The real triumph of civilization is the extent to which coercion is banished from human relations.

Today most habeas involves the federal courts overriding state convictionswhere it used to be mostly the reverse.

The struggle between centralization and decentralization is at the core of American history.

The real triumph of civilization is the extent to which coercion is banished from human relations.

I do not think we will see a stateless society in my lifetime. But I am sure we will not see a state that conforms to the minarchists' ideals. The closer we get, the better, but I see no reason not to aspire for the best government as Thoreau imagined it: none at all. It's certainly more consistently idealistic than what the minarchists imagine, and yet it's at least possible, whereas the existence of a lasting, minimal state is a hopeless fantasy.

As the nation-state has monopolized habeas corpus … on balance we have far more people in prison, federal and state, than ever.

Brute force is not our salvation, especially as directed by State central planning and done with little regard for the innocents.