed activists for freedom. Because of that, some of them attend various protests and engage in provocative acts of civil disobedience. I have a lot of respect for people who take this route, and I understand why the make the choice they do. There have been times in history when such attempts have brought about change, such as during the U.S. civil rights movement of the ’50s and ’60s. I don’t happen to believe it’s the right approach today, though, so it’s not my way. However, I’m not going to tell other people what’s right for them, because a) it’s their choice and b) I might be wrong.

If the only way — or even the best way — of achieving a more free society was to get the state’s co-operation in modifying its rules, I might possibly choose their way. But I think it’s ultimately smarter and more useful to find solutions outside the state entirely.

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Listen to Samuel’s ancient warning to Israel about anointing a ruler: ‘…you shall be his slaves’

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In the Book of I Samuel, the prophet warned the people against their demand for a king. The Hebrews were unhappy with having Samuel’s sons to judge them, because the sons were corrupt. Instead of seeking freedom from corrupt men, the people asked for a king.

According to I Samuel 8:11-18, the prophet warned the people with these words: “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”

The people got what they asked for. Saul became the first king of Israel. If you know the story, you know things didn’t end well. The practices of kings haven’t changed much from Saul’s day, even if we call them something other than kings now. We need to look past the day of allowing a king to rule over us, even if that’s what the majority want.

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